Djibouti - Geography

Here, let us take a look at the Geography of Djibouti. Strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa and the saltiest lake in the world. Mother's mean age at first birth is (), whereas, the Maternal mortality ratio is 234 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Geographical data of Djibouti
Location Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia
Geographic coordinates 11 30 N, 43 00 E
Map references Africa
Tarrain coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
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

Irrigated Land 10 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Major aquifers
Land Boundaries 528 km
Border Countries Eritrea 125 km; Ethiopia 342 km; Somalia 61 km
Coastline 314 km
Climate desert; torrid, dry
Area
Total Area
Land Area 23,180 sq km
Water Area 20 sq km
comparative Area slightly smaller than New Jersey
Maritime Claims
Territorial sea 12 nm
Contiguous zone 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone 200 nm
Elevations
Highest point Moussa Ali 2,021 m
Lowest point Lac Assal -155 m
Mean elevation 430 m
Land Use
Agricultural land 73.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land arable land: 0.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture permanent pasture: 73.3% (2018 est.)
Forest 0.2% (2018 est.)
Other 26.4% (2018 est.)
Population Distribution

Most densely populated areas are in the east; the largest city is Djibouti, with a population over 600,000; no other city in the country has a total population over 50,000 as shown in this population distribution map

People and Society

In Djibouti, the different Ethnic groups are such that we have: Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (mostly Yemeni Arab, also French, Ethiopian, and Italian)

Population
Pop growth rate 1.89% (2024 est.)
Birth rate 21.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Death rate 7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Health expenditure 2% of GDP (2020)
Physicians Density
Hospital bed Density 1.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Total fertility rate 2.11 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Gross reproduction rate 1.04 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate 19% (2012)
Est married women (ages 15-49) 50.6% (2023 est.)
Literacy
Education expenditures 3.6% of GDP (2018 est.)
Net Migration rate 4.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Nationality Djiboutian | Djiboutian(s)
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)
Age Structure
0-14 years 28.4% (male 141,829/female 140,696)
15-64 years 67.4% (male 290,654/female 379,778)
65 years and over 4.2% (2024 est.) (male 18,313/female 23,704)
Dependency Ratios
Total dependency ratio 50.6
Youth dependency ratio 47.5
Elderly dependency ratio 6.9
Potential support ratio 14.4 (2021 est.)
Median Age
Total 26.3 years (2024 est.)
Male 24.4 years
Female 27.9 years
Urbanization
Urban population 78.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization 1.56% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas (Pop) 600,000 DJIBOUTI (capital) (2023).
Sex Ratio
At birth 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years 0.77 male(s)/female
65 years and over 0.77 male(s)/female
Total population 0.83 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant Motality
Total 45.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male 52.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female 38 deaths/1,000 live births
Life Expectancy at birth
Total population 65.9 years (2024 est.)
Male 63.4 years
Female 68.5 years
Drinking Water Sources
Improved: urban urban: 99.7% of population
Improved: rural rural: 59.3% of population
Improved: total total: 90.8% of population
Unimproved: urban urban: 0.3% of population
Unimproved: rural rural: 40.7% of population
Unimproved: total total: 9.2% of population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility acess
Improved: urban urban: 87.7% of population
Improved: rural rural: 24.2% of population
Improved: total total: 73.8% of population
Unimproved: urban urban: 12.3% of population
Unimproved: rural rural: 75.8% of population
Unimproved: total total: 26.2% of population (2020 est.)
Major Infectious diseases
Degree of risk high (2023)
Food or waterborne diseases bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases dengue fever, and sexually transmitted diseases: hepatitis B (2024)
Alcohol consumption per capita
Total 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Beer 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits 0.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Child marriage
Women married by age 15 1.4%
Women married by age 18 6.5% (2019 est.)
Demographic profile

Djibouti is a poor, predominantly urban country, characterized by high rates of illiteracy, unemployment, and childhood malnutrition. Approximately 70% of the population lives in cities and towns (predominantly in the capital, Djibouti). The rural population subsists primarily on nomadic herding. Prone to droughts and floods, the country has few natural resources and must import more than 80% of its food from neighboring countries or Europe. Health care, particularly outside the capital, is limited by poor infrastructure, shortages of equipment and supplies, and a lack of qualified personnel. More than a third of health care recipients are migrants because the services are still better than those available in their neighboring home countries. The nearly universal practice of female genital cutting reflects Djibouti’s lack of gender equality and is a major contributor to obstetrical complications and its high rates of maternal and infant mortality. A 1995 law prohibiting the practice has never been enforced.

Because of its political stability and its strategic location at the confluence of East Africa and the Gulf States along the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, Djibouti is a key transit point for migrants and asylum seekers heading for the Gulf States and beyond. Each year some 100,000 people, mainly Ethiopians and some Somalis, journey through Djibouti, usually to the port of Obock, to attempt a dangerous sea crossing to Yemen. However, with the escalation of the ongoing Yemen conflict, Yemenis began fleeing to Djibouti in March 2015, with almost 20,000 arriving by August 2017. Most Yemenis remain unregistered and head for Djibouti City rather than seeking asylum at one of Djibouti’s three spartan refugee camps. Djibouti has been hosting refugees and asylum seekers, predominantly Somalis and lesser numbers of Ethiopians and Eritreans, at camps for 20 years, despite lacking potable water, food shortages, and unemployment.

All Important Facts about Djibouti

Want to know more about Djibouti? Check all different factbooks for Djibouti below.

Djibouti is found in Eastern Africa