y
Legal system:
based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 June (1977)
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch:
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Hassan GOULED Aptidon (since 24 June 1977)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister BARKAT Gourad Hamadou (since 30 September 1978)
Political parties and leaders:
only party - People's Progress Assembly (RPP), Hassan GOULED Aptidon
Suffrage:
universal adult at age NA
Elections:
National Assembly:
last held 24 April 1987 (next scheduled for May 1992 but post- poned);
results - RPP is the only party; seats - (65 total) RPP 65
President:
last held 24 April 1987 (next to be held April 1993); results - President
Hassan GOULED Aptidon was reelected without opposition
Other political or pressure groups:
Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy and affiliates
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO,
UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Roble OLHAYE; Chancery at Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20005; telephone (202) 331-0270
US:
Ambassador Charles R. BAQUET III; Embassy at Villa Plateau du Serpent,
Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti (mailing address is B. P. 185,
Djibouti); telephone [253] 35-39-95; FAX [253] 35-39-40
Flag:
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

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 30% continues to be a
major problem. Per capita consumption dropped an estimat