What are the Key Facts of Djibouti?

Where is Djibouti?

Djibouti is an East African country that is located in the Horn of Africa. The country is bordered in the north by Eritrea, in the west and south by Ethiopia, in the southeast by Somalia, and at the east by the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. This country is located on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, making it a gateway to the busiest shipping route of the world, the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

Its strategic location has made it home for multiple military bases of the United States and France. China is also increasing its influence in Djibouti by building infrastructure projects (air and maritime ports). Djibouti’s proximity to restive regions in Africa (Somalia) and the Middle East (Yemen) increases the importance of its location for military bases.

What is the Geography of Djibouti?

Physical Geography & Landforms

Djibouti is essentially a vast desert with narrow coastal plain and small mountain series in the north. Stony desert, as well as scattered volcanic plateaus, are there in the central and southern parts of the country. Deep and time-worn troughs are also present. In some areas, the shallow saltwater lakes are there.

The total area of Djibouti is 23,200 sq. km (9,000 sq. miles) and the coastline is 314 km (195 miles) long. Four physiographic regions are there in Djibouti: The Northern Mountains, the Southern Mountains, Grand Bara, and Danakil Depression. There are 8 mountain ranges whose peaks are more than 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) high. These include the Mousa Ali range, Goda Mountains, Garbi Mountain, Arrei Mountains, Mabla Mountains, Dagouein Mountain, Hemed Mountain, Boura Mountains.

While the highest point is Moussa Ali at 2,063 meters (6,768 feet), the lowest point is Lake Assal (largest lake of Djibouti and the lowest point of Africa) at -155 meters (-508 feet). This lake (10 times more saline than the sea) is the second most saline body in the world, after Don Juan Pond. Djibouti doesn’t have any significant rivers.

Djibouti (a country located halfway between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator) remains significantly warmer throughout the year. The climate is harsh throughout the year and has comparatively less seasonal variation.

• December to February: It is the winter season of the country. The day-time temperature remains around 29°C (84.2°F). Rains are rare and the sun shines bright. The sea breeze blows strong but the air remains humid.
• March to May: The temperature starts increasing in March and the average daytime temperature remains around 35°C (95°F) at daytime. Nights are warmer and highly humid.
• June to September: This is the summertime of Djibouti. The climate is characterized by intense heat and lower humidity during June-July. Temperature becomes higher in September. While daytime temperature exceeds 40°C (104°F), nighttime temperature revolves around 30°C (86°F). September is the worst time to live in Djibouti as the climate is characterized by high temperature, oppressive heat, and high humidity.
• October: The temperature decreases a bit during this month and the climate remains quite similar to that of May.

Total rainfall throughout the year is just 120 millimeters (4.7 inches), which is a typical feature of a desert climate.

What is the Economy of Djibouti?

Djibouti economy is driven by the service sector (employing 75.7% of the labor force and contributing 76.1% to the GDP), especially by providing international transshipment, refueling center services, and transit port services. It is classified as lower middle-income country by the World Bank. The country’s nominal GDP for 2017 was US$1.84 billion. Since 2003, annual GDP grew at an average rate of more than 3%. Around 42% of the total population lives in extreme poverty.

The agricultural and industrial sectors are extremely limited because of the barren lands. The main industries are construction, mining, salt, fishing, and dairy. The main export items are coffee, hides and skins, re-exportation, and scrap metal. 90% of their food items are imported. Natural resources are limited and the labor force is largely unskilled.

What is the Transportation System of Djibouti?

• Ethio-Djibouti Standard Gauge Rail Transport Share Company is the main railway service provider of the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway connection. Passenger traffic is handled by 3 railway stations of Ali Sabieh, Holhol, and Nagad. The total length of railways in Djibouti is 93 km (58 miles).
• 3,065 kilometers (1,905 miles) of roads are there in Djibouti, out of which 1,379 kilometers (857 miles) are paved and 1,686 kilometers (1,048 miles) are unpaved. RN-1, RN-2, and RN-6 are the primary highways that connect Djibouti City with Galafi, Djibouti City with Loyada, and Dikhil with Kouta Bouyya respectively.
• Port of Djibouti is one of the main harbors of the country and the only freight port. Port of Doraleh is currently replacing Port of Djibouti. Three major ports are the Damerjog Port, the Port of Tadjourah, and the Port of Goubet.
• There are 13 airports present in the country including Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport, Ali-Sabieh Airport, Assa-Gueyla Airport, and others.

What International Organizations is Djibouti Part of?

WTO, IMF, ACP, UN, AfDB, AFESD, UNESCO, AMF, WHO, AU, ILO, CAEU (candidates), UNHCR, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, NAM, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, UNCTAD, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, OIC, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, OIF, OPCW, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WIPO, WMO