Contents
Country Overview
Djibouti is a small republic in the Horn of Africa at the southern approaches to the Red Sea, bordering Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia and opening onto the Gulf of Aden. Its capital and principal port share the name Djibouti. The country gained independence from France on June 27, 1977 and operates under a 1992 constitutional system revised in 2010 and 2025. Its hot, largely arid landscape and small domestic market contrast with the strategic role of its ports, transport corridors, and services in the wider Ethiopian and Red Sea economies. [16] [9] [7]
CapitalDjibouti CityNational capital and principal port
Population1.184 millionWorld Bank, 2025 estimate [1]
Total area23,200 km²National / UN reference [4]
Nominal GDPUS$4.62 billionWorld Bank, 2025 [1]
GDP per capitaUS$3,906World Bank, 2025 [1]
CurrencyDjiboutian francDJF; fixed to the U.S. dollar
Demographic and trade comparability: The final national census counted 1,066,809 people in May 2024; the World Bank estimates 1,184,076 for 2025 using a different statistical method. Djibouti’s large merchandise export values include substantial goods routed through re-export and transit commerce; they must not be mistaken for domestic manufacturing output. [2] [3] [1] [6]
Identity and State Formation
- Official name
- Republic of Djibouti; République de Djibouti; Arabic: جمهورية جيبوتي. [8]
- Common name
- Djibouti; the capital city shares the country’s name.
- Capital
- Djibouti City (Djibouti-Ville), the principal port and largest urban concentration. [4] [3]
- Continent / UN M49 subregion
- Africa / Eastern Africa (part of the Horn of Africa). [18]
- Early historical setting
- Afar and Somali-speaking communities, pastoralist networks, and commerce across the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea long predated European colonial rule. [16]
- French establishment at Obock
- A French treaty with an Afar ruler in 1862 was an early colonial foothold on the Gulf of Tadjourah; subsequent agreements expanded French influence. [16]
- French Somaliland
- The territory was administered under the name French Somaliland from the late nineteenth century until 1967. [16]
- French Territory of the Afars and the Issas
- Renamed in 1967, after a territorial referendum held under French rule. [16]
- Independence referendum
- A May 1977 referendum endorsed independence from France; the political process preceded proclamation of the new republic. [16]
- Independence from France
- June 27, 1977; the principal national independence and founding date. [16] [17]
- First president
- Hassan Gouled Aptidon, who led the republic from independence in 1977 until 1999. [16]
- Post-independence political change
- A 1992 constitutional order formalized a multiparty framework; conflict between government forces and Afar-led insurgents in the 1990s shaped subsequent political negotiations. [8] [16]
- Current constitutional foundation
- 1992 Constitution, revised in 2010 and again in November 2025; subsequent electoral legislation implemented candidate-eligibility changes in 2026. [8] [9]
- 2025 constitutional revision
- Removed the former upper age limit for presidential candidacy, introduced a five-year residence rule with exceptions, and altered the composition of the Constitutional Council. [9]
- National day
- Independence Day, June 27. [16]
- National motto
- Unité, Égalité, Paix (Unity, Equality, Peace). [8]
- ISO 3166-1 codes
- DJ (alpha-2); DJI (alpha-3); 262 (numeric). [18]
- Internet country-code domain
- .dj
Geography and Population
- Total surface area
- 23,200 km² (approximately 8,958 sq. mi.), UN country profile and national statistical reference. [4] [2]
- Land area
- Approximately 23,180 km² (UNCTAD 2024 reference); land area excludes inland water and therefore differs slightly from total area. [5]
- World Bank population estimate
- 1,184,076 residents in 2025 (annual modeled estimate; not a census enumeration). [1]
- National census (RGPH-3)
- 1,066,809 residents as of May 20, 2024, according to the final national census results released in 2025. [2] [3]
- Population methodological difference
- The 2025 World Bank series and the 2024 nationally enumerated census use different years and methods. Do not describe the difference as one-year natural population growth. [1] [3]
- Population density
- Approximately 51.1 people per km² of land using the World Bank 2025 estimate and UNCTAD land area (calculated); approximately 46.0 per km² of total surface area using the 2024 national census and 23,200 km². [1] [2] [5]
- Djibouti City population
- 767,250 residents (2024 national census); approximately 71.9% of the country’s census population. [3]
- 2024 census sex distribution
- 536,447 female residents (50.3%) and 530,362 male residents (49.7%). [2] [3]
- Median age
- 23 years (2024 national census summary published by INSTAD). [2]
- Neighboring countries
- Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia; its short southeastern boundary adjoins Somaliland, which is internationally generally treated as part of Somalia.
