Djibouti

Djibouti has an estimated population of 828,324 people.

Djibouti is a nation with several ethnic groups. The population of Djibouti increased quickly in the second half of the twentieth century, rising from about 83 thousand in 1960 to over 872 thousand in 2013. The Somali (60%) and Afar (40%) ethnic groups are the two biggest ethnic groupings (35 percent ). The Issas, a sub-clan of the broader Dir, make up the majority of the Somali clan component.

Arabs, Ethiopians, and Europeans make up the remaining 5% of the population of Djibouti (French and Italians). The city inhabitants make up around 76 percent of the population, while pastoralists make up the rest. Djibouti also accommodates a large number of immigrants and refugees from surrounding countries, with Djibouti City’s multicultural urbanism earning it the moniker “French Hong Kong in the Red Sea.”

The majority of Djibouti’s population is Muslim. Approximately 94 percent of the population (around 740,000 as of 2012) follows Islam, while the remaining 6% are Christians.

Islam first arrived in the area when a group of persecuted Muslims crossed the Red Sea to seek sanctuary in the Horn of Africa at the request of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In 1900, during the early colonial period, there were almost no Christians in the territories, with only approximately 100–300 followers coming from the few Catholic missions in French Somaliland’s schools and orphanages. Djibouti’s Constitution establishes Islam as the only state religion, as well as equal rights for people of all religions (Article 1) and religious freedom (Article 11).

The majority of local Muslims are Sunni Muslims who follow the Shafi’i school of thought. Non-denominational Muslims are mostly affiliated with Sufi groups of various schools. While Muslim Djiboutians have the legal freedom to convert to or marry someone of another religion, converts may suffer unfavorable responses from their family and clan or from society at large, and they are often pressured to return to Islam, according to the International Religious Freedom Report 2008.

The Diocese of Djibouti is responsible for the tiny Catholic community of Djibouti, which is estimated to number about 7,000 people in 2006.

Djibouti is located in the Horn of Africa, near the southern entrance to the Red Sea, on the Gulf of Aden and the Bab-el-Mandeb. Within the Arabian Plate, it is located between latitudes 10° and 13°N and longitudes 41° and 44°E.

The country’s shoreline extends for 314 kilometers (195 miles), with plateaux, plains, and hills dominating the landscape. Djibouti is a country in Africa with a total size of 23,200 square kilometers (9,000 sq mi). Its boundaries span 506 kilometers (314 miles), with 113 kilometers (70 miles) shared with Eritrea, 337 kilometers (209 miles) with Ethiopia, and 58 kilometers (36 miles) with Somalia. Djibouti is the Arabian Plate’s southernmost nation.

Djibouti contains eight mountain ranges, each with a peak higher than 1,000 meters (3,281 ft). The Mousa Alirange is the country’s highest mountain range, with its highest peak on the Ethiopian-Eritrean boundary. It stands at a height of 2,028 meters. The Grand Bara desert is found in the Arta, Ali Sabieh, and Dikhil areas of southern Djibouti. The bulk of it is located at a low elevation of less than 1,700 feet (560 m).

Ras Doumera and the point where Eritrea’s border enters the Red Sea in the Obock Region are extreme geographic points; to the east, a section of the Red Sea coast north of Ras Bir; to the south, a location on the Ethiopian border west of the town of As Ela; and to the west, a location on the Ethiopian border immediately east of the Ethiopian town of Afambo.

The Ethiopian xeric grasslands and shrublands ecoregion encompasses the majority of Djibouti. The exception is an eastern stretch of the Eritrean coastal desert that runs along the Red Sea coast.

The climate of Djibouti is considerably warmer and has less seasonal fluctuation than the global average. Except at high altitudes, where the effects of a cold offshore current may be felt, mean daily maximum temperatures vary from 32 to 41 °C (90 to 106 °F). In April, typical afternoon highs in Djibouti city range from 28 to 34 °C (82 to 93 °F). The average daily lowest temperature in the United States ranges from 15 to 30 degrees Celsius (59 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit).

Eastern Djibouti has the most extreme climate, with temperatures reaching 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit) in July on the coastal plains and the freezing threshold in December in the highlands. The relative humidity in this area varies depending on the season, ranging from approximately 40% in the mid-afternoon to about 85% at night.

