Djibouti (also calledDjibouti City andJibuti in early Western texts)^[a] is the capital city of theRepublic of Djibouti. It is located in the coastal Djibouti Region on theGulf of Tadjoura.

Djibouti مدينة جيبوتي (Arabic) Ville de Djibouti (French) Magaalada Jabuuti (Somali) Gabuutî Magaala (Afar)
Capital city
Heron and port, MES-CERD, Rue Marchand, Hotel Casino Impérial, Sunrise near Venise road, Place Marchand
Seal
Nickname:  Pearl of the Gulf of Tadjoura
Interactive map outlining Djibouti
Djibouti Location within Djibouti Show map of Djibouti Djibouti Location within the Horn of Africa Show map of Horn of Africa Djibouti Location within Africa Show map of Africa
Coordinates:11°35′40″N43°08′53″E / 11.59444°N 43.14806°E /11.59444; 43.14806
Country	Djibouti
Region	Djibouti Region
Founded	1888
Sub-prefectures	35
Government
• Mayor of Djibouti	Said Daoud
Area
• Total	200 km2 (80 sq mi)
Elevation	14 m (46 ft)
Population  (2024 census)
• Total	776,966
• Density	3,900/km2 (10,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+03:00 (EAT)
Area code	+253
ISO 3166 code	DJ-DJ
HDI (2018)	0.549[1] low

Djibouti has a population of around 780,000 inhabitants,^[2][3] which counts for 73% of the country's population. The settlement was founded in 1888 by the French, on land leased from the ruling Somali and Afar Sultans. During the ensuing period, it served as the capital ofFrench Somaliland and its successor theFrench Territory of the Afars and Issas.

There is evidence of human settlement on the eastern coastline ofDjibouti dating back to theBronze Age.

From 1862 until 1894, the land to the north of theGulf of Tadjoura was calledObock and was ruled byIssa andAfarSultans, local authorities with whom France signed various treaties between 1883 and 1887 to first gain a foothold in the region.^[4][5][6] The exchange of Franco-British diplomatic notes of 2 and 9 February 1888 fixed the territorial limit between the colonies of the two countries; leaving explicitly underFrench authority the southern coasts of the Gulf of Tadjoura, including apeninsula composed of insubmersible plateaux, Ras Djibouti as a highly strategic location, a future bridgehead for French designs in the rest of Africa and Asia. It is then that this point begins to be used as departure for caravans towardsHarar.

The French subsequently founded Djibouti in 1888, in a previouslyuninhabited stretch of coast. According to one account, this was due to "its superiority toObok both in respect to harbour accommodation and in nearness toHarrar."^[7]Ambouli was a small village before the French arrived, about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of Ras Djiboutil. Ambouli is identified with the city of Canbala byO.G.S. Crawford, appearing inMuhammad al-Idrisi's map of 1192 on the coast of theHorn of Africa, southeast of the straits ofBab-el-Mandeb, and with Cambaleh, a town where the Venetian traveler Bragadino, a thirteenth-century European visitor toEthiopia, resided for eight years.^[8] In 1896, the settlement was made the capital ofFrench Somaliland.^[9]The main purpose of the French interest in colonizing the region was to protect their trade routes toMadagascar andIndochina from the encroachment of other European powers. The town later grew considerably in size following the construction of theFranco-Ethiopian Railway. In 1895, Djibouti, which, not so long ago, was just apeninsula, already had 5,000inhabitants. Many Issa and Afarnomads left their herds to settle here, built houses on what is now the downtown area. They becamedockers and constitute the first local proletariat. The French and natives built hotels, houses, mosques and churches. The Yemeni, Egyptian,Greek,Armenian and Italian merchants and traders flocked to this promise that Djibouti represented. Additionally, the rich agricultural southern area ofAmbouli continued to flourish due to an abundance ofdate palm farms andorchards. Djibouti did not attract as many boats asAden. In 1896,Léonce Lagarde became the first governor of the French Somali Coast, a new name for the French dependencies in the region. At the start of the 20th century, Djibouti had 10,000 inhabitants and was considered a major regional port. Its main activity remains the supply of French ships en route toIndochina orMadagascar. Only 150,000 tonnes offreight per year were handled. In addition, the railway line has not yet been fully exploited.

