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Central Intelligence Agency
The Work of a Nation. The Center of Intelligence
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| page last updated on January 29, 2013 |
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(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)
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Click flag or map to enlarge 
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Click map to enlarge
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| no photos available of Djibouti |
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The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multi-party presidential elections resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH; he was re-elected to a second term in 2005 and a third term in 2011. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. The present leadership has longstanding ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country, but also has strong ties with the US. Djibouti hosts the only US military base in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia
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11 30 N, 43 00 E
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total: 23,200 sq km
country comparison to the world: 151
land:
23,180 sq km
water:
20 sq km
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slightly smaller than Massachusetts
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total: 516 km
border countries:
Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km
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314 km
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
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desert; torrid, dry
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coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
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lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m
highest point:
Moussa Ali 2,028 m
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potential geothermal power, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum
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arable land: 0.04%
permanent crops:
0%
other:
99.96% (2005)
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10 sq km (2003)
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0.3 cu km (1997)
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total: 0.02 cu km/yr (84%/0%/16%)
per capita:
25 cu m/yr (2000)
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earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods
volcanism:
experiences limited volcanic activity; Ardoukoba (elev. 298 m) last erupted in 1978; Manda-Inakir, located along the Ethiopian border, is also historically active
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inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
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strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa and the saltiest lake in the world
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| People and Society ::Djibouti |
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noun: Djiboutian(s)
adjective:
Djiboutian
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Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (includes French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian)
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French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar
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Muslim 94%, Christian 6%
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774,389 (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
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0-14 years: 34.3% (male 133,003/ female 132,488)
15-64 years:
62.3% (male 212,652/ female 269,900)
65 years and over:
3.4% (male 11,835/ female 14,511) (2012 est.)
population pyramid: 
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total: 22.1 years
male:
20.5 years
female:
23.5 years (2012 est.)
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2.285% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
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24.91 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
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8.08 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
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6.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
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urban population: 76% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:
1.8% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
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DJIBOUTI (capital) 567,000 (2009)
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.79 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.82 male(s)/female
total population:
0.86 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
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200 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 53
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total: 53.31 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 40
male:
60.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
45.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
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total population: 61.57 years
country comparison to the world: 185
male:
59.15 years
female:
64.07 years (2012 est.)
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2.63 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
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6.4% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 95
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0.229 physicians/1,000 population (2006)
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improved:
urban: 63% of population
rural: 10% of population
total: 56% of population
unimproved:
urban: 37% of population
rural: 90% of population
total: 44% of population
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2.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
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14,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
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1,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
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degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease:
malaria
note:
highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
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29.6% (2006)
country comparison to the world: 18
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8.4% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 9
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
67.9%
male:
78%
female:
58.4% (2003 est.)
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total: 5 years
male:
6 years
female:
5 years (2009)
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conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
conventional short form:
Djibouti
local long form:
Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti
local short form:
Djibouti/Jibuti
former:
French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland
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republic
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name: Djibouti
geographic coordinates:
11 35 N, 43 09 E
time difference:
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah
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27 June 1977 (from France)
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Independence Day, 27 June (1977)
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approved by referendum 4 September 1992; note - constitution allows for multiparties
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mixed legal system based primarily on the French civil code (as it existed in 1997) and Islamic religious law (in matters of family law and successions), and customary law
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accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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18 years of age; universal
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chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)
head of government:
Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4 March 2001)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers responsible to the president
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; president is eligible to hold office until age 75; election last held on 8 April 2011 (next to be held by 2016); prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 80.6%, Mohamed Warsama RAGUEH 19.4%
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unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - constitutional amendments in 2010 provided for the establishment of a senate
elections:
last held on 8 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP (coalition of parties associated with President Ismail Omar GUELLAH) 65
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Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court
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Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress Assembly or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party); Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed YOUSSOUF]; Union for a Presidential Majority or UMP [Mohamed Dileita DILEITA] (a coalition of parties including RPP, FRUD, PND, and PPSD); Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ
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NA
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ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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chief of mission: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE Oudine
chancery:
Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone:
[1] (202) 331-0270
FAX:
[1] (202) 331-0302
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chief of mission: Ambassador Geeta PASI
embassy:
Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti
mailing address:
B. P. 185, Djibouti
telephone:
[253] 35 39 95
FAX:
[253] 35 39 40
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two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center; blue stands for sea and sky and the Issa Somali people; green symbolizes earth and the Afar people; white represents peace; the red star recalls the struggle for independence and stands for unity
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name: "Jabuuti" (Djibouti)
lyrics/music:
Aden ELMI/Abdi ROBLEH
note:
adopted 1977
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Djibouti's economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in the Horn of Africa. Three-fourths of Djibouti's inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling center. Imports and exports from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia represent 70% of port activity at Djibouti's container terminal. Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of nearly 60% in urban areas continues to be a major problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance of payments. Djibouti holds foreign reserves amounting to less than six months of import coverage. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% between 1999 and 2006 because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Djibouti has experienced relatively minimal impact from the global economic downturn, but its reliance on diesel-generated electricity and imported food leave average consumers vulnerable to global price shocks. Djibouti in 2012 began construction of a third port to secure its position as a critical transshipment hub in the Horn of Africa and the principal conduit for Ethiopia's trade. Djibouti also received funding in late 2012 for a desalination plant to begin address the severe freshwater shortage affecting Djibouti City, and particularly its poorest residents.
