Djibouti 2018

The population of Djibouti in 2018 was estimated to be around 942,333 people. The majority of the population is comprised of Somali and Afar ethnic groups, with a smaller percentage of other African and Arab ethnicities. The economy is largely reliant on services such as transportation, logistics and finance, with port activities and tourism being two major sources of income. Foreign relations remain strong with Djibouti’s neighbors in the Horn of Africa region as well as other countries in the Middle East and Europe. According to extrareference, Djibouti has been ruled by President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh since 1999. In 2018, President Guelleh was re-elected for a fourth consecutive term after winning 87% of the popular vote in presidential elections held that year.

Yearbook 2018

Djibouti. Tensions in the Horn of Africa eased during the year, especially since Eritrea made peace with Ethiopia and thawed relations with her neighbor Djibouti.

However, the establishment of the Chinese military base in Djibouti 2017 led to increased concern. In May, for example, Chinese nationals, according to US Pentagon headquarters, fired military lasers against American pilots on numerous occasions. According to Countryaah.com, Djibouti is the capital city of Djibouti, a country located in Eastern Africa. The US, Japan and France also have military bases in the country.

• According to Abbreviationfinder: DJU is an three letter acronym for Djibouti.

Due to the strained security situation in Yemen, the International Red Cross was forced in June to relocate 71 foreign workers to Djibouti.

At the African Union (AU) Summit in Rwanda in March, Djibouti, along with 44 other African states, signed a free trade agreement, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). For Djibouti, the free trade zone means that in the future the country’s three major ports can be linked to the railroad between Djibouti and Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, thus making the country a hub for international trade. And it is needed, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed fears that the country’s national debt will rise rapidly, from 50 percent of GDP in 2014 to 85 percent of GDP in 2017.

Encyclopedia online

Djibouti, Republic of State of East Africa, between l ‘ Ethiopia to NO and SO, the Somalia SE and the Gulf of Aden to E. It extends in a semicircle around the Gulf of Tadjoura, a deep triangular inlet that is linked to the valley and the Auasc trench.

1. Physical characteristics and population

The territory has a complex morphology, with alternating mountainous areas (Mussa Ali, 2063 m) and depressed areas, such as around Lake Assal, located 175 m below sea level. The hydrography is represented by torrential waterways that rarely reach the sea. High temperatures and aridity are the dominant features of the climate (100-130 mm of rainfall per year), so most of the territory is desert or covered by steppes, while the hills appear on the hills.

• The population is mainly composed of Somalis (Issa 47%) and Dancali (Afar 37%), mostly concentrated in the capital and in the centers of Tadjoura and Obock. 97.8% of the population is of Islamic religion, the remainder is Christian.

2. Economic conditions

The lack of productive resources, combined with the significant increase in the population (partly determined by the arrival of numerous political refugees from Ethiopia and Somalia), is the cause of a very backward economy: according to estimates by the World Bank, GDP per capita in 2007 it was just over $ 1,100. More than half of the population consists of nomadic herders and the country it manages to produce just 3% of its food needs. Industrial activities are also limited to a few small businesses, and nearly all consumer goods have to be imported. Dependence on foreign countries is very high (about 90%) also as regards energy consumption; A number of attempts were therefore launched to enhance the significant geothermal potential, financed by the World Bank and supported by international cooperation. The country’s revenues essentially consist of the proceeds from trade through the international port of Djibouti and from the services sector related to this activity, which provide GDP with a contribution of more than 70%. The port of Djibouti and the Djibouti- Addis Ababa railway (subject to frequent interruptions, among which we recall that of November 1994, due to a disastrous flood) are subject to substantial investments and modernization works, with the aim of making Djibouti a cornerstone of trade between East Africa and the Arab countries.