- Maritime geography
- On the Gulf of Aden and the Gulf of Tadjourah, near the Bab el-Mandeb strait and southern entrance to the Red Sea. [7]
- Terrain
- Volcanic plateaus and ranges, faulted basins, low-lying salt depressions, and a coastal plain in a predominantly arid environment. [20]
- Lake Assal
- A highly saline lake in the Afar Depression; its shoreline lies about 155 m below sea level, among the lowest exposed land points on Earth.
- Lake Abbe
- Saline lake near the Ethiopian border, recognized for mineral formations, wetlands and unique geological scenery.
- Climate
- Extremely hot, arid to semi-arid lowlands with limited and irregular rainfall; some highlands are cooler. [7]
- Principal environmental pressures
- Water scarcity, drought, high temperatures, flash floods, and coastal/infrastructure exposure to climate change. [20]
- Principal settlements
- Djibouti City, Ali Sabieh, Dikhil, Tadjourah, Obock and Arta; the capital dominates the urban population. [3]
- Time zone
- East Africa Time (EAT), UTC+03:00 throughout the year.
Population and area conventions: The nationally validated 2024 census and World Bank’s 2025 population series have different statistical scopes and methods. The UN and national total surface area (23,200 km²) differs slightly from UNCTAD land-only area (23,180 km²). [2] [3] [4] [5] [1]
Economy and International Trade
- Economic system
- Service-led market economy with significant port, freight, logistics, transit and public-sector activity; heavy reliance on imported food and many manufactured goods. [7]
- Nominal GDP
- US$4.62 billion (2025, World Bank; current U.S. dollars). [1]
- Nominal GDP per capita
- US$3,905.6 (2025, World Bank; current U.S. dollars); this is output per resident, not average personal income. [1]
- Real GDP growth
- 6.5% (2025, World Bank annual series). [1] [7]
- Currency
- Djiboutian franc (DJF; also FDJ in French-language materials). [15]
- Exchange-rate regime
- Currency board with a long-established fixed parity of approximately DJF 177.721 for US$1. [15]
- 2025 modeled unemployment
- 26.0% (2025 World Bank presentation of ILO modeled estimate, not a direct national unemployment census). [1]
- 2025 consumer inflation
- −0.3% annual change (World Bank 2025 series; a small decline in the price index rather than a decline in nominal GDP). [1]
- 2024 merchandise exports
- US$5.169 billion (UNCTADstat; goods including substantial re-export/transit-linked transactions; not domestically produced output alone). [5] [6]
- 2024 merchandise imports
- Approximately US$5.546 billion (UNCTADstat estimate, goods only). [5]
- 2024 merchandise trade balance
- Approximately US$0.38 billion deficit using UNCTAD’s rounded totals; the publisher reports roughly US$376 million deficit. [5]
- 2024 services exports
- US$1.173 billion (UNCTADstat, services); 60.5% classified as transport services. [5]
- 2024 services imports
- Approximately US$730 million (UNCTADstat); services balance around US$443 million surplus. [5]
- 2023 WTO merchandise comparator
- US$4.7847 billion in goods exports (WTO/UN Comtrade 2023). Product and destination rankings below refer to 2023, not UNCTAD’s 2024 total. [6]
- Leading 2023 export market
- Ethiopia accounted for 83.5% of WTO-recorded merchandise exports (US$3.995 billion in 2023), illustrating the importance of trade routed through the Djibouti corridor. [6]
- Strategic trade role
- Ports and logistics form an essential gateway for landlocked Ethiopia and regional commerce at the Red Sea–Gulf of Aden maritime intersection. [7] [20]
- Domestic production
- Modest agriculture, livestock activity, fishing, salt and mineral-related activities; very limited arable land and severe water constraints. [7]
