Economy - overview:
Djibouti's economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location as a deepwater port on the Red Sea. Three-fourths of Djibouti's inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scant rainfall and less than 4% arable land limits crop production to small quantities of fruits and vegetables, and most food must be imported.Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling center. Imports, exports, and reexports - primarily of coffee from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia - represent 70% of port activity at Djibouti's container terminal. Djibouti 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 official unemployment rate of nearly 50% - with youth unemployment near 80% - continues to be a major problem. Inflation declined to 3% in 2014 due to low international food prices and a decline in electricity tariffs.Djibouti’s reliance on diesel-generated electricity and imported food and water leave average consumers vulnerable to global price shocks, though in mid-2015 Djibouti passed new legislation to liberalize the energy sector. The government has emphasized infrastructure development for transportation and energy and Djibouti – with the help of foreign partners – has begun to increase and modernize its port capacity.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.093 billion (2015 est.) $2.904 billion (2014 est.) $2.74 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 186
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.743 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
6.5% (2015 est.) 6% (2014 est.) 5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,300 (2015 est.) $3,100 (2014 est.) $2,900 (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 186
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
21.9% of GDP (2015 est.) 18.5% of GDP (2014 est.) 17.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 63.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 33.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 36.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 40.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -73.6% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 2.8%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 16.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 80.8% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides

Industries:
construction, agricultural processing, shipping

Industrial production growth rate:
4.5% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
294,600 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 164
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: NA%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: NA%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
60% (2014 est.) 59% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
23%
note: percent of population below $1.25 per day at purchasing power parity (2012 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.4%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 30.9% (2002)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.9 (2002)
country comparison to the world: 56
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $587.5 million
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $792.9 million (2015 est.)
[see also: Budget expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
33.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-11.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
38.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.4% (2015 est.) 2.9% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12% (31 December 2015 est.) 12.69% (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$1.007 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $963.4 million (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$1.43 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $1.24 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$560.1 million (31 December 2015 est.) $527.9 million (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$547 million (2015 est.) -$407 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$141.6 million (2015 est.) $130.1 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit), scrap metal

Exports - partners:
Somalia 82.9%, Yemen 5%, UAE 4.4% (2014)

Imports:
$983.9 million (2015 est.) $969.7 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, clothing

Imports - partners:
China 29.3%, Saudi Arabia 16.3%, Indonesia 8%, India 7.7% (2014)

Debt - external:
$905.5 million (31 December 2014 est.) $832.8 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$1.367 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $1.102 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar - 177.7 (2015 est.) 177.72 (2014 est.) 177.72 (2013 est.) 177.72 (2012 est.) 177.72 (2011 est.)