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; amended 2006, 2008, 2010 (2010)
Legal system:
mixed legal system based primarily on the French civil code (as it existed in 1997), Islamic religious law (in matters of family law and successions), and customary law
International law organization participation:
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
:
chief of state:
President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)
head of government:
Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil MOHAMED (since 1 April 2013)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers (responsible to the president)
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; president is eligible to hold office until age 75; election last held on 8 April 2011 (next to be held by 2016); prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president for a third term; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 80.6%, Mohamed Warsama RAGUEH 19.4%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - constitutional amendments in 2010 provided for the establishment of a senate
elections:
last held on 22 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP (coalition of parties associated with President Ismail Omar GUELLEH) 49, USN 16
Judicial branch:
highest court(s):
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of NA magistrates); Constitutional Council (consists of 6 magistrates)
judge selection and term of office:
Supreme Court magistrates appointed by the president with the advice of the Superior Council of the Magistracy; magistrates appointed for life with retirement at age 65; Constitutional magistrates - 2 appointed by the president, 2 by the president of the National Assembly, and 2 by High Council of the Judiciary; magistrates appointed for 8-year, non-renewable terms
subordinate courts:
High Court of Appeal; 5 Courts of First Instance; customary courts
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]
Movement for Development and Liberty or MODEL [Sheikh Guirreh MEIDAL]
People's Rally for Progress 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 (a coalition of parties including RPP, FRUD, PND, and PPSD)
Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [Ismail GUEDI Hared]
Union for National Salvation or USN (an umbrella coalition comprising PRD, PDD, MODEL, ARD, and UDJ) [Ahmed Youssouf HOUMER]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Roble OLHAYE Oudine (since 22 March 1988)
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 Geeta PASI (since 29 August 2011)
embassy:
Lot 350-B, Haramouss, Djibouti
mailing address:
B. P. 185, Djibouti
telephone:
[253] 21 45 30 00
FAX:
[253] 21 45 30 20
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; blue stands for sea and sky and the Issa Somali people; green symbolizes earth and the Afar people; white represents peace; the red star recalls the struggle for independence and stands for unity
National anthem:
name:
"Jabuuti" (Djibouti)
lyrics/music: Aden ELMI/Abdi ROBLEH
note: adopted 1977