Although the initial French efforts to establish commercial influence in the region proved to be unsuccessful enough to require agovernment bailout,^[10] theFranco-Ethiopian Railway itself was a success and allowed Djibouti's commerce to quickly eclipse the former caravan-based trade carried on with nearbyZeila inBritish Somaliland.^[11] Djibouti became the center of exports from southern Ethiopia and theOgaden, including trade inHarari coffee andkhat.^[12] Djibouti began to develop as a commercial center. On 12 July 1926, the Fontainebleau, a Messageries Maritimes steamer loaded with cotton and heading for China caught fire while approaching Djibouti. The captain decided to flood the holds and run aground his ship in the middle of the harbor of Djibouti, causing significant inconvenience for port traffic. The city then proposed using the wreck as a promontory of a newdeep-water port, connecting it to the Marabout plateau by a 700-meter jetty. The idea was accepted and work began in 1931. The first phase was completed in 1935 and considerably increased port andrail traffic.In 1933, Djibouti was the first town to be wired to electricity inFrench Somaliland, and anoil terminal was built in 1937.

During theSecond World War, Djibouti was hit byItalian airstrikes on 21 June 1940, which killed many people in the town. Theanti-aircraft fire was intense and twoItalian aircraft failed to return, but fires and explosions were seen in Djibouti. Overnight, several waves ofSavoia-Marchetti SM.81 bombers attacked the port facilities. After thedefeat of France the colony came under the control of thepro-Axis Vichy government.^[13] By that time, theAllied offensive against the Italians included ablockade ofFrench Somaliland. On 25 September theRAF launched several airstrikes on the city, prompting governorPierre Nouailhetas to institute a brutal reign of terror against Europeans and African inhabitants of the city.Famine set in and malnutrition-related diseases took many lives, 70% of them women and children, and many townsfolk left for thehinterland. The locals named the blockade the carmii, a word for a type of sorghum usually reserved for cattle, but used as human food at the height of the famine. The head doctor at the hospital committed suicide in despair. Only a few Arab dhows (boutres) managed to run the blockade to Djibouti andObock and only two French ships fromMadagascar managed to run it.

TheJapanese declaration of war (7 December 1941) gave the colony some respite, since theRoyal Navy were forced to withdraw all but two ships from theblockade for use in the Far East. The rule of Nouailhetas was too brutal for even the authoritarian leaders atVichy to stand for.^[14] In October 1942 he was recalled and forced to retire without a pension, Following the war, he escaped toPortugal. He returned to face a militarytribunal and was acquitted on 17 July 1953, which sparked outrage inDjibouti.

TheCommander-in-Chief, East Africa,William Platt, codenamed the negotiations for the surrender of French Somaliland "Pentagon", because there were five sides: himself, the Vichy governor, theFree French, the British minister at Addis Ababa and the United States.Christian Raimond Dupont, the governor of French Somaliland, surrendered and Colonel Raynal's troops crossed back intoFrench Somaliland on 26 December 1942, completing its liberation. The official handover took place at 10:00 p.m. on 28 December.^[15] The first governor appointed under theFree French wasAndré Bayardelle.

In 1946,Djibouti received the status ofoverseas territory. An elected territorialassembly was created then, in 1956, a government council charged, under the chairmanship of the head of theterritory, with the management of local affairs. At the same time, fiscal, customs and monetary measures are put in place to promote the development of the deep-water port, to finally compete withAden. Port facilities expanded considerably and could afford to accommodate 2,000 ships per year. Djibouti becomes afree port and abandons thefree zone. In 1948, a new currency, the Côte Française des Somalis, was created, pegged to thegold standard and convertible into dollars.

In August 1966, an official visit to the territory by thenFrench President, GeneralCharles de Gaulle, was also met withdemonstrations and rioting.^[6][16] In response to the protests, de Gaulle ordered another referendum.^[16] On 19 March 1967, asecond plebiscite was held to determine the fate of the territory. Initial results supported a continued but looser relationship with France. However, the referendum was again marred by reports of vote rigging on the part of the French authorities, voters rejected independence by a 50-point margin. Announcement of the plebiscite results sparked civil unrest, including several deaths.^[17][18]

The population of Djibouti was growing rapidly, from officially about 17,000 inhabitants in 1947. In 1949, the plan of Djibouti consisted of four main features: a hierarchical system of streets laid out in a grid, large blocks consisting of small-scale domestic dwellings, the organization of these blocks around central open spaces, and the concentration of cultural institutions to form a civic center. It then became the headquarters of the succeedingFrench Territory of the Afars and Issas.

