Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and SomaliaPopulation: 476,703
Total Area: 23,000 sq km - slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Climate: desert; torrid, dry
Natural resources: geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum
Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution. Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June
Economy - brief 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 are mostly nomadic herders.
Labor force: 282,000
Labor force - by occupation: NA
Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hidesOil - production: 0 bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA
Oil - exports: NA
Exports: $155 million f.o.b.
Exports - commodities: reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)
Imports: $665 million f.o.b.
Imports - commodities: foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products
Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 19.7%, India 12.4%, Ethiopia 11.8%, China 8.1%, France 5.6%, US 4.8%
Government departments: Governments on the WWW
Media: allAfrica.com - Djibouti
Travel Information: Lonely Planet
Other useful links:
The country and people of Djibouti
Human Rights Watch
Guide to law online - Djibouti
Intelligence Brief
News headlines
President Saleh receives condolences from Emirates, Djibouti presidents Yemen News Agency (Saba) 16:40 23-Nov-05
Djibouti power sector to be diversified afrol.com 16:28 7-Nov-05
DJIBOUTI: World Bank to fund electricity project IRIN 09:57 7-Nov-05
Sudan Djibouti ministerial committee to meet 10 November Sudan Tribune 03:00 7-Nov-05
President congratulates leaders of Libya and Djibouti on Eid al-Fitr Yemen News Agency (Saba) 17:14 5-Nov-05
Previous articles in the series
Albania
Botswana
Cayman Islands
