Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
1 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
17,000 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
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)
Communications: Internet country code
.dj
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
65.30% (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
3 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
28,700 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
49 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
559,000 (2023 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
vegetables, beans, milk, beef, camel milk, lemons/limes, goat meat, lamb/mutton, tomatoes, beef offal (2023)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$754 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$725 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
-$628.7 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
$530.6 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
$714.2 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$26.1 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
-$132.5 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
$428.6 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
$564.0 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
$366.4 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
-$225.1 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
$656.207 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
$721.349 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
$610.124 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2022
$3.170 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2023
$2.531 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
177.721 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
Djiboutian francs (DJF) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
177.721 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
177.721 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
177.721 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
177.721 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
177.721 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
177.721 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
177.721 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
177.721 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
177.721 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
177.721 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
177.721 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
177.721 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
raw sugar, seed oils, cars, palm oil, rice (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$3.507 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$3.526 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$2.703 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$4.147 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$4.563 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$5.150 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$3.683 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$4.842 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$5.674 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$5.877 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$5.25 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
160.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
18.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
73% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-148.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
26.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
-30.1% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
2.6% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
15.4% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
75.5% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$7,810 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.086 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$9.128 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017
41.6 (2017 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%
32.3% (2017 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
1.9% (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, palm oil, fertilizers, cars, seed oils (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$2.981 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$2.847 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$4.306 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$4.189 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$4.764 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$3.415 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$4.097 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$5.096 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$5.269 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$4.765 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
9.7% (2024 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
-0.52% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
2.40% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
0.58% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
0.14% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
3.32% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
1.78% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
1.18% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
5.17% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
1.45% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
2.11% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
265,200 (2024 est.)
Economy: Population below poverty line
21.10% (2017 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
33.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$3.989 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$4.351 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$4.598 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$4.933 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$5.877 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$6.108 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$6.683 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$7.028 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$7.546 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$7.995 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
7.31% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
7.12% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
5.46% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
4.77% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
5.55% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
1.20% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
4.41% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
5.17% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
6.81% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
6.98% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$3,978 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$4,264 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$4,432 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$4,677 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$5,398 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$5,527 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$5,960 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$6,621 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$7,226 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$39.8 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$37.9 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$39.7 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$64.1 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$79.4 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
1.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$364.9 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$407.4 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$556.1 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$454.2 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$501.9 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$686.3 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$588.4 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$589.437 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$502.034 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$348.725 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
26.26% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
27.70% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
27.63% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
26.27% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
26.07% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
26.01% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
77.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
75.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
76.3% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: exports
8 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
19,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - rural areas
36.6%
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
65% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - urban areas
72.8%
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
65.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: wind
34.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
584.997 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: imports
512 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
210,000 kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
128.74 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
10.428 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
45,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
640,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
685,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
desert; torrid, dry
Environment: Environmental issues
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
Environment: International environmental agreements: 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
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
73.5% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 73.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
0.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
26.2% (2023 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
21 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
300 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
0 cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
16 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
1.56% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
72.91% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
115,000 tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
14.9% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Geography: Area: land
23,180 sq km
Geography: Area: water
20 sq km
Geography: Coastline
314 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Moussa Ali 2,021 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Lac Assal -155 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
430 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
11 30 N, 43 00 E
Geography: 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
Geography: Irrigated land
10 sq km (2012)
Geography: Land boundaries: border countries
Eritrea 125 km; Ethiopia 342 km; Somalia 61 km
Geography: Land boundaries: total
528 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
73.5% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 73.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
0.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
26.2% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major lakes (area sq km): salt water lake(s)