The climate of Djibouti varies from dry in the northeastern coastal areas to semiarid in the country’s center, northern, western, and southern regions. Annual rainfall on the eastern coast is less than 5 inches (131 mm); precipitation in the central highlands is between 8 and 11 inches (200 to 300 mm). The interior has a much lower humidity level than the coastal areas. In Djibouti, the seashore offers the mildest climate.

Djibouti is a country with several languages. The bulk of people in the area speak Somali (524,000 speakers) and Afar (306,000 speakers) as their primary languages. These are the Somali and Afar ethnic groups’ mother languages, respectively. Both languages are part of the Afroasiatic language family. Djibouti has two official languages: Arabic (Afroasiatic) and French (Indo-European)

Arabic is significant in social, cultural, and religious circles. Modern Standard Arabic is used in formal contexts. The Ta’izzi-Adeni Arabic dialect, commonly known as Djibouti Arabic, is spoken by approximately 59,000 people. French is the official national language of France. It is the main language of teaching and was inherited from the colonial era. It is spoken as a first language by about 17,000 Djiboutians. Omani Arabic (38,900 speakers), Amharic (1,400 speakers), Greek (1,000 speakers), and Hindi are among the immigrant languages (600 speakers).

The country’s flora and wildlife live in a harsh environment, with forest covering less than 1% of the country’s total surface. The country’s wildlife is distributed over three major regions: the northern mountain ranges, the volcanic plateaux in the south and center parts, and the coastline area.

The majority of animal species may be found in the northern portion of the nation, in the Day Forest National Park environment. The Goda massif, with a summit of 1,783 meters, is located at an average altitude of 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) (5,850 ft). It is made up of 3.5 square kilometers (1 square mile) of Juniperus procera woodland, with many trees reaching a height of 20 meters (66 feet). This woodland region is home to the endangered and endemic Djibouti francolin (a bird) as well as Platyceps afarensis, a newly discovered vertebrate (a colubrine snake). It also has a diverse range of woody and herbaceous plants, including boxwood and olive trees, which account for 60% of the country’s total species.

Djibouti has around 820 species of plants, 493 species of invertebrates, 455 species of fish, 40 species of reptiles, 3 species of amphibians, 360 species of birds, and 66 species of mammals, according to a national profile on variety of wildlife in Djibouti. The Horn of Africa biodiversity hotspot, as well as the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden coral reef hotspot, include Djibouti’s wildlife.

The service sector accounts for the majority of Djibouti’s economy. The country’s free trade policies and strategic position as a Red Sea transit hub drive commercial activity. Vegetables and fruits are the main producing crops due to little rainfall, and other food products must be imported. In 2013, the GDP (purchasing power parity) was projected to be $2.505 billion, with an annual real growth rate of 5%. The average per capita income is $2,874. (PPP). The services sector accounted for approximately 79.7% of GDP, with industry accounting for 17.3% and agriculture accounting for 3%.

The container terminal at the Port of Djibouti handles the majority of the country’s commerce as of 2013. Imports and exports from neighboring Ethiopia, which relies on the harbor as its primary marine outlet, account for about 70% of the seaport’s business. The port also acts as a transshipment and refueling hub for foreign ships. The Doraleh Container Terminal, a third major seaport in Djibouti, was begun in 2012 by the Djiboutian government in cooperation with DP World to expand the country’s transit capacity. It’s a $396 million project with a capacity of 1.5 million twenty-foot container units per year.

In the March 2011 Euromoney Country Risk rankings, Djibouti was rated as the 177th safest investment location in the world. The Djibouti government, in collaboration with a number of non-profit organizations, has undertaken a number of development initiatives aimed at showcasing the country’s economic potential in order to enhance the climate for direct foreign investment. The government has also implemented new private-sector measures aimed at lowering interest and inflation rates, such as easing the tax burden on businesses and enabling consumption tax exemptions.

Furthermore, attempts have been undertaken to reduce the projected 60% urban unemployment rate by increasing work possibilities via investment in a variety of industries. Funds have been allocated mostly to the construction of telecommunications infrastructure and the assistance of small companies in order to increase discretionary income. Since 2008, the fisheries and agro-processing industry, which accounts for approximately 15% of GDP, has seen increased investment due to its development potential.

A 56 megawatt geothermal power plant is being built with the assistance of OPEC, the World Bank, and the Global Environmental Facility to grow the small industrial sector. It is expected to be finished by 2018. The project is intended to alleviate recurrent power outages, lessen the country’s dependence on Ethiopia for energy, cut the cost of oil imports for diesel-generated electricity, and therefore boost GDP and reduce debt.

