hiopian, and
Italian 5%

Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 46.2% male: 60.3% female: 32.7% (1995 est.)

Government Djibouti

Country name: Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Somaliland

Government type: republic

Capital: Djibouti

Administrative divisions: 5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle);
'Ali Sabih, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura

Independence: 27 June 1977 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Constitution: multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September
1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system, traditional practices,
and Islamic law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since
8 May 1999) head of government: Prime Minister DILEITA Mohamed Dileita
(since 4 March 2001)
Council of Ministers responsible to the president elections: 9 April
1999 (next to be held December 2002); prime minister appointed
by the president election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH elected president;
percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 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 December 2002)
election results: 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];
Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed
DAOUD]; People's Progress Assembly or RPP (governing party) [Ismail
Omar GUELLEH]

Political pressure groups and leaders: 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, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE
Olhaye Oudine FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270
chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005