- Principal transport assets
- Port facilities in and near Djibouti City and Doraleh, the Addis Ababa–Djibouti railway, roads to Ethiopia and associated free-zone and cargo infrastructure. [7] [20]
- Economic vulnerabilities
- Dependence on foreign transit demand, maritime stability, imported food and energy, external financing and infrastructure resilience. [7] [20]
Principal Export Categories
| Category | Representative goods and trade function | Reference period |
|---|---|---|
| Palm oil and edible oils | Processed palm oil and sunflower/safflower oil traded through the country's import and redistribution channels. | WTO/UN Comtrade, 2023 |
| Sugar | Refined cane and beet sugar for regional markets; a major 2023 recorded product. | WTO/UN Comtrade, 2023 |
| Rice and staple food products | Rice and food commodities, frequently handled as import-and-re-export cargo. | WTO/UN Comtrade, 2023 |
| Vehicles and transport equipment | Passenger and freight vehicles routed through port and distribution operations. | WTO/UN Comtrade, 2023 |
| Iron, steel and industrial materials | Metal bars, coated sheets and related construction and industrial products. | WTO/UN Comtrade, 2023 |
| Domestic and locally processed goods | Smaller-scale salt, livestock and other local products; these should not be confused with the highest-value re-export categories. | Illustrative, not a ranked dataset |
People and Society
- Official languages
- Arabic and French, as defined by the Constitution. [8]
- Widely spoken languages
- Somali and Afar are major indigenous and everyday languages; Arabic and French also feature in religion, administration, education and public life. [8]
- Other languages
- Additional languages occur in expatriate, migrant and refugee communities, including regional Horn of Africa languages.
- Ethnolinguistic communities
- Somali-speaking communities (including Issa) and Afar communities are the two major historical population groups; precise contemporary proportions are not asserted without a comparable census. [16]
- State religion
- Islam is identified as the religion of the state by Article 1 of the Constitution; the text also states respect for all beliefs. [8]
- Religion: indicative population share
- Approximately 94% Sunni Muslim in the U.S. government’s 2023 estimate; this is not a new 2024 or 2025 census measurement. [14]
- Other religious communities
- Small communities of Shia Muslims, Roman Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox Christians, Hindus, Baha’is and other affiliations are reported; figures vary by definition. [14]
- Religion and nationality
- Religious population estimates may encompass citizens, migrants, expatriates and refugees; nationality and religion are not interchangeable categories. [14]
- Life expectancy
- Approximately 66 years at birth (World Bank, 2024 country-data series). [1]
- Population age structure
- Young national population; the 2024 census reported a median age of 23 years. [2]
- Urban concentration
- About 71.9% of the 2024 census population lived in the Djibouti-Ville region; this should not be conflated with an international standardized urbanization rate. [3]
- Education languages
- French and Arabic appear in formal education, with Somali and Afar widely used in home and community contexts. [8]
- Electricity access
- 69.2% of population (World Bank 2024 indicator); not necessarily a measure of supply reliability. [1]
- Refugees and regional mobility
- Location between the Horn of Africa and Arabian Peninsula has long created migration, asylum and cross-border labor and family networks. [7] [14]
- Cultural life
- Afar and Somali poetic, oral and musical traditions; regional cuisines, Islamic festivals and coastal trading influences.