Abhe Bad/Abhe Bid Hayk (shared with Ethiopia) - 780 sq km
Geography: Map references
Africa
Geography: Maritime claims: contiguous zone
24 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: 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: 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
Geography: Terrain
coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
Government: Administrative divisions
6 districts ( cercles , singular - cercle ); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah
Government: Capital: 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
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
11 35 N, 43 09 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
the mother must be a citizen of Djibouti
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
no
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
10 years
Government: Constitution: 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
Government: Constitution: history
approved by referendum 4 September 1992
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Djibouti
Government: Country name: etymology
the country name derives from the capital city of Djibouti
Government: Country name: former
French Somaliland, French Territory of the Afars and Issas
Government: Country name: local long form
République de Djibouti (French)/ Jumhuriyat Jibuti (Arabic)
Government: Country name: local short form
Djibouti (French)/ Jibuti (Arabic)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Cynthia KIERSCHT (since 17 October 2024)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
DjiboutiACS@state.gov https://dj.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
Lot 350-B Haramouss, B.P. 185
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
[253] 21-45-31-29
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
2150 Djibouti Place, Washington DC 20521-2150
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[253] 21-45-30-00
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
1156 15th Street NW, Suite 515, Washington, DC 20005
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Mohamed Siad DOUALEH (28 January 2016)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
info@djiboutiembassyus.org https://www.djiboutiembassyus.org/
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 331-0302
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 331-0270
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)
Government: Executive branch: election results
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%
Government: Executive branch: 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
Government: Executive branch: expected date of next election
April 2026
Government: Executive branch: head of government
Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil MOHAMED (since 1 April 2013)
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
9 April 2021
Government: 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 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
Government: International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Government: International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, ATMIS, 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
Government: Judicial branch: highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (consists of NA magistrates); Constitutional Council (consists of 6 magistrates)
Government: Judicial branch: 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
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
High Court of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; customary courts; State Court (replaced sharia courts in 2003)
Government: 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
Government: Legislative branch: electoral system
mixed system
Government: Legislative branch: expected date of next election
February 2028
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
unicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)
Government: Legislative branch: most recent election date
2/24/2023
Government: Legislative branch: number of seats
65 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch: parties elected and seats per party
Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) (58); Union for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) (7)
Government: Legislative branch: percentage of women in chamber
26.2%
Government: Legislative branch: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch: term in office
5 years
Government: National anthem(s): history
adopted 1977
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Aden ELMI/Abdi ROBLEH
Government: National color(s)
light blue, green, white, red
Government: National holiday
Independence Day, 27 June (1977)
Government: National symbol(s)
red star
Government: Political parties
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
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Introduction: 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.
Military and Security: Military - note
Djibouti's military forces are largely focused on border, coastal, and internal security duties, such as counterterrorism; as recently as February 2025, Djiboutian forces have conducted operations near its border with Ethiopia against members of the Armed Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD A), which Djibouti considers a terrorist group China, France, Italy, Japan, and the US maintain bases in Djibouti for regional military missions, including counterterrorism, counter-piracy, crisis response, and security assistance; other countries, such as Germany and Spain, have smaller military contingents; the EU and NATO also maintain a presence in Djibouti to support multinational naval counter-piracy operations and maritime training efforts (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
Djibouti Armed Forces (Forces Armées Djiboutiennes or FAD): Djiboutian (or National) Army, Djiboutian Navy (includes Djiboutian Coast Guard), Djiboutian Air Force; Djiboutian National Gendarmerie Ministry of Interior: National Police (Police Nationale) (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
estimated 10-12,000 active Armed Forces, including Gendarmerie (2025)
Military and Security: Military deployments
approximately 1,500 Somalia (AUSSOM) (2025)
Military and Security: Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the FAD's inventory is a mix of mostly older or secondhand equipment from a variety of suppliers, including China, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Africa, Türkiye, and the US (2025)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
2.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
2.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
3.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
3.5% of GDP (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
3.5% of GDP (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
18-26 years of age for voluntary military service (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
28.4% (male 141,829/female 140,696)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
67.4% (male 290,654/female 379,778)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
4.2% (2024 est.) (male 18,313/female 23,704)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
21.46 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 15
1.4% (2019)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 18
6.5% (2019)
People and Society: Children under the age of 5 years underweight
17.7% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
2.28% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
46.5% (2017 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
7 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
6.4 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
15.7 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
48.1 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
41.7 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 47.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 76.2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 84.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 52.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 23.8% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 15.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
3.8% of GDP (2018 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
14.5% national budget (2018 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
3.75% (2018 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (mostly Yemeni Arab, also French, Ethiopian, and Italian)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
1.03 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
2.9% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
5.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.90% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
1.4 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
38 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
52.1 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
43.0 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
68.7 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
63.7 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
600,000 DJIBOUTI (capital) (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
162 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
27.9 years
People and Society: Median age: male
24.4 years
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Djiboutian
People and Society: Net migration rate
3.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
13.5% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
People and Society: Population
1,168,722 (2024 est.)
People and Society: 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
People and Society: Population growth rate
1.36% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
554,715
People and Society: Population: male
458,988
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 24.2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 74% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 87.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 75.8% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 26% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 12.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.01 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
0.77 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.77 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
0.83 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
2.62 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
1.56% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
72.91% (2024 est.)
Terrorism: Terrorist group(s)
al-Shabaab
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
32,636 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Trafficking in persons: 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/
Transportation: Airports
10 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
J2
Transportation: Heliports
6 (2025)
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 4, oil tanker 13, other 21
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
40 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Djibouti, Doraleh
Transportation: Ports: large
0
Transportation: Ports: medium
0
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
2
Transportation: Ports: small
2
Transportation: Ports: total ports
2 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
0
Transportation: Railways: standard gauge
97 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge
Transportation: Railways: total
97 km (2017) (Djibouti segment of the 756 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.