Djibouti (2003) | Bermuda (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | 5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); 'Ali Sabih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura | 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 43.1% (male 98,796; female 98,202)
15-64 years: 53.9% (male 129,492; female 116,953) 65 years and over: 3% (male 6,933; female 6,754) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 19.2% (male 6,058; female 6,225)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 21,950; female 22,442) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,163; female 4,122) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels | bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products |
Airports | 13 (2002) | 1 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 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 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 23,000 sq km
land: 22,980 sq km water: 20 sq km |
total: 53.3 sq km
land: 53.3 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Massachusetts | about one-third the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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 three consecutive six-year terms as president. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990's led to multi-party elections resulting in President Ismail Omar GUELLEH attaining office in May 1999. A peace accord in 2001 ended the final phases of a ten-year uprising by Afar rebels. Djibouti occupies a very 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. GUELLEH favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country. | Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island's economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995. |
Birth rate | 40.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 11.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $135 million
expenditures: $182 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
revenues: $609.5 million
expenditures: $574.6 million, including capital expenditures of $54.8 million (FY00/01) |
Capital | Djibouti | Hamilton |
Climate | desert; torrid, dry | subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter |
Coastline | 314 km | 103 km |
Constitution | multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992 | 8 June 1968, amended 1989 |
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: Bermuda former: Somers Islands |
Currency | Djiboutian franc (DJF) | Bermudian dollar (BMD) |
Death rate | 19.45 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $366 million (2002 est.) | $145 million (FY99/00) |
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 |
chief of mission: Consul General Denis Patrick COLEMAN, Jr.
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVQ3 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye
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 | Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia including the Somali Transitional National Government in Mogadishu | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $36 million (2001) | $NA |
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 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. Another factor limiting growth is the negative impact on port activity now that Ethiopia has more trade route options. | Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, with its economy primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001 have had both positive and negative ramifications for Bermuda. On the positive side, a number of new reinsurance companies have located on the island, contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. On the negative side, Bermuda's already weakening tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - has been further hit as American tourists have chosen not to travel. Most capital equipment and food must be imported, with the US serving as the primary source of goods, followed by the UK. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important. Agriculture is limited, only 6% of the land being arable. |
Electricity - consumption | 167.4 million kWh (2001) | 553.35 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 180 million kWh (2001) | 595 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m
highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m |
Environment - current issues | inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species | asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space; sustainable development |
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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5% | black 58%, white 36%, other 6% |
Exchange rates | Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.72 (2002), 177.72 (2001), 177.72 (2000), 177.72 (1999), 177.72 (1998) | Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister DILEITA Mohamed Dileita (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: Ismail Omar GUELLEH elected president; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 74.4%, IDRIS Moussa Ahmed 25.6% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since NA April 2002)
head of government: Premier Jennifer SMITH (since 10 November 1998) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor 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 premier by the governor |
Exports | NA (2001) | $51 million (2000) |
Exports - commodities | reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit) | reexports of pharmaceuticals |
Exports - partners | Somalia 56.7%, Yemen 24.4%, Pakistan 4.8%, Ethiopia 4.4%, UAE 4.1% (2002) | EU excluding UK 77.9%, US 9.8%, UK 6.9% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $619 million (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 15.8% services: 80.7% (2001 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 10% services: 89% (1995 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $34,800 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.5% (2002 est.) | 2.9% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 11 30 N, 43 00 E | 32 20 N, 64 45 W |
Geography - note | 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 | consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land, reclaimed and otherwise, was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995 |
Highways | total: 2,890 km
paved: 364 km unpaved: 2,526 km (1999 est.) |
total: 450 km
paved: 450 km unpaved: 0 km note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA (2001) | $719 million (2000) |
Imports - commodities | foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products | machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals |
Imports - partners | Saudi Arabia 18.2%, Ethiopia 10.5%, US 9.2%, France 8.6%, China 8.2%, Netherlands 4.1% (2002) | EU excluding UK 35.4%, US 17.8%, UK 15.4%, Russia 14.6% (1999) |
Independence | 27 June 1977 (from France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3% (1996 est.) | NA% |
Industries | construction, agricultural processing | tourism, international business, light manufacturing |
Infant mortality rate | total: 106.96 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 114.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 98.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
9.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2% (2002 est.) | 3% (July 2001) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | Caricom (observer), CCC, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 20 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 10 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts |
Labor force | 282,000 | 37,472 (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | NA% | clerical 22%, services 20%, laborers 17%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%, sales 8%, agriculture and fishing 3% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 516 km
border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (1998 est.) |
Languages | French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar | English (official), 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 10 January 2003 (next to be held NA January 2008) election results: percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats - RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election |
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last general election held 9 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 54%, UBP 44%, NLP 1%, independents 1%; seats by party - PLP 26, UBP 14 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 43.13 years
male: 41.82 years female: 44.48 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 77.3 years
male: 75.21 years female: 79.27 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.9% male: 78% female: 58.4% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1970 est.) |
Location | Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia | North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina (US) |
Map references | Africa | North America |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total: 102 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,485,450 GRT/8,782,869 DWT
ships by type: bulk 28, cargo 4, container 16, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 9, Indonesia 1, Norway 2, Sweden 11, United Kingdom 52, United States 13 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Djibouti National Army (including Navy and Air Force) | no regular indigenous military forces; Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $26.53 million (FY02) | $4,027,970 (January 2002) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 4.4% (FY02) | 0.11% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 107,050 (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 63,459 (2003 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 27 June (1977) | Bermuda Day, 24 May |
Nationality | noun: Djiboutian(s)
adjective: Djiboutian |
noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian |
Natural hazards | earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods | hurricanes (June to November) |
Natural resources | geothermal areas | limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 2.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | 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 (governing party) [Ismail Omar GUELLEH]; Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED]; Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [leader NA] | National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Chairman Wayne FURBERT] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini AHMED] | Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Association or BPSA [leader NA]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES] |
Population | 457,130 (July 2003 est.) | 63,960 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 50% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.13% (2003 est.) | 0.69% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Djibouti | Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001) | AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 82,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)
narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2002) |
0 km |
Religions | Muslim 94%, Christian 6% | non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 19% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth: 0.94 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal adult | 18 years of age; universal |
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: NA
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 10,000 (2002) | 52,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 5,000 (2002) | 7,980 (1996) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (2002) | 3 (1997) |
Terrain | coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains | low hills separated by fertile depressions |
Total fertility rate | 5.56 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.81 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 50% (2000 est.) | 4.5% (1993) |
Waterways | none | none |