20+ Interesting Facts About Djibouti

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  1. Djibouti is a small country in the area known as the Horn of Africa. It is located at a strategic location at the border of the Red Sea, while the Gulf of Aden is at its east. It is the southernmost country on the Arabian plate
  2. Djibouti is the 8th smallest country in Africa and the 3rd smallest country in mainland Africa after Gambia and Lesotho.
  3. Djibouti has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world. Around 40% of people in Djibouti are unemployed. (Source)
  4. Due to this strategic location, Djibouti hosts military bases for several countries. Countries that use Djibouti for their bases include the USA, France, China, Japan, and Italy.
  5. Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti is the only permanent U.S. military base in Africa. China and Japan have their only overseas military bases in this country.
  6. These military bases provide economic benefits to Djibouti. The lease payments from these bases make up around 5% of the GDP of Djibouti.
  7. Lake Assal in Djibouti is the lowest point in Africa, located at 153 m (502 ft.) below sea level. It is also the 2nd lowest point on land after the Dead Sea depression (413 m below sea level). (Source) 
    Lake Assal in Djibouti
    Lake Assal in Djibouti is the 2nd lowest point on land
  8. Lake Assal is one of the saltiest lakes in the world. Its salinity level is 348, around ten times higher than the average salinity of oceans worldwide. (Source)
  9. Lake Abbe is a large salt lake in Afar Depression in Djibouti. The movement of Nubian and Somali plates has created towering limestone chimneys. Few of these chimneys are 50 meters high. (Source)
  10. Djibouti is a famous place for diving with Whale sharks. These sharks visit the Djiboutian coast for most of the year but the best time to spot them is between November and February. (Source)
  11. Djibouti has an abundance of coral and fish species. Most reefs here have healthy coral and fish populations thanks to minimum coral bleaching and human impact. (Source)
  12. A unique geographical feature of Djibouti is the Afar Triple Junction. Three tectonic plates (Arabian, Nubian, and Somalian plates) meet at this point. (Source)
  13. Djibouti’s neighbor Ethiopia relies heavily on Djiboutian ports. These ports facilitate around 95% of Ethiopian imports and exports.
  14. Djibouti became a republic in 1977 after around 99% of people voted in favor of independence from France during a referendum. Previously, two such independence referendums failed in 1958 and 1967.
  15. Djibouti faced a civil war for three years (Oct 1991 to Dec 1994). The war ended with victory for the government and a peace agreement between the government and Afar rebels.
  16. Djibouti’s population is less than 1 million. Around 60% of the population resides in the capital city. Nearly 95% of people belong to the Somali and Afar ethnicities. 
  17. Djibouti has the 3rd highest rate of female circumcision in the world (after Somalia and Guinea). Despite its legal ban in 1994, around 93% of females in the country undergo this procedure. (Source)
  18. Djibouti is a Muslim majority country with around 95% Muslim population. Most people are Sunni Muslims who follow the Shafi’i school of Islamic law. Islam is also the state religion of Djibouti. 
  19. Djibouti has continuously participated in Summer Olympic Games since 1984. During these appearances, the country has won a single bronze medal in Athletics. (Source)
  20. In 2018, Djibouti dissolved its national football team due to continuous bad performance. Before its dissolution, the football team was 185th in FIFA’s World Rankings and remained unable to qualify for any major international tournament. (Source) 
  21. Djibouti is one of the hottest and driest countries in the world. Its temperature has increased by 0.5 C in the last 30 years due to climate change. (Source)
  22. Djibouti has one of the lowest forested areas in the world. Only 0.24% area of the country is covered with forests. (Source) 

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