Factbook dossier
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. Unre…
Location
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia
Area
total : 23,200 sq km land: 23,180 sq km water: 20 sq km
Natural resources
potential geothermal power, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum
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
Population
total: 1,013,703 (2025 est.) male: 458,988 female: 554,715
Ethnic groups
Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (mostly Yemeni Arab, also French, Ethiopian, and Italian)
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)
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
Government type
presidential republic
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
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 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% expected date of next election: April 2026
Legislative branch
legislature name: National Assembly (Assembl e 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 2028 note: most opposition parties boycotted the 2023 polls, stating the elections were "not free, not transparent, and not democratic"
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$7.995 billion (2024 est.) $7.546 billion (2023 est.) $7.028 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita
$6,800 (2024 est.) $6,500 (2023 est.) $6,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.1% (2024 est.) 1.5% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Exports - partners
Ethiopia 77%, UAE 5%, China 3%, Singapore 2%, France 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners
China 32%, India 12%, UAE 10%, Turkey 6%, Morocco 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Military and security forces
Djibouti Armed Forces (Forces Arm es 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) note 1: the National Gendarmerie is a security force with military status under the FAD and the Ministry of Defense, but also has responsibilities to the Ministry of Interior; the Gendarmerie's duties include providing security outside of Djibouti City and protecting critical infrastructure within the city, such as the international airport note 2: the National Police are responsible for security within Djibouti City and have primary control over immigration and customs procedures for all land border-crossing points
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.)