President GUELLEH Ismail Omar
(since 8 May 1999);

head of government: Prime Minister DILLEITA Mohamed Dilleita (since
4 March 2001)

cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 9 April 1999 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president

election results: GUELLEH Ismail Omar elected president; percent of
vote - GUELLEH Ismail Omar 74.4%, IDRIS Moussa Ahmed 25.6%

Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des
Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year
terms)

elections: last held 19 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2002)

election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - RPP 65; note - RPP
(the ruling party) dominated the election

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]; People's Progress Assembly or RPP (governing party)
[Ismail Omar GELLEH]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Front for the Restoration of
Unity and Democracy or FRUD and affiliates; Movement for Unity and
Democracy or MUD

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD,
AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

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
Donald YAMAMOTO

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

Djibouti Economy

Economy - 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. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live
in the capital city, the remainder being mostl