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$2.377 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
$2.267 billion (2011 est.)
$2.17 billion (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
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$1.36 billion (2012 est.)
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4.8% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
4.5% (2011 est.)
3.5% (2010 est.)
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$2,700 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
$2,700 (2011 est.)
$2,600 (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
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agriculture: 3.1%
industry:
16.9%
services:
80% (2012 est.)
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351,700 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 160
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agriculture: NA%
industry:
NA%
services:
NA%
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59% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
note:
data are for urban areas, 83% in rural areas
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42% (2007 est.)
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lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%:
30.9% (2002)
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revenues: $485.6 million
expenditures:
$502 million (2012 est.)
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35.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
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-1.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
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4.3% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
4.4% (2011 est.)
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10% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
10.61% (31 December 2011 est.)
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$798.1 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
$692.6 million (31 December 2011 est.)
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$1.158 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
$1.008 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
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$498.1 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
$426.3 million (31 December 2011 est.)
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fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides
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$4.2 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
$33 million (2011 est.)
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$101.7 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
$96.8 million (2011 est.)
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reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)
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Somalia 74.5%, Sudan 6.7%, Egypt 5.1% (2011)
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$465.1 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
$413.8 million (2011 est.)
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foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products
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Saudi Arabia 17.6%, China 16.1%, India 15.4%, Indonesia 5.9%, Malaysia 5.1%, US 4.2%, Pakistan 4.1% (2011)
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$802.9 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
$802.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)
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$331.6 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
$331.6 million (31 December 2011 est.)
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Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar -
177.7 (2012 est.)
177.72 (2011 est.)
177.72 (2010 est.)
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calendar year
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350 million kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
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325.5 million kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
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0 kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
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0 kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
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130,000 kW (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
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100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
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0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
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0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
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0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
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0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
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0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
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0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
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0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
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0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
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12,460 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
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19.18 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
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7,987 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
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0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
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0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
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0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
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0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
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0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
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2.352 million Mt (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
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| Communications ::Djibouti |
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18,400 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 193
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193,000 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 181
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general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country
domestic:
Djibouti Telecom is the sole provider of telecommunications services and utilizes mostly a microwave radio relay network; fiber-optic cable is installed in the capital; rural areas connected via wireless local loop radio systems; mobile cellular coverage is primarily limited to the area in and around Djibouti city
international:
country code - 253; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and EASSy fiber-optic submarine cable systems providing links to Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean and 1 Arabsat); Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network
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state-owned Radiodiffusion-Television de Djibouti (RTD) operates the sole terrestrial TV station as well as the only 2 domestic radio networks; no private TV or radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)
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.dj
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215 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 201
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25,900 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 185
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| Transportation ::Djibouti |
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13 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 153
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total: 3
over 3,047 m:
1
2,438 to 3,047 m:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1 (2012)
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total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1
914 to 1,523 m:
7
under 914 m:
2 (2012)
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total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the 781 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)
country comparison to the world: 126
narrow gauge:
100 km 1.000-m gauge
note:
railway is under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but is largely inoperable (2008)
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total: 3,065 km
country comparison to the world: 165
paved:
1,226 km
unpaved:
1,839 km (2000)
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Djibouti
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the International Maritime Bureau reports offshore waters in the Gulf of Aden are high risk for piracy; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crew, passengers, and cargo are held for ransom; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators reduced the incidence of piracy in that body of water by more than half in 2010
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Djibouti Armed Forces (Forces Armees Djiboutiennes, FAD): Djibouti National Army (includes Navy, Djiboutian Air Force (Force Aerienne Djiboutienne), National Gendarmerie (GN)) (2012)
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18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2008)
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males age 16-49: 170,386
females age 16-49:
221,411 (2010 est.)
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males age 16-49: 114,557
females age 16-49:
154,173 (2010 est.)
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male: 8,360
female:
8,602 (2010 est.)
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3.8% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 26
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| Transnational Issues ::Djibouti |
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Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia; Kuwait is chief investor in the 2008 restoration and upgrade of the Ethiopian-Djibouti rail link; in 2008, Eritrean troops moved across the border on Ras Doumera peninsula and occupied Doumera Island with undefined sovereignty in the Red Sea
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refugees (country of origin): 14,216 (Somalia) (2012)
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