Djibouti (2001) | Gibraltar (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); 'Ali Sabih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
42.58% (male 98,314; female 97,859) 15-64 years: 54.58% (male 132,619; female 118,841) 65 years and over: 2.84% (male 6,787; female 6,280) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 2,593; female 2,482)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 9,458; female 8,946) 65 years and over: 15.4% (male 1,873; female 2,424) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels | none |
Airports | 12 (2000 est.) | 1 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
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Area | total:
22,000 sq km land: 21,980 sq km water: 20 sq km |
total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Massachusetts | about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. A peace accord in 1994 ended a three-year uprising by Afars rebels. | Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967 and 2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. |
Birth rate | 40.66 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 11.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$133 million expenditures: $187 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
revenues: $307 million
expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 00/01 est.) |
Capital | Djibouti | Gibraltar |
Climate | desert; torrid, dry | Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers |
Coastline | 314 km | 12 km |
Constitution | multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992 | 30 May 1969 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Djibouti former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar |
Currency | Djiboutian franc (DJF) | Gibraltar pound (GIP) |
Death rate | 14.66 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 8.93 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $356 million (1999 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Donald YAMAMOTO embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95 FAX: [253] 35 39 40 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | Gibraltar residents vote overwhelmingly in referendum against "total shared sovereignty" arrangement worked out between Spain and UK to change 300-year rule over colony |
Economic aid - recipient | $106.3 million (1995) | $NA; note - if an agreement between Spain and the UK is reached, could receive 50 million euros from the EU |
Economy - overview | The economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital city, the remainder being 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. It 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 40% to 50% continues to be a major problem. Inflation is not a concern, however, because of the fixed tie of the franc to the US dollar. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors. The year 2001 will see only small growth as port activity should decrease now that Ethiopia has more trade route options. | Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment. |
Electricity - consumption | 167.4 million kWh (1999) | 93 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 180 million kWh (1999) | 100 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Lac Assal -155 m highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m |
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m |
Environment - current issues | inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification | limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Ethnic groups | Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5% | Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese |
Exchange rates | Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.721 (fixed rate since 1973) | Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President GUELLEH Ismail Omar (since 8 May 1999); head of government: Prime Minister DILLEITA Mohamed Dilleita (since 4 March 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 9 April 1999 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: GUELLEH Ismail Omar elected president; percent of vote - GUELLEH Ismail Omar 74.4%, IDRIS Moussa Ahmed 25.6% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis RICHARDS (since 27 May 2003)
head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
Exports | $260 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit) | (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8% |
Exports - partners | Somalia 53%, Yemen 23%, Ethiopia 5%, (1998) | UK 27.7%, Switzerland 14.3%, Germany 12%, France 6.9%, Spain 6.1%, Turkmenistan 5%, Ukraine 4.6% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | 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 | two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $574 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
3% industry: 22% services: 75% (1998 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 11 30 N, 43 00 E | 36 8 N, 5 21 W |
Geography - note | strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland | strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea |
Highways | total:
2,890 km paved: 364 km unpaved: 2,526 km (1996) |
total: 29 km
paved: 29 km unpaved: 0 km (2002) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $440 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products | fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | France 13%, Ethiopia 12%, Italy 9%, Saudi Arabia 6%, UK 6% (1998) | Germany 27.3%, Spain 21.8%, UK 12.1%, Italy 8% (2002) |
Independence | 27 June 1977 (from France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3% (1996 est.) | NA% |
Industries | limited to a few small-scale enterprises, such as dairy products and mineral-water bottling | tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco |
Infant mortality rate | 101.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 5.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2% (2000 est.) | 1.5% (1998) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | Interpol (subbureau) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 282,000 | 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 75%, industry 11%, services 14% (1991 est.) | services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL% |
Land boundaries | total:
508 km border countries: Eritrea 113 km, Ethiopia 337 km, Somalia 58 km |
total: 1.2 km
border countries: Spain 1.2 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 0% other: 91% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
Languages | French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar | English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese |
Legal system | based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law | English law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - RPP 65; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election |
unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later than NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
51.21 years male: 49.37 years female: 53.1 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 79.38 years
male: 76.51 years female: 82.4 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 46.2% male: 60.3% female: 32.7% (1995 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: above 80% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia | Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain |
Map references | Africa | Europe |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,008,140 GRT/1,435,595 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 58, chemical tanker 14, container 20, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, France 2, Germany 55, Greece 6, Ireland 1, Monaco 2, Norway 3, United Kingdom 13 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force) | no regular indigenous military forces; British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $23 million (FY97) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 4.5% (FY97) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
108,038 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
63,589 (2001 est.) |
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National holiday | Independence Day, 27 June (1977) | National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain |
Nationality | noun:
Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian |
noun: Gibraltarian(s)
adjective: Gibraltar |
Natural hazards | earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods | NA |
Natural resources | geothermal areas | NEGL |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | - | 0 km |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; People's Progress Assembly or RPP (governing party) [Ismail Omar GELLEH] | Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy or FRUD and affiliates; Movement for Unity and Democracy or MUD | Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women's Association |
Population | 460,700 (July 2001 est.) | 27,776 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.6% (2001 est.) | 0.22% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Djibouti | Gibraltar |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 52,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge note: Djibouti and Ethiopia plan to revitalize the century-old railroad that links their capitals by 2003 |
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Religions | Muslim 94%, Christian 6% | Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%, Jewish 2.3%, none or other 7% (1991) |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | NA years of age; universal adult | 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more |
Telephone system | 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: microwave radio relay network international: submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseilles, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network |
general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities
domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 8,000 (1997) | 19,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 203 (1997) | 1,620 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus 5 low-power repeaters) (1998) | 1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains | a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar |
Total fertility rate | 5.72 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 50% (2000 est.) | 2% (2001 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |