*Djibouti, 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.
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 over 30% continues to be a
major problem. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last
five years because of recession and a high population growth rate (including
immigrants and refugees).
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $358 million (1990 est.)
National product real growth rate:
1.2% (1990 est.)
National product per capita:
$1,030 (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.7% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
over 30% (1989)
Budget:
revenues $170 million; expenditures $203 million, including capital
expenditures of $70 million (1991 est.)
Exports:
$186 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities: hides and skins, coffee (in transit)
partners:
Africa 50%, Middle East 40%, Western Europe 9%
Imports:
$360 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products
partners:
Western Europe 54%, Middle East 20%, Asia 19%
External debt:
$355 million (December 1990)
Industrial production:
growth rate 10.0% (1990); manufacturing accounts for 11% of GDP
Electricity:
115,000 kW capacity; 200 million kWh produced, 580 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
limited to a few small-scale enterprises, such as dairy products and
mineral-water bottling
Agriculture:
accounts for only 3% of GDP; scanty rainfall limits crop production to
mostly fruit and vegetables; half of population pastoral nomads herding
goats, sheep, and camels; imports bulk of food needs
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY78-89), $39 million; Western (non-US)
countries, including ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.1
billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $149 million; Communist countries
(1970-89), $35 million
Currency:
1 Djiboutian franc (DF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
Djiboutian francs (DF) per US$1 - 177.721 (fixed rate since 1973)
*Djibouti, Economy
Fiscal year: calendar year
*Djibouti, Communications
Railroads:
the Ethiopian-Djibouti railroad extends for 97 km through Djibouti
Highways:
2,900 km total; 280 km paved; 2,620 km improved or unimproved earth (1982)
Ports:
Djibouti
Merchant marine:
1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT
Airports:
total:
13
usable:
11 with permanent-surface runways:
2
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
5
Telecommunications:
telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate as are the
microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country;
international connections via submarine cable to Saudi Arabia and by
satellite to other countries; one ground station each for Indian Ocean
INTELSAT and ARABSAT; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV
*Djibouti, Defense Forces
Branches:
Djibouti National Army (including Navy and Air Force), National Security
Force (Force Nationale de Securite), National Police Force
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 97,943; fit for military service 57,187 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $26 million, NA% of GDP (1989)
*Dominica, Geography
Location:
in the eastern Caribbean, about halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and
Tobago
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the
World
Area:
total area:
750 km2
land area:
750 km2
comparative area:
slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
148 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate:
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Terrain:
rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Natural resources:
timber
Land use:
arable land:
9%
permanent crops:
13%
meadows and pastures:
3%
forest and woodland:
41%
other:
34%
Irrigated land:
NA km2
Environment:
flash floods a constant hazard; occasional hurricanes