WhenDjibouti declaredIndependence on 27 June 1977, the population of Djibouti was over 110,000, the city has since served as the administrative and commercial capital of the Republic of Djibouti.^[19]

Djibouti has anarid climate (Köppen:BWh). It is characterised by very hot rainless summers and a very warm, slightly wetter winter season. Most of the annual precipitation falls between October and May. The city sees on average 163.5 millimetres (6.44 in) of rainfall per year. Average high temperatures range from 29 °C (84 °F) during the months of December, January and February, to about 42 °C (108 °F) in July. There are two seasons: a hot dry season from May to October and a cooler season with more precipitation from November to April (winter). The rainfall on the coast usually occurs between November and March, whereas further inland it falls between April and October. In the summer months, temperatures routinely exceed 40 °C (104 °F), with relative humidity at its lowest point of the year. Sunshine is abundant in the city, averaging eight to ten hours a day year-round. It is lowest during the rainy period, when there is some coastalfog and greater cloud coverage as warm air passes over the cool sea surface. However, precipitation is highly variable and long periods without any rainfall occur throughout the year. Unusual episodes of heavy rain sometimes occur, with a maximal 224 millimetres (8.82 in) falling in November 1949.^[20]

Thisclimate zone has summers that reach a maximum temperature of 41.7 °C (107.1 °F) and a minimum temperature of 32 °C (90 °F). Winters have average nighttime temperatures of 21 °C (70 °F) and a daytime maximum temperatures of 29 °C (84 °F). There are barely any days in the year without sunshine, and even during the winter there are many clear days.

Djibouti is a multi-ethnic town. It had a population of around 777,000 residents (including suburbs like Balbala) in 2024, making it by far the largest settlement in the country.^[3] The largest ethnic group are theSomali and the second largest beingAfars, bothCushitic speakingCushitic peoples. The population of Djibouti City has risen exponentially with the successive waves ofimmigrants andrefugees arriving throughout the 20th century. Many of the immigrants arrived fromEthiopia andSomalia in 1985 and 1991. In 2001 manyundocumented immigrants, wereexpelled from Djibouti. Another mass wave of Yemeni refugees fromYemen arrived in 2015. Djibouti City was nicknamed the "French Hong Kong in the Red Sea" due to its cosmopolitan urbanism.^[25] In 2023, the government of Djibouti launched a major campaign to combatillegal immigration, citingsecurity andpublic health concerns.^[26]

The majority of local residents speakSomali (303,100 speakers) orAfar (101,200 speakers) as a first language, which are themother tongues of theSomali andAfar ethnic groups, respectively and the two main demographic groups in the city. Both languages belong to the largerAfroasiatic family. There are two official languages in Djibouti: Arabic (Afroasiatic) and French (Indo-European).^[27]

Arabic is of social, cultural and religious importance. In formal settings, it consists ofModern Standard Arabic. Colloquially, about 40,000 local residents speak theTa'izzi-Adeni Arabic dialect, also known asSouthern Yemeni Arabic due to Yemeni immigrants. French was inherited from the colonial period and is the primary language of instruction. About 14,200 Djiboutians speak it as a first language. Immigrant languages includeOmani Arabic (38,900 speakers) andAmharic (1,400 speakers).^[27]

Djibouti's population is predominantlyMuslim.Islam is observed by 94% of the nation's population (around 740,000 as of 2012^[update]), whereas the remaining 6% of residents are Christian adherents.^[3] TheDiocese of Djibouti serves the small localCatholic population, which it estimates numbered around 7,000 individuals in 2006.^[28]

Among theplaces of worship, they are predominantlyMuslim mosques.^[29] There are also Christian churches and temples :Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church,Roman Catholic Diocese of Djibouti (Catholic Church),Protestant churches,Evangelical Churches.

Djibouti has the distinction of being both a city and an administrative province. TheDjibouti Region is one of the six regions of Djibouti. It borders theGulf of Tadjoura and Gulf of Aden to the north and east, and theArta Region to the south and west. TheDjibouti Region is the smallest province in the country, but contains the national capital, Djibouti, and thus is the region with the greatest population of people. Djibouti Region occupies an area of 200 square kilometres (77 square miles).

The administration of Djibouti City is formed of three municipalities: The commune of Ras-Dika, commune of Boulaos and commune of Balbala. The Djibouti City Council elected members headed by the mayor, who serves a five-year term and appoints deputies. Themayor of Djibouti City, who has executive powers, and the National Assembly, which scrutinises the mayor's decisions and can accept or reject the mayor's budget proposals each year, are responsible for most local services, such as local planning, schools, social services, local roads and refuse collection. Certain functions, such as waste management, are provided through joint arrangements.

