Capital

Dschibuti

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 origin of the name is disputed; multiple descriptions, possibilities, and theories have been proposed

Citizenship

Dschibuti

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the mother must be a citizen of Djibouti

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Legal system

Dschibuti

mixed legal system based primarily on the French civil code (as it existed in 1997), Islamic religious law (in matters of family law and successions), and customary law

Suffrage

Dschibuti

18 years of age; universal

Area

Dschibuti

total: 23,200 sq km

land: 23,180 sq km

water: 20 sq km

Land use

Dschibuti

agricultural land: 73.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 73.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 0.2% (2018 est.)

other: 26.4% (2018 est.)

Location

Dschibuti

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia

Age structure

Dschibuti

0-14 years: 28.65% (male 140,365/female 139,299)

15-64 years: 67.21% (male 284,488/female 371,529)

65 years and over: 4.15% (2023 est.) (male 17,757/female 22,705)

Birth rate

Dschibuti

22 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Dschibuti

7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Dschibuti

French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Life expectancy at birth

Dschibuti

total population: 65.6 years (2023 est.)

male: 63 years

female: 68.3 years

Major urban areas - population

Dschibuti

600,000 DJIBOUTI (capital) (2023)

Median age

Dschibuti

total: 26 years (2023 est.)

male: 24.1 years

female: 27.6 years

Net migration rate

Dschibuti

4.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Dschibuti

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

Population growth rate

Dschibuti

1.93% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Dschibuti

2.13 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Dschibuti

urban population: 78.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.56% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Dschibuti

3.6% of GDP (2018 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Dschibuti

total: 7 years

male: 7 years

female: 7 years (2011)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Dschibuti

-9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Dschibuti

-4.43% (2020 est.)

Labor force

Dschibuti

240,500 (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Dschibuti

21.1% (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Dschibuti

28.39% (2021 est.)

28.39% (2020 est.)

26.36% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Dschibuti

31.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

33.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Dschibuti

1.78% (2020 est.)

3.32% (2019 est.)

0.15% (2018 est.)

Exports

Dschibuti

$5.16 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$3.695 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$5.15 billion (2019 est.)

Exports - partners

Dschibuti

Saudi Arabia 42%, India 15%, China 14%, Egypt 5%, South Korea 5% (2019)

Imports

Dschibuti

$5.483 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$3.425 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$4.764 billion (2019 est.)

Imports - partners

Dschibuti

China 43%, United Arab Emirates 15%, India 7%, Turkey 5% (2019)

Airports

Dschibuti

13 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Dschibuti

total: 25,053 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Dschibuti

total: 759,000 (2021 est.)

percent of population: 69% (2021 est.)

Railways

Dschibuti

total: 97 km (2017) (Djibouti segment of the 756 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)

standard gauge: 97 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge

Roadways

Dschibuti

total: 2,893 km (2013)

Telephones - fixed lines

Dschibuti

total subscriptions: 27,326 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Dschibuti

total subscriptions: 489,339 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2021 est.)

Disputes - international

Dschibuti

Djibouti-Somalia: Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia

Djibouti-Eritrea: in 2008, Eritrean troops moved across the border on Ras Doumera peninsula and occupied Doumera Island with undefined sovereignty in the Red Sea, sparking a brief conflict; Qatar mediated and provided peacekeepers until 2017; Djibouti accused Eritrea of reoccupying the area in 2017 after Qatari troops were withdrawn; Djibouti and Eritrea agreed to normalize relations in 2018

Djibouti-Ethiopia: the Ethiopia-Djibouti relationship has been relatively harmonious, and there have been no major disputes along their shared border