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 40% continues to be a major problem. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last five years with a population growth rate of 6% (including immigrants and refugees) and a recession.

GDP: $340 million, $1,030 per capita; real growth rate - 1.0% (1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.7% (1989)

Unemployment rate: over 40% (1989)

Budget: revenues $131 million; expenditures $154 million, including capital expenditures of $25 million (1990 est.)

Exports: $190 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.); commodities--hides and skins, coffee (in transit); partners--Middle East 50%, Africa 43%, Western Europe 7%

Imports: $311 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.); commodities--foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products; partners--EC 36%, Africa 21%, Asia 12%, US 2%

External debt: $355 million (December 1990)

Industrial production: growth rate 0.1% (1989); manufacturing accounts for 4% of GDP

Electricity: 110,000 kW capacity; 190 million kWh produced, 580 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: limited to a few small-scale enterprises, such as dairy products and mineral-water bottling

Agriculture: accounts for only 5% 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 (1970-88), $1,035 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $149 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $35 million

Currency: Djiboutian franc (plural--francs); 1 Djiboutian franc (DF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Djiboutian francs (DF) per US$1--177.721 (fixed rate since 1973)

Fiscal year: calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding Djibouti on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Djibouti Economy 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Djibouti Economy 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.