- Agriculture and food security
- Food supply depends substantially on imports because rainfall and arable land are limited. [7]
- Health and living conditions
- Heat, water access and climate-related stresses affect public health and community services; conditions vary substantially between Djibouti City and rural regions. [20]
Religious data caution: The 94% Sunni Muslim figure is a 2023 U.S. government estimate and not an enumeration from Djibouti’s 2024 population census. Official-language status does not measure how many residents speak each language in daily life. [14] [8]
Government and Institutions
- Form of government
- Unitary presidential republic, with a president as head of state and head of the executive and an appointed prime minister. [8] [11]
- Foundational law
- Constitution of 1992, as amended in 2010 and November 2025; 2026 organic election legislation also governs eligibility. [8] [9]
- President
- Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, president since 1999; re-elected in April 2026 for a sixth term. [10] [21]
- April 2026 presidential election
- Constitutional Council final proclamation on April 21, 2026 confirmed 97.01% of valid votes for Guelleh; earlier preliminary reporting cited a different figure. [10]
- Prime minister
- Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, appointed in 2013 and reappointed by presidential decree on May 14, 2026. [11] [21]
- Executive branch
- President, prime minister, Council of Ministers and ministries; the president has central authority under the constitutional system. [8] [11]
- Presidential candidate age
- Under the 2025 amendment, a candidate must be at least 40; the previous maximum age of 75 was removed. [9]
- Presidential term
- Five years; changes to term-limit rules occurred through the 2010 constitutional revisions. [8] [9]
- National legislature
- National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), currently unicameral; the constitution contemplates a future Senate that has not been constituted. [12] [9]
- National Assembly membership
- 65 members; the most recent legislative election identified by the Inter-Parliamentary Union was February 2023. [12]
- Constitutional review
- Constitutional Council; the November 2025 amendment expanded its designed composition to nine members. [9]
- Judiciary
- Supreme Court and other judicial institutions under constitutional provisions for separation of powers and judicial independence. [8] [9]
- First-order administration
- Five regions—Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Obock and Tadjourah—plus the capital Djibouti City with a separate territorial status. [13]
- Djibouti City communes
- Ras-Dika, Boulaos and Balbala; governed within the city’s special local-government arrangement. [13]
- Regional administration
- Regional and municipal institutions coexist with central state administration; official classifications distinguish regions from the city’s special status. [13]
- Political parties and elections
- Multiparty electoral institutions exist; political participation, opposition conditions and election procedures should be assessed separately from formal constitutional provisions. [8] [10]
- Security forces
- National armed forces, gendarmerie, police and other security institutions under the republic’s executive and legal framework.
- National symbols
- Blue, green and white flag with a red five-pointed star; national motto Unity, Equality, Peace. [8]
Political and constitutional status: The final certified presidential-election share is 97.01%, distinct from early media counts. The 2025 constitutional revision envisages a Senate when enabling conditions are met, but the operational parliament remains a 65-member unicameral National Assembly in the IPU record. [10] [9] [12]
International Profile
- United Nations
- Admitted September 20, 1977, following independence on June 27 of the same year. [17]
- African regional institutions
- Member of the African Union and participates in regional Horn of Africa and African trade and diplomatic structures.
- World Trade Organization
- Member since May 31, 1995. [19]
- International financial institutions
- Member of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund; an important recipient of infrastructure and development finance. [1] [7]
- Strategic maritime position
- Situated near Bab el-Mandeb, linking the Red Sea route to the Gulf of Aden; international shipping and maritime security are important foreign-policy concerns. [7] [20]
- Relationship with Ethiopia
- Regional commercial gateway for landlocked Ethiopia, linked by roads and the Addis Ababa–Djibouti railway; Ethiopia accounted for 83.5% of recorded 2023 goods export destinations. [7] [6]
- Regional neighbors
- Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia; relations also extend across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula.
- Foreign military presence
- Djibouti hosts military facilities or detachments operated by several foreign partners, including France, the United States, China and Japan; arrangements and personnel levels change over time.
- Maritime and climate cooperation
- National and international infrastructure adaptation addresses port, railway, coastal and freshwater risks. [20]
- Communications infrastructure
- International submarine cables and landing facilities give Djibouti a role in regional digital connectivity. [20]
- International dialing code
- +253
- International time standard
- UTC+03:00 (East Africa Time), with no seasonal daylight-saving switch.
- Country-code internet domain
- .dj
Sources and Verification
Editorial cutoff: November 5, 2026. The country profile draws on government census and constitutional records, World Bank economic series, UN and WTO trade statistics, and independent institutional sources. Figures may change with statistical revisions; their date and coverage are documented at the point of use.
