Background: Present-day Djibouti was the site of the medieval Ifat and Adal Sultanates. In the late 19th century, the Afar sultans signed treaties with the French that allowed the latter to establish the colony of French Somaliland in 1862. The French signed additional treaties with the ethnic Somali in 1885. Tension between the ethnic Afar and Somali populations increased over time, as the ethnic Somalis perceived that the French unfairly favored the Afar and gave them disproportionate influence in local governance. In 1958, the French held a referendum that provided residents of French Somaliland the option to either continue their association with France or to join neighboring Somalia as it established its independence. Ethnic Somali protested the vote, because French colonial leaders did not recognize many Somali as residents, which gave the Afar outsized influence in the decision to uphold ties with France. After a second referendum in 1967, the French changed the territory’s name to the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, in part to underscore their relationship with the ethnic Afar and downplay the significance of the ethnic Somalis. A final referendum in 1977 established Djibouti as an independent nation and granted ethnic Somalis Djiboutian nationality, formally resetting the balance of power between the majority ethnic Somalis and minority ethnic Afar residents. Upon independence, the country was named after its capital city of Djibouti. Hassan Gouled APTIDON, an ethnic Somali leader, installed an authoritarian one-party state and served as president until 1999. Unrest between the Afar minority and Somali majority culminated in a civil war during the 1990s that ended in 2001 with a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Somali Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multiparty presidential election resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH as president; he was reelected to a second term in 2005 and extended his tenure in office via a constitutional amendment, which allowed him to serve his third and fourth terms, and to begin a fifth term in 2021. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the intersection of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Its ports handle 95% of Ethiopia’s trade. Djibouti’s ports also service transshipments between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The government has longstanding ties to France, which maintains a military presence in the country, as do the US, Japan, Italy, Germany, Spain, and China.

Area
Total: 23,200 km²
Land: 23,180 km²
Water: 20 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries
Total: 528 km
Border countries (3): (3) Eritrea 125 km; Ethiopia 342 km; Somalia 61 km

Coastline: 314 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: desert; torrid, dry

Terrain: coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Elevation
Highest point: Moussa Ali 2,021 m
Lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m
Mean elevation: 430 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 73.5% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 73.3% (2023 est.)
Forest: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Other: 26.2% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: 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

Geography
Note: 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

Population
Total: 994,974 (2024 est.)
Male: 450,796
Female: 544,178
Distribution: 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
Growth rate: 1.89% (2024 est.)

Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Religions: Sunni Muslim 94% (nearly all Djiboutians), other 6% (mainly foreign-born residents - Shia Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Baha'i, and atheist)

Age structure
0-14 years: 28.4% (male 141,829/female 140,696)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 290,654/female 379,778)
65 years and over: 4.2% (2024 est.) (male 18,313/female 23,704)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 48.4 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 42.1 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.3 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 16 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 26.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 24.4 years
Female: 27.9 years

Population growth rate: 1.89% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 21.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: 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

Urbanization
Urban population: 78.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.56% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 600,000 DJIBOUTI (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio
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.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 162 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 45.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 52.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 38 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 65.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 63.4 years
Female: 68.5 years

Total fertility rate: 2.11 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 15.9% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 52.7% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 23.8% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 12.3% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 75.8% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 26% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 17.7% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 25.9% (2024 est.); 26.2% (2023 est.); 26.4% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
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

Administrative divisions: 6 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah

Legal system: mixed 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 participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Executive branch
Chief 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
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term; prime minister appointed by the president
Most recent election date: 9 April 2021
2021: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president for a fifth term; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH (RPP) 97.4%, Zakaria Ismael FARAH (MDEND) 2.7%
2016: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president for a fourth term; percent of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH (RPP) 87%, Omar Elmi KHAIREH (CDU) 7.3%, other 5.6%
Expected date of next election: April 2026

Legislative branch
Legislature name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 65 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: mixed system
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 2/24/2023
Parties elected and seats per party: Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) (58); Union for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) (7)
Percentage of women in chamber: 26.2%
Expected date of next election: February 2,028
Note: most opposition parties boycotted the 2023 polls, stating the elections were 'not free, not transparent, and not democratic'

Flag 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

National anthem
Title: 'Jabuuti' (Djibouti)
Lyrics/music: Aden ELMI/Abdi ROBLEH
History: adopted 1977

Real gdp growth rate: 6% (2024 est.); 7.4% (2023 est.); 5.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 6% (2024 est.); 7.4% (2023 est.); 5.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 73% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 18.8% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 26.3% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: -30.1% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 160.8% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -148.3% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
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

Industries: construction, agricultural processing, shipping

Industrial production growth rate: 9.7% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 265,200 (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 25.9% (2024 est.); 26.2% (2023 est.); 26.4% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 25.9% (2024 est.); 26.2% (2023 est.); 26.4% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $725 million (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $754 million (2019 est.)

Exports: $5.25 billion (2024 est.); $5.877 billion (2023 est.); $5.674 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: raw sugar, seed oils, cars, palm oil, rice (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $4.765 billion (2024 est.); $5.269 billion (2023 est.); $5.096 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, palm oil, fertilizers, cars, seed oils (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 210,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 584.997 million kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 512 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 128.74 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 65% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 72.8%
Access electrification - rural areas: 36.6%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 65.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 34.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Exports: 8 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 19,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 685,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 45,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 640,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 10.428 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 29,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 574,000 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 46 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 65% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 17,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 3.5% of GDP (2019 est.); 3.5% of GDP (2018 est.); 3.3% of GDP (2017 est.); 2.7% of GDP (2016 est.); 2.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

Airports: 10 (2025)

Heliports: 6 (2025)

Railways
Total: 97 km (2017) (Djibouti segment of the 756 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)
Standard gauge: 97 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge

Merchant marine
Total: 40 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 4, oil tanker 13, other 21