Djibouti

• most densely populated areas are in the east;
• the largest city is Djibouti, and the other cities in the country are a fraction of its size, as shown in this population distribution map

• earthquakes;
• droughts;
• occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

volcanism:

• experiences limited volcanic activity;
• Ardoukoba (298 m) last erupted in 1978;
• Manda-Inakir, located along the Ethiopian border, is also historically active

• strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields;
• Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa and the saltiest lake in the world

noun:

Djiboutian(s)

adjective:

Djiboutian

total:

26.7 years (2025 est.)

male:

24.4 years

female:

27.9 years

• most densely populated areas are in the east;
• the largest city is Djibouti, and the other cities in the country are a fraction of its size, as shown in this population distribution map

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.77 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.77 male(s)/female

total population:

0.83 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

44.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

52.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

38 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

65.9 years (2024 est.)

male:

63.4 years

female:

68.5 years

total:

0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

women married by age 15:

1.4% (2019)

women married by age 18:

6.5% (2019)

• inadequate supplies of potable water;
• water pollution;
• limited arable land;
• deforestation (forests threatened by agriculture and the use of wood for fuel);
• desertification;
• endangered species

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

urban population:

78.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

1.56% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

115,000 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

14.9% (2022 est.)

municipal:

16 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

0 cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Republic of Djibouti

conventional short form:

Djibouti

local long form:

République de Djibouti (French)/ Jumhuriyat Jibuti (Arabic)

local short form:

Djibouti (French)/ Jibuti (Arabic)

former:

French Somaliland, French Territory of the Afars and Issas

etymology:

the country name derives from the capital city of Djibouti

name:

Djibouti

geographic coordinates:

11 35 N, 43 09 E

time difference:

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

the name is said to derive from the Afar word gabouri , meaning "plate," in reference to a palm-fiber plate used for ceremonial purposes

history:

approved by referendum 4 September 1992

amendment process:

• proposed by the president of the republic or by the National Assembly;
• Assembly consideration of proposals requires assent of at least one third of the membership;
• passage requires a simple majority vote by the Assembly and approval by simple majority vote in a referendum;
• the president can opt to bypass a referendum if adopted by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly;
• constitutional articles on the sovereignty of Djibouti, its republican form of government, and its pluralist form of democracy cannot be amended

citizenship 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

highest court(s):

Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (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 (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;
• Courts of First Instance;
• customary courts;
• State Court (replaced sharia courts in 2003)

• Front for Restoration of Unity and Democracy (Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique) or FRUD
• National Democratic Party or PND
• People's Rally for Progress or RPP
• Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD
• Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ
• Union for the Presidential Majority coalition or UMP
• Union of Reform Partisans or UPR

chief of mission:

Ambassador Mohamed Siad DOUALEH (28 January 2016)

chancery:

1156 15th Street NW, Suite 515, Washington, DC 20005

telephone:

[1] (202) 331-0270

FAX:

[1] (202) 331-0302

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://www.djiboutiembassyus.org/

chief of mission:

Ambassador Cynthia KIERSCHT (since 17 October 2024)

embassy:

Lot 350-B Haramouss, B.P. 185

mailing address:

2150 Djibouti Place, Washington DC 20521-2150

telephone:

[253] 21-45-30-00

FAX:

[253] 21-45-31-29

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://dj.usembassy.gov/

description:

two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green, with a white isosceles triangle based on the left side that has a five-pointed red star in the center

meaning:

• blue stands for sea, sky, and the Issa Somali people, green for earth and the Afar people, and white for peace;
• the red star stands for the struggle for independence and unity

title:

"Jabuuti" (Djibouti)

lyrics/music:

Aden ELMI/Abdi ROBLEH

history:

adopted 1977

• food import-dependent Horn of Africa economy driven by various national military bases and port-based trade;
• fairly resilient from COVID-19 disruptions;
• major re-exporter;
• increasing Ethiopian and Chinese trade relations;
• investing in infrastructure

agriculture:

2.6% (2024 est.)

industry:

15.4% (2024 est.)

services:

75.5% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

76.3% (2024 est.)

male:

75.3% (2024 est.)

female:

77.9% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

1.9% (2017 est.)

highest 10%:

32.3% (2017 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

exports:

8 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

19,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

• state-owned Radiodiffusion-Télévision de Djibouti operates the sole terrestrial TV station, as well as the 2 domestic radio networks;
• no private TV or radio stations;
• transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2019)

total:

97 km (2017) (Djibouti segment of the 756 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)

standard gauge:

97 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge

total ports:

2 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

2

very small:

0

ports with oil terminals:

2

key ports:

Djibouti, Doraleh

tier rating:

• Tier 2 Watch List — Djibouti does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so, therefore Djibouti was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List;
• for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/djibouti/