Qatar (2003) | Djibouti (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal | 5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); 'Ali Sabih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 24.7% (male 102,938; female 98,934)
15-64 years: 72.4% (male 415,302; female 176,183) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,199; female 6,496) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 42.6% (male 100,903; female 100,420)
15-64 years: 54.5% (male 135,409; female 122,209) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 7,220; female 6,649) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish | fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels |
Airports | 4 (2002) | 12 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
over 3,047 m: 2 (2002) |
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2002) |
Area | total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 23,000 sq km
land: 22,980 sq km water: 20 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Connecticut | slightly smaller than Massachusetts |
Background | Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe. | 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. |
Birth rate | 15.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 40.33 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $5 billion
expenditures: $5.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2 billion (FY 02/03 est.) |
revenues: $135 million
expenditures: $182 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
Capital | Doha | Djibouti |
Climate | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers | desert; torrid, dry |
Coastline | 563 km | 314 km |
Constitution | provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution; in the 29 April 2003 referendum, 96.6% of Qatari voters approved the new constitution | multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar |
conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
conventional short form: Djibouti former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland |
Currency | Qatari rial (QAR) | Djiboutian franc (DJF) |
Death rate | 4.43 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 14.43 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $15.4 billion (2002 est.) | $366 million (2002 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Maureen E. QUINN
embassy: Al-Luqtas District, 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4101 FAX: [974] 488 4298 |
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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA
chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 consulate(s) general: Houston |
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 |
Disputes - international | none | Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while politically supporting the Somali Transitional National Government in Mogadishu |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $36 million (2001) |
Economy - overview | Oil and gas account for more than 55% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 14.5 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important to the economy. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 17.9 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in the world. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore natural gas reserves. Since 2000, Qatar has consistently posted trade surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural gas exports, and Qatar's economy is expected to receive an added boost as it begins to increase liquid natural gas exports. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 8.616 billion kWh (2001) | 167.4 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 9.264 billion kWh (2001) | 180 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: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m |
lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m
highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities | inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; endangered species |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
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 | Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% | Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5% |
Exchange rates | Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001), 3.64 (2000), 3.64 (1999), 3.64 (1998) | Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.721 (fixed rate since 1973) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince JASIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by the monarch 22 October 1996); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the armed forces
head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 20 January 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999 |
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% |
Exports | NA (2001) | $260 million f.o.b. (1999 est.) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum products, fertilizers, steel | reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit) |
Exports - partners | Japan 40.1%, South Korea 16.6%, Singapore 8.2%, US 4.1% (2002) | Somalia 53%, Yemen 23%, Ethiopia 5% (1998) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side | 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 |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $15.91 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $586 million (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 67.6% services: 32% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 3%
industry: 10% services: 87% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $20,100 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.6% (2002 est.) | 0% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 25 30 N, 51 15 E | 11 30 N, 43 00 E |
Geography - note | strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits | 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 |
Heliports | 1 (2002) | - |
Highways | total: 1,230 km
paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.) |
total: 2,890 km
paved: 364 km unpaved: 2,526 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA (2001) | $440 million f.o.b. (1999 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals | foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | France 17.8%, Japan 10.1%, US 8.5%, UK 8.3%, Germany 8%, Italy 6.7%, UAE 5.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1%, South Korea 4% (2002) | France 13%, Ethiopia 12%, Italy 9%, Saudi Arabia 6%, UK 6% (1998) |
Independence | 3 September 1971 (from UK) | 27 June 1977 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 3% (1996 est.) |
Industries | crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement | construction, agricultural processing |
Infant mortality rate | total: 20.03 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
99.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.9% (2002) | 2% (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, 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, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 130 sq km (1998 est.) | 10 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme |
Labor force | 280,122 (1997 est.) | 282,000 |
Labor force - by occupation | - | NA% |
Land boundaries | total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km |
total: 516 km
border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km |
Land use | arable land: 1.27%
permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.46% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language | French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar |
Legal system | discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters | based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)
note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every four years since; the new constitution provides for a 45-member Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the remaining members |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 73.14 years
male: 70.65 years female: 75.76 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 51.6 years
male: 49.73 years female: 53.52 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.5% male: 81.4% female: 85% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 46.2% male: 60.3% female: 32.7% (1995 est.) |
Location | Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia | Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia |
Map references | Middle East | Africa |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line territorial sea: 12 NM |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 638,815 GRT/995,096 DWT
ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 2, container 7, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Kuwait 1, UAE 3 (2002 est.) |
- |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force | Djibouti National Army (including Navy and Air Force) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $723 million (FY00) | $26.5 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 10% (FY00) | 4.4% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 320,835
note: includes non-nationals (2003 est.) |
males age 15-49: 110,221 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 168,416 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49: 64,940 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 7,192 (2003 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 3 September (1971) | Independence Day, 27 June (1977) |
Nationality | noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari |
noun: Djiboutian(s)
adjective: Djiboutian |
Natural hazards | haze, dust storms, sandstorms common | earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, fish | geothermal areas |
Net migration rate | 17.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | condensate 90 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 902 km; liquid petroleum gas 87 km; oil 722 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2003) | - |
Political parties and leaders | none | Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress Assembly or RPP (governing party) [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | Movement for Unity and Democracy or MUD |
Population | 817,052 (July 2003 est.) | 472,810 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 50% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 2.87% (2003 est.) | 2.59% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id) | Djibouti |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001) |
Radios | - | 52,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 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 (2001 est.) |
Religions | Muslim 95% | Muslim 94%, Christian 6% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.36 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.65 male(s)/female total population: 1.9 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal adult |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat |
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 |
Telephones - main lines in use | 142,000 (1997) | 10,000 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 43,476 (1997) | 5,000 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus three repeaters) (2001) | 1 (2002) |
Terrain | mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel | coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains |
Total fertility rate | 3.02 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 5.64 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 2.7% (2001) | 50% (2000 est.) (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |