The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multi-party presidential elections resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH; he was re-elected to a second term in 2005. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. The present leadership favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country but also has strong ties with the US. Djibouti hosts the only US military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a front-line state in the global war on terrorism.
Country Name
Conventional long form:Republic of Djibouti
Conventional short form:Djibouti
Local long form:Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti
Local short form:Djibouti/Jibuti
Former:French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland
Government Type
republic
Capital
Name:Djibouti
Geographic coordinates:11 35 N, 43 09 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah
Independence
27 June 1977 (from France)
National Holiday
Independence Day, 27 June (1977)
Constitution
approved by referendum 4 September 1992; note - constitution allows for multiparties
Legal system
based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)
Head of government:Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4 March 2001)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president
(For more information visit the World Leaders website)
Elections:president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 April 2005 (next to be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results:percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP (coalition of parties associated with President Ismail Omar GUELLAH) 65
Legislative branch
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections:last held on 8 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP (coalition of parties associated with President Ismail Omar GUELLAH) 65
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political Parties and Leaders
Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress Assembly or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party); Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed YOUSSOUF]; Union for a Presidential Majority or UMP [Mohamed Dileita DILEITA] (a coalition of parties including RPP, FRUD, PND, and PPSD); Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ
Political pressure groups and leaders
Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, and UDJ)
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
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
Diplomatic representation from the US
Chief of mission: Ambassador James C. SWAN
Embassy:Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti
Mailing address:B. P. 185, Djibouti
Telephone: [253] 35 39 95
FAX:[253] 35 39 40
Flag description
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
