Events   Encyclopedia   Localities   Companies   Surnames   Shop

Djibouti The Republic of Djibouti (جيبوتي) is a country in eastern Africa, located in the Horn of Africa. Djibouti is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the south east. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Yemen, on the Arabian Peninsula, is only 20 km from the coast of Djibouti. جمهورية جيبوتي Jumhuriyaa Jibuti République de Djibouti Flag of Djibouti http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d7/Dj%29.jpg (In Detail) (Full size) National motto: ? Location of Djibouti Official languages Arabic, French Capital Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh Prime Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 147th 23,000 km² 0% Population  - Total (2000)  - Density Ranked 161st 460,700 21/km² Independence June 27, 1977 Currency Franc (DJF) Time zone UTC+3 National anthem Flag song Internet TLD .dj Calling Code 253 History Main article: History of Djibouti The area of Djibouti has been occupied by several tribes, currently the Afar and the Somali Isa. These tribes had regular trade contacts with the Arabs, and adopted Islam as their religion. In the 19th century, France established a protectorate in the area, named French Somaliland, governed by Léonce Lagarde. In 1967, the name was changed to the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. On June 27, 1977, the country was granted independence as Djibouti. A civil war led by Afar rebels in the early 1990s was stopped by a peace accord in 1994. Politics Main article: Politics of Djibouti The head of state of Djibouti is the president, who is elected for a term of six years. The president appoints a prime-minister, and heads the council of ministers. The legislative body is formed by the Chambre de Desputes, which consists of 65 members which are elected every five years. Regions Djibouti is divided into five districts (cercles, singular - cercle): Geography Main article: Geography of Djibouti Djibouti's coastal area is separated from the inland plateaus by a mountain range that reach up to a maximum of 2000 m. The terrain is mostly arid and desert, the climate is hot and dry. Map of Djibouti Economy Main article: Economy of Djibouti The economy of Djibouti 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. There are few natural resources and virtually no industries. 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). Also, renewed fighting between Ethiopia and Eritrea has disturbed normal external channels of commerce. 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 Djiboutian Franc is tied to the United States Dollar. Demographics Main article: Demographics of Djibouti The population is divided into two main groups, the Issa, or Somali people, who make up about 60%, and the Afar, about 35%. The remainder is formed by Europeans (mostly French and Italians), Arabs and Ethiopians. The presence of two population groups gives was the cause of the civil war in the early 1990s. Almost all of the people of Djibouti are Moslem, only a small percentage is Christian, notably the Europeans. Although French and Arabic are the official languages, Somali and Afar are widely spoken. Culture Main article: Culture of Djibouti See also: Music of Djibouti, List of writers from Djibouti Miscellaneous topics Communications in Djibouti Transportation in Djibouti Military of Djibouti Foreign relations of Djibouti External links Most popular Djibouti community site (in French) Official Website (in French) Travel guide to Djibouti CIA - The World Factbook: Djibouti Djibouti on the whole Africa map nds:Dschibuti Most Popular Articles: Music    Musical Instruments    Guitar    Classical Music    History    Music Definition    Country Music    Rock Music    Pop Music    Hip Hop    Rap    DJ    Video Games    Casino Games    Poker    Blackjack    Casinos    Real Estate    Loan    Auction    eBay    Marketing    Search Engine Optimization    File Sharing    MP3    Music Industry    Kazaa    Internet    Supermodel    Fashion    Fashion Designers    Erotica    Modeling    Clothing    Boots    Shoes    Diamond Engagement Rings    Diamond    Rugs    Gospel Music    Affiliate    E-Commerce    Radio This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html You may copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license. You must provide a link to http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html To view or edit this article at Wikipedia go to http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djibouti