Salt Investment (SIS), a Djibouti company, has started a large-scale operation to industrialize the abundant salt in Djibouti’s Lake Assal area. The desalination plant, which has a 4 million ton yearly capacity, has increased export earnings, generated more employment possibilities, and supplied more fresh water to the area’s inhabitants. The Djibouti government has recruited the help of the China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd to build an ore port in 2012. The $64 million project is expected to be finished in two years and would allow Djibouti to export an additional 5,000 tons of salt per year to Southeast Asian markets.

From US$341 million in 1985 to US$1.5 billion in 2015, Djibouti’s gross domestic product grew at a rate of more than 6% each year.

From US$341 million in 1985 to US$1.5 billion in 2015, Djibouti’s gross domestic product grew at a rate of more than 6% each year. Djibouti’s currency is the Djiboutian franc. The Central Bank of Djibouti, the country’s monetary authority, issues it. The Djiboutian franc is usually stable and inflation is not a concern since it is linked to the US dollar. This has led to an increase in investor interest in the nation.

Djibouti has ten conventional and Islamic banks as of 2010. The majority came in the last several years, including Dahabshiil, a Somali money transfer business, and BDCD, a Swiss Financial Investments affiliate. Two organizations dominated the financial sector previously: the Indo-Suez Bank and the Commercial and Industrial Bank (BCIMR). To ensure a strong credit and deposit sector, the government mandates commercial banks to own 30 percent of the company; foreign banks must have a minimum of 300 million Djiboutian francs in up-front capital. The establishment of a guarantee fund, which enables banks to provide loans to qualified small and medium-sized companies without needing a significant deposit or other collateral, has also boosted lending.

Saudi businessmen are also allegedly looking at the idea of building a 28.5-kilometer (17.7-mile) oversea bridge connecting the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula via Djibouti, dubbed the Bridge of the Horns. The project has been connected to the investor Tarek bin Laden. However, in June 2010, it was reported that Phase I of the project will be postponed.

About 800 soldiers make up the 13th French Foreign Legion Demi-Brigadeis (13ème DBLE), which is permanently stationed in Djibouti. The following address may be used to contact them:

MONCLAR SP 85030 00815 ARMEES, 13ème DBLE – Djibouti Quartier MONCLAR SP 85030 00815 ARMEES, 13ème DBLE – Djibouti Quartier

A 2,000-strong US military presence is also present in Djibouti, at Camp Lemonier, which is situated across the runway from the international airport.

Respect

Although tourists are welcome to dress casually, visitors should be aware that Djibouti is a Muslim nation and that some standards of conduct must be followed. Shorts aren’t usually worn outside of hotels, beaches, or sporting events.

Most nationalities are needed to get visas. Travelers with French or Singaporean passports may get a one-month visa on arrival for 5,000 DJF. Transit visas are valid for ten days and are offered at the airport for 10.000 FDJ (about US$55) to citizens of the European Union, Scandinavian nations, and the United States. If you want to arrive by land, you must first get visas. Visas are available from neighboring countries, and in the absence of a Djibouti embassy, they are often acquired through the French embassy. There are four different kinds of visas: entry (visa de séjour), tourist (visa de tourisme), business (visa d’affaires), and transit (visa de transit) (visa de transit).

Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport (JIB) is the only airport that links Djibouti with Dubai. Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Puntland, Somaliland, Tanzania, Egypt, Madagascar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Yemen are among the destinations served. Flights to Paris are operated by Air France and Djibouti-based Daallo Airlines (D3), with Daallo also flying to Ethiopia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia. The airport is located 5 kilometers (3 miles) south of town.

There are highways connecting Djibouti to Assab (Eritrea) and Dikhil (Ethiopia). Travelers utilizing them should be warned that road conditions are usually bad and that personal security may be jeopardized, especially while going to Ethiopia. Because political circumstances in Ethiopia and Eritrea are volatile, visitors are recommended to verify transit restrictions.

There are currently no travel restrictions to Eritrea, and there are no official border crossings. For the inside, four-wheel-drive cars are advised. A new roadway connects Djibouti with Tadjoura. Traffic travels on the right side of the road. Water and gasoline should be carried on every trip that takes you off the beaten path. Although not legally necessary, an International Driving Permit is advised. On presentation of a valid British or Northern Ireland driving license, local authorities will issue a temporary driving license.

