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 represent 70% of port activity at Djibouti's container terminal. Reexports consist primarily of coffee from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia. Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An official unemployment rate of nearly 40% - with youth unemployment near 80% - continues to be a major problem. Inflation was a modest 3% in 2014-2017, 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, particularly China – has begun to increase and modernize its port capacity. In 2017, Djibouti opened two of the largest projects in its history, the Doraleh Port and Djibouti-Addis Ababa Railway, which will increase the country’s ability to capitalize on its strategic location.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): Gross national saving: GDP - composition, by end use: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: Agriculture - products: Industries: Industrial production growth rate: Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: Distribution of family income - Gini index: Budget: Taxes and other revenues: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): Public debt: Fiscal year: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of narrow money: Stock of broad money: Stock of domestic credit: Current account balance: Exports: Exports - commodities: Exports - partners: Imports: Imports - commodities: Imports - partners: Debt - external: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: Exchange rates:
$3.64 billion (2017 est.)
$3.402 billion (2016 est.)
$3.194 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 182
$2.082 billion (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
7% (2017 est.)
6.5% (2016 est.)
6.5% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
$3,600 (2017 est.)
$3,400 (2016 est.)
$3,300 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 186
12.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
16.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
19% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]
household consumption: 56.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 29.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 41.8%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0.3%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 38.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -66.4% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]
agriculture: 2.8%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 21%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 76.1% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]
fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides
construction, agricultural processing, shipping
8.3% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
294,600 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 164
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
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 ]
60% (2014 est.)
48.4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
23%
note: percent of population below $1.25 per day at purchasing power parity (2015 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
lowest 10%: 2.4%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 30.9% (2002)
40.9 (2002)
country comparison to the world: 56
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
revenues: $699.8 million
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $865.4 million (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]
33.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
-8% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
31.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
33.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]
calendar year
3% (2017 est.)
2.7% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
11.6% (31 December 2017 est.)
11.45% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
$1.493 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.323 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
$1.795 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.652 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]
$680.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$639.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
-$437 million (2017 est.)
-$575 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]
$155.5 million (2017 est.)
$139.9 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
reexports, hides and skins, scrap metal
Ethiopia 39%, Somalia 17.8%, Qatar 9.4%, Brazil 9.1%, Yemen 5.1% (2016)
$1.172 billion (2017 est.)
$1.128 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, clothing
UAE 25.8%, France 16.4%, China 10.4%, Saudi Arabia 8.4%, Ethiopia 7%, Yemen 4.8% (2016)
$1.554 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.519 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
$1.784 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.483 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]
Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar -
177.7 (2017 est.)
177.72 (2016 est.)
177.72 (2015 est.)
177.72 (2014 est.)
177.72 (2013 est.)