Djibouti: Government#

Country nameconventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
conventional short form: Djibouti
local long form: Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti
local short form: Djibouti/Jibuti
former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland
etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Djibouti
Government typesemi-presidential republic
CapitalDjibouti Djibouti
geographic coordinates: 11 35 N, 43 09 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah
Independence27 June 1977 (from France)
National holidayIndependence Day, 27 June (1977)
Constitutionapproved by referendum 4 September 1992; amended 2006, 2008, 2010 (2016)
Legal systemmixed legal system based primarily on the French civil code (as it existed in 1997), Islamic religious law (in matters of family law and successions), and customary law
International law organization participationaccepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenshipcitizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the mother must be a citizen of Djibouti
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage18 years of age; universal
Executive branchchief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil MOHAMED (since 1 April 2013)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term; (constitution amended in 2010 to allow a third term); election last held on 8 April 2016 (next to be held by 2021); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president for a fourth term; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH (RPP) 87%, Omar Elmi KHAIREH (represented the USN) 7.3%, other 5.6%
Legislative branchdescription: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale, formerly the Chamber of Deputies (65 seats; 52 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 13 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: last held on 22 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
election results: percent of vote by party - UMP 61.5%, USN 35.6%, CDU 3.0%; seats by party - UMP 43, USN 21, CDU 1
Judicial branchhighest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of NA magistrates); Constitutional Council (consists of 6 magistrates)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court magistrates appointed by the president with the advice of the Superior Council of the Magistracy or CSM, a 10-member body consisting of 4 judges, 3 members (non parliamentarians and judges) appointed by the president, and 3 appointed by the National Assembly president or speaker; magistrates appointed for life with retirement at age 65; Constitutional Council magistrate appointments - 2 by the president of the republic, 2 by the president of the National Assembly, and 2 by the CSM; magistrates appointed for 8-year, non-renewable terms
subordinate courts: High Court of Appeal; 5 Courts of First Instance; customary courts; State Court (replaced sharia courts in 2003)
Political parties and leadersDemocratic National Party or PND (ADEN Robleh Awaleh)
Democratic Renewal Party or PRD (Abdillahi HAMARITEH)
Djibouti Development Party or PDD (Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM)
Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD (Ali Mohamed DAOUD)
Movement for Development and Liberty or MODEL (Sheikh Guirreh MEIDAL)
People's Rally for Progress or RPP (Ismail Omar GUELLEH) (governing party)
Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD (Moumin Bahdon FARAH)
Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD (Ahmed YOUSSOUF)
Union for a Presidential Majority or UMP (a coalition of parties including RPP, FRUD, PND, and PPSD)
Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ (Ismail GUEDI Hared)
Union for National Salvation or USN (an umbrella coalition comprising PRD, PDD, MODEL, ARD, and UDJ) (Ahmed Youssouf HOUMER)
International organization participationACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the USchief of mission: Ambassador Siad DOUALEH (since 28 January 2016)
chancery: 1156 15th Street NW, Suite 515, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: (1) (202) 331-0270
FAX: (1) (202) 331-0302
Diplomatic representation from the USchief of mission: Ambassador Thomas P. KELLY (since 13 October 2014)
embassy: Lot 350-B, Haramouss
mailing address: B.P. 185, Djibouti
telephone: (253) 21 45 30 00
FAX: (253) 21 45 31 29
Flag descriptiontwo 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; blue stands for sea and sky and the Issa Somali people; green symbolizes earth and the Afar people; white represents peace; the red star recalls the struggle for independence and stands for unity
National symbol(s)red star; national colors: light blue, green, white, red
National anthemname: "Jabuuti" (Djibouti)
lyrics/music: Aden ELMI/Abdi ROBLEH

note: adopted 1977