Buses go from Djibouti to the majority of the country’s cities and villages. Buses only depart when they are completely packed. Djibouti has a minibus service that stops on demand. There is a flat-fare system in place.

Buses go from Djibouti to the majority of the country’s cities and villages. Buses only depart when they are completely packed. Djibouti has a minibus service that stops on demand. There is a flat-fare system in place.

Taxis are accessible in Djibouti and from the airport to the town (look for a large billboard showing anticipated taxi rates as you leave the airport); also in Ali-Sabieh, Dikhil, Dorale, and Arta. After nightfall, fares may rise by 50%.

Bicycling is an excellent mode of transportation in the tiny capital.

Daily ferries run between L’Escale (Djibouti) and Tadjoura and Obock. It takes approximately three hours to get there.

• Djibouti City – the capital and largest city
• Ali Sabieh
• Balho
• Dikhil
• Khor Angar
• Obock
• Tadjoura
• Yoboki

• On the Ethiopian border, Lake Abbe is a lonely, boiling lake surrounded by limestone chimneys and a lunar-like environment that was utilized as the “Forbidden Zone” in Planet of the Apes.
• Africa’s lowest point (157 meters below sea level) and the saltiest lake outside of Antarctica is Lake Assal. Its beaches are mostly salt flats, and Ardoukoba, which last erupted in 1978, lies close.
• Maskali Island
• Moucha Island

• Lake Assal. Lake Assal is the world’s third lowest point, at 150 meters below sea level. You’ll need to rent a vehicle or contact a Djiboutian friend to take you there. Expect a bumpy ride: truck traffic between Djibouti and Ethiopia has wreaked havoc on the highways outside the city. The Devil’s Island and other spectacular vistas are seen from the route. Expect to be blown away.
• Lake Abbe is one of the world’s most desolate locations, with limestone chimneys reaching 50 meters in height. Planet of the Apes was shot here, and it was characterized as lunar.
• Scuba Diving — Despite the country’s dry terrain, many reefs off the shore are alive with life.
• Sea Kayaking — Sea kayaking is an environmentally responsible method to experience the Gulf of Tadjoura and Ghoubet Kharrib, with the potential of seeing whale sharks and sea turtles.

There are numerous restaurants in Djibouti, including tourist traps.

Be prepared for sticker shock if you want to try western food. You and your wallet will both benefit from the experience if you are interested in excellent local food. The Ethiopian Community Center, for example, sells a broad range of Ethiopian flares that are both delicious (and safe) and fairly priced.

Avoid areas where visitors congregate, and you will be happy as a result. Outside a tourist trap, the average cost of a lunch is $4, including drinks.

Khat is a leafy stimulant that is quite popular among the natives. The herb is flown in from Ethiopia every morning and arrives by truck in Djibouti’s Central Market about 1 p.m. Although it is reasonably priced, the quality varies considerably, so buy with care. Khat is not permitted to leave Djibouti through the airport.

The Djiboutian Franc is Djibouti’s currency (DJF). The Djiboutian Franc has a fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. Local street money changers in the Djiboutian market area may exchange dollars for francs. The women that line the street waiting to convert USD to DJF are known as street money changers. They are usually trustworthy brokers. Have your calculator handy, and be sure to inquire about the conversion rate ahead of time; if they offer you a rate less than 175 percent, look for another broker. The majority of them have a rudimentary command of the English language.

The bigger department shops accept USD for general goods and food purchases. Tourist traps will spot you coming from a mile away and whack you with absurd conversion rates and tourist pricing. Go to the disbursement office for the greatest rate if you have access to Camp Lemonnier.

The hot and dry environment of Djibouti is reflected in its clothing. Men usually wear the macawiis, a traditional sarong-like fabric wrapped around the waist, while not clothed in Western clothes like as trousers and T-shirts. Many nomadic people wear a tobe, a loosely wrapped white cotton robe that falls to about the knee and is draped over the shoulder (much like a Roman toga).

The dirac is a long, airy, diaphanous voile dress made of cotton or polyester worn over a full-length half-slip and a bra by most women. Married ladies frequently use shash head scarves and garbasaar shawls to conceal their upper bodies. Unmarried or young women, on the other hand, do not usually have their heads covered. Traditional Arabian clothing, such as the male jellabiya (jellabiyaad in Somali) and female jilbbis, are also popular. Women may wear specific jewelry and headdresses similar to those worn by the Berber tribes of the Maghreb for special occasions, such as festivals.