- World Bank, Djibouti Country Data — 2025 population 1,184,076; current-dollar GDP US$4.62 billion; GDP per capita US$3,905.6; real GDP growth 6.5%; 2024 life expectancy and electricity access.
- National Institute of Statistics of Djibouti (INSTAD), National Census (RGPH-3, 2024) — Final 2024 census count 1,066,809; 530,362 males and 536,447 females; median age 23; national area 23,200 km².
- Presidency of Djibouti, Council of Ministers, June 17, 2025: Final RGPH-3 Census — Definitive census count as of May 20, 2024; 767,250 inhabitants in Djibouti-Ville; five region-level totals and national sex distribution.
- United Nations Statistics Division, UNdata Djibouti Country Profile — Country surface area 23,200 km², Eastern Africa placement, capital, population reference and admission to the UN on September 20, 1977.
- UN Trade and Development (UNCTADstat), Djibouti General Country Profile (2024) — 2024 goods exports US$5.169 billion, estimated goods imports US$5.546 billion, service exports US$1.173 billion, service imports US$730 million and 2024 land-area reference.
- World Trade Organization, Tariff and Trade Data: Djibouti — 2023 goods exports US$4.7847 billion; Ethiopia 83.5% of destinations; 2023 product classes including palm oil, sugar, sunflower oil, rice and vehicles. Product data are 2023, not 2024.
- World Bank Group, Djibouti Country Overview — Transport, logistics and port services; 2025 economic performance; limited arable land, food-import dependence and regional exposure.
- Government of Djibouti, Constitution of the Republic — Official languages Arabic and French, Islam as state religion, capital, state motto and constitutional form; base text must be read with subsequent amendments.
- Official Journal of Djibouti, Constitutional Revision Law No. 192/AN/25 of November 6, 2025 — 2025 constitutional amendments including removal of maximum presidential candidate age and revision of the Constitutional Council composition.
- Constitutional Council of Djibouti, Final Results of April 10, 2026 Presidential Election — Final April 21, 2026 results: Ismaïl Omar Guelleh re-elected with 97.01% of valid votes. Preliminary reports used other figures.
- Djibouti Prime Minister’s Office, Reappointment of Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, May 14, 2026 — Confirms reappointment of Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed after the 2026 presidential inauguration.
- Inter-Parliamentary Union, Djibouti National Assembly — Unicameral National Assembly, 65 parliamentary members, election held in February 2023.
- Ministry in Charge of Decentralization, Territorial Collectivities — Five regions—Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Obock and Tadjourah—plus separate special status for Djibouti City.
- U.S. Department of State, 2023 International Religious Freedom Report: Djibouti — U.S. government estimate that approximately 94% of inhabitants were Sunni Muslims in 2023; minority traditions and survey limitations.
- Central Bank of Djibouti, Monetary and Exchange Rate Information — Fixed exchange rate of 177.721 Djiboutian francs per U.S. dollar and currency-board monetary system.
- U.S. Department of State, Background Note: Djibouti (historical archive) — French colonial terminology, 1967 French Territory of the Afars and Issas, May 1977 referendum, independence June 27, 1977 and first president Hassan Gouled Aptidon.
- United Nations, Member States — Djibouti admitted to the United Nations on September 20, 1977.
- United Nations Statistics Division, M49 Geographic Regions — Eastern Africa classification and country code DJ/DJI/262.
- World Trade Organization, Djibouti Member Information — Member of the WTO since May 31, 1995.
- World Bank, Djibouti Country Climate and Development Report — Djibouti–Ethiopia transport corridor, maritime and climatic risk, important submarine cables and ports.
- Australian Government DFAT, Djibouti Heads of Government — Independent governmental confirmation of President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh and Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed as of November 2026.
Statistical methodology: Nominal GDP is total annual output at current prices; GDP per capita is GDP divided by population, not average earnings. The 2024 census and 2025 World Bank population series are separate statistical products. The reported merchandise export total includes goods shipped/re-exported through Djibouti and should not be read as domestically manufactured output. Detailed WTO export product and destination rankings are from 2023, while the separately stated UNCTAD goods and services totals are from 2024. The exchange rate is a fixed official parity, not a floating daily quote.