DJIBOUTI
(Arab Republic of Djibouti. The state in East Africa.)

Djibouti (jeboote'), officially the Republic of Djibouti, the republic (2005 - 477 000), with. 8 900 quarter. Miles (23 057 sq.km), E Africa, in Gulf of Aden. He is limited by Eritrea (N), Ethiopia (W, S), Somalia (S) and Gulf of Aden (E). Djibouti - the capital, the largest city and the most considerable port.

POPULATION

Strategically located, Djibouti orders Bab-el-Mandeb, the passage between Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. In many respects the stony desert with isolated by the plateau and highlands, it has in general arid and hot climate. The lake Assal, the lowest point in Africa (509 feet / 155 m below sea-level), is in the center of the country. The population makes about 60% of Somalis (of whom Issah makes about 40%) and 35% апар (the Ethiopian origin); both groups are Muslims. Besides, from 1975 to 1991 a large number of refugees from the Ethiopian civil wars lived in Djibouti. There are also French, Italian and Arab minorities. Two thirds of people live in the capital, and the others - nomadic cattle-farmers. Official languages are the French and Arab languages; Somalia and Afar are widely used.

ECONOMY

The economy of Djibouti is based on a number of the services connected with its strategic arrangement and its position as the free trade zone. It is large port for northeast Africa and also the international reloading and filling center. Otherwise the nation is substantially economically insufficiently developed and high unemployment rate is observed. Nomadic cattle breeding - major activity; goats, sheep and camels. Fruit, vegetables and dates are grown up. With a small amount of natural resources (there are considerable deposits of salt), the industry of Djibouti is generally limited to the food industry, construction, shipbuilding and repair. The city of Djibouti is a terminal station of Addis-Abeby-Djibouti; it and port were modernized, since the end of the 1990th years. Main types of export are skins, skins, cattle and the coffee (transported from Ethiopia). Djibouti imports food and drinks, the transport equipment, chemicals and oil products. Its economic development in many respects depends on foreign investments and the help. The main trade partners are Somalia, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, India and China.

GOVERNMENT

Djibouti is regulated according to the constitution of 1992 in which the president is the head of state and the prime minister as the head of the government. The president is elected in the people for six-year term and has the right for the second term; the prime minister is appointed the president. The unicameral Chamber of Deputies consists of 65 members who are elected in public for five-year term. Administratively the country is divided into six areas.