Djibouti’s unique art is mostly handed down and maintained orally, mostly via song. In the local buildings, there are many traces of Islamic, Ottoman, and French influences, including plasterwork, meticulously crafted designs, and calligraphy.

Somalis have a thriving musical culture based on traditional Somali folklore. The majority of Somali songs are pentatonic in nature. In contrast to a heptatonic (seven note) scale like the major scale, they only utilize five pitches each octave. Somali music may at first seem to be similar to that of neighboring areas such as Ethiopia, Sudan, or the Arabian Peninsula, but it is eventually distinguishable by its own distinct melodies and genres. Lyricists (midho), songwriters (laxan), and vocalists typically collaborate to create Somali music (codka or “voice”). Balwo is a prominent Somali musical style in Djibouti that focuses on love themes.

Traditional Afar music has elements of Arabic music and is similar to folk music from other areas of the Horn of Africa, such as Ethiopia. Djibouti’s history is preserved in the poetry and songs of its nomadic people, and it dates back thousands of years to a period when Djiboutians traded hides and skins for the perfumes and spices of ancient Egypt, India, and China. Oral literature from afar is also very melodious. Wedding songs, battle songs, praise songs, and bragging songs are just a few examples.

Poetry has a long history in Djibouti. The gabay, jiifto, geeraar, wiglo, buraanbur, beercade, afarey, and guuraw are all well-developed Somali styles of poetry. The gabay (epic poetry) is the most complicated in terms of length and meter, with many lines surpassing 100. When a young poet is able to write such lines, it is considered the pinnacle of poetic achievement and is regarded as the pinnacle of poetry.

The well-developed art form was historically promoted by groups of memorizers and reciters (hafidayaal). Baroorodiiq (elegy), amaan (praise), jacayl (romance), guhaadin (diatribe), digasho (gloating), and guubaabo are some of the major topics in the poems (guidance). The baroorodiiq is a poem written to honor the death of a famous poet or person. The Afar have a strong oral history of folk tales and are acquainted with the ginnili, a kind of warrior-poet and diviner. They also have a large collection of combat tunes.

Djibouti also has a rich literary history in Islamic literature. The medieval Futuh Al-Habash by Shihb al-Dn, which recounts the Adal Sultanate army’s invasion of Abyssinia during the 16th century, is one of the most well-known such historical writings. A number of leaders and academics have written memoirs or thoughts about the nation in recent years.

The most popular sport in Djibouti is football. Although the nation joined FIFA in 1994, it has only competed in the African Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cup qualification stages since the mid-2000s. Djibouti’s national football team defeated Somalia’s national team 1–0 in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying stages in November 2007, marking the country’s first-ever World Cup victory.

Djiboutian cuisine combines Somali, Afar, Ethiopian, Yemeni, and French elements, as well as some South Asian (particularly Indian) culinary influences. Many Middle Eastern spices, such as saffron and cinnamon, are frequently used in local cuisine. Spicy meals range from the traditional Fah-fah or “Soupe Djiboutienne” (spicy boiling beef soup) to the yetakelt wet (spicy boiled beef soup) (spicy mixed vegetable stew). Xalwo (pronounced “halwo”), also known as halva, is a popular dessert served during Eid festivities and wedding receptions. Sugar, corn starch, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, and ghee are used to make halva. Peanuts are occasionally used to add texture and taste to dishes. Following meals, houses are customarily scented with incense (cuunsi) or frankincense (lubaan), which is produced within a dabqaad (incense burner).

The region around Djibouti has been populated since the Neolithic period. Linguists believe that around this time period, the first Afroasiatic-speaking people migrated in the area from the family’s putative urheimat (“original homeland”) in the Nile Valley or the Near East. Others believe that the Afroasiatic language family arose in situ in the Horn, with people spreading from there.

At Asa Koma, an inland lake region on the Gobaad Plain, pottery dating back to the mid-second millennium has been discovered. The pottery from the site features punctate and incision geometric patterns that are comparable to the Sabir culture phase 1 ceramics from Ma’layba in Southern Arabia. Long-horned humpless cow bones were also found at Asa Koma, indicating that domesticated cattle existed about 3,500 years ago. At Dorra and Balho, there is additional rock art depicting antelopes and a giraffe.

A number of anthropomorphic and phallic stelae may also be found between Djibouti City and Loyada. The constructions are linked to rectangular tombs bordered by vertical slabs, which have also been discovered in central Ethiopia. The stelae in Djibouti-Loyada are of unknown antiquity, and some of them have a T-shaped sign.

Djibouti is thought to be the most probable site of the region known to the Ancient Egyptians as Punt (or Ta Netjeru, meaning “God’s Land”), along with northern Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan’s Red Sea coast. The Land of Punt was originally mentioned in the 25th century BC. The Puntites were a people that had strong ties to Ancient Egypt under the reigns of Pharaoh Sahure of the Fifth Dynasty and Queen Hatshepsut of the Eighteenth Dynasty. King Parahu and Queen Ati governed the Land of Punt during the period, according to temple paintings at Deir el-Bahari.

The Somali and Afar ethnic groups in the area were among the first people on the continent to adopt Islam after trading with the neighboring Arabian Peninsula for more than 1,000 years.

In the Horn of Africa, the Ifat Sultanate was a medieval country. The Walashma dynasty founded it in 1285, and it was headquartered at Zeila. Ifat began operations in Djibouti and northern Somalia, then moved south to the Ahmar Mountains. In 1285, its Sultan Umar Walashma (or, according to another account, his son Ali) captured the Sultanate of Shewa. Sultan Umar’s military expedition, according to Taddesse Tamrat, was an attempt to unify Muslim holdings in the Horn, similar to Emperor Yekuno Amlak’s endeavor to unite Christian kingdoms in the highlands at the same time. These two states eventually clashed over Shewa and other southern regions. A long battle erupted, although the Muslim sultanates of the period were not well-coordinated. In 1332, Emperor Amda Seyon I of Ethiopia destroyed Ifat, and he retreated from Shewa.

The area north of the Gulf of Tadjoura was known as Obock from 1862 to 1894, and it was governed by Somali and Afar Sultans, local rulers with whom France negotiated several treaties between 1883 and 1887 to establish a presence in the region. Léonce Lagarde established a permanent French government in Djibouti in 1894, renaming the territory French Somaliland. It lasted from 1896 until 1967, when the Territoire Français des Afars et des Issas (TFAI) was established (“French Territory of the Afars and the Issas”).

Djibouti conducted a referendum in 1958, on the eve of neighboring Somalia’s independence in 1960, to determine whether to join the Somali Republic or stay with France. The referendum resulted in a yes vote from the large Afar ethnic community as well as resident Europeans, indicating that the country’s relationship with France should be maintained. Allegations of massive vote manipulation were also made. The bulk of those who voted no were Somalis who supported Mahmoud Harbi, the Vice President of the Government Council, in his proposal for an unified Somalia. Harbi died two years later in an aircraft accident.

A second referendum was conducted in 1967 to decide the future of the area. The preliminary findings indicated that the connection with France should be maintained, although with a looser grip. The vote was also split along ethnic lines, with the majority of resident Somalis voting for independence with the aim of ultimate unification with Somalia, while the Afars opted to stay with France. The referendum was once again plagued by allegations of vote manipulation by the French government. The former Côte française des Somalis (French Somaliland) was renamed Territoire français des Afars et des Issas shortly after the vote.

A third referendum was held in 1977. Disengagement from France was approved by a landslide 98.8% of the voters, formally marking Djibouti’s independence. Hassan Gouled Aptidon, a Somali politician who advocated for a yes vote in the 1958 referendum, became the country’s first president (1977–1999).

Djibouti joined the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union), the Arab League, and the United Nations within its first year. The fledgling country was also a founding member of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a regional development organization, in 1986.

Tensions over government representation between Djibouti’s governing People’s Rally for Progress (PRP) and the opposition Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD) led to violent warfare in the early 1990s. In 2000, the stalemate was broken by a power-sharing deal.

Earthquakes and droughts are examples of natural dangers. Heavy rains and flash floods are caused by cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean on occasion.

If traveling outside of the capital city, visitors should be wary of the danger of banditry.

It’s a good idea to get health insurance. For any medical procedure, doctors and hospitals may demand prompt cash payment. Travelers above the age of one year who come from affected regions must have a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Cholera is also a significant threat that must be avoided. Because medical opinion on vaccination’s efficacy is varied, it’s best to get the most up-to-date information before determining whether these measures should include vaccination. Immunization against typhoid is generally recommended. Malaria is a year-round threat, with the malignant falciparum strain being the most common. Chloroquine resistance has been documented. The use of mefloquine, doxycycline, or atovaquone/proguanil is advised.

Currently, the adult HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is above 3%, or one in every 33 people. Make sure you’re safe.