Djibouti City is the seat of theGovernment of Djibouti. Many government departments, as well as the President's residence at the presidential palace are based. TheNational Assembly (formerly the Chamber of Deputies) is the country's legislature consisting of 65 members elected every five years. Although unicameral, theConstitution provides for the creation of asenate. The Social Development Agency of Djibouti (Agence de Développement Sociale de Djibouti) has its head offices here, as does theIntergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) trade bloc. Additionally, theRegional Somali Language Academy, a language regulator established in June 2013 by the governments ofDjibouti,Somalia andEthiopia, has its headquarters in the city.^[30]

The architecture of Djibouti reflects the city's history since the early 1890s and is marked by both nativeDjiboutians,Yemeni,French and modern buildings. The old section is filled withbazaars andsouks nestled along narrow streets. Djibouti City has wide streets,restaurants,Plaza (town squares) andcafes while many of theboulevards are lined with trees. It is serves as both a center forcommerce andentertainment, as well as a residential area. To accommodate the growing middle class, many new apartments and housing developments are being constructed in and around the city. A few of the building fronts have been renovated and date back to the 19th century. The Place of 27 June in the city center is also distinguished by itsMoorish-inspired arches. Due to its numerous exotic edifices and structures, the city has also been likened to a European settlement.^[25] Since independence, the people ofDjibouti have introduced newinfrastructure andtechnology, which has led to new and innovative building concepts, ideas and construction techniques. Notable tallerarchitecture in Djibouti City includes the Mezz Tower, SALAAM Tower and East Africa Bank. Djibouti City is the headquarters of theIntergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

The Théâtre des Salines opened in 1965 as an importantcultural landmark in thenational capital. Open-air, in the form of anarena; with concrete bleachers, the Théâtre des Salines is a mythical place for Djiboutians who were born before the country'sindependence. Indeed, this place has hosted many shows for several decades (plays, concerts, one man show etc...).^[31]

The National Archives and Library of Djibouti hosts many artifacts and artistic treasures inDjibouti,^[32] it holds many culturally importantartefacts, including old coins, bartering tools, traditional artwork, ancient weaponry andpottery items.^[33]

The presidential palace is theofficial residence and principal workplace of thePresident of Djibouti. It overlooks theGulf of Tadjoura, with access to both theharbour andairport. The Governor's Palace of Djibouti was the seat of the governor ofFrench Somaliland andFrench Territory of the Afars and the Issas from 1884 to 1977.

TheRegional Somali Language Academy is an intergovernmental regulating body for theSomali language in the Horn region. On 28 June 2013, theGovernment of Djibouti, theFederal Government of Somalia and theGovernment of Ethiopia launched the Regional Somali Language Academy at a ceremony in Djibouti City. The event was organized byDjibouti's Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Culture and Waqf in conjunction with the Somali-Speaking PEN Centre of Djibouti, and was attended by around 50 prominent Somali-speaking intellectuals from the region and elsewhere. Among the guests wereSomalia's Minister of Information, Posts and TelecommunicationsAbdullahi Elmoge Hersi,Somaliland’s Minister of Culture Abiib Diriye Nur, and the Vice President of theSomali Region ofEthiopia Abdihakim Igal Omar.^[30]

Djibouti has several public parks. The largest of these is theLagarde Park.

Djibouti City economy, like that ofDjibouti, is dominated by trade, most local businesses have their headquarters in the city.Djibouti Telecom, the largest telecommunications company in the country, is based here. During its existence,Djibouti Airlines also had its head office in the city.^[34] Djibouti City is thefinancial hub to manyentrepreneurial industries ranging from construction, retail, import and export, money transfer companies, andInternet cafés.

Djibouti City main trading ports, is a trading hub linkingEurope, theFar East, theHorn of Africa and thePersian Gulf. An estimated 2,500ships pass through and call through the port every day.^[35] TheDjibouti International Free Trade Zone (DIFTZ) is a special economic zone located to the west of the city, which is subject to differenteconomic regulations. The city's port is the terminus for Ethiopian oil transport and export. Increase in railway infrastructure has further enabled Ethiopian and Eritrean oil products to reach the capital.

The banking sector is one of the principal foundations of Djibouti's economy. The financial sector of the Republic of Djibouti has grown dramatically in recent years, a process that began in the early 2000s, and that was in large part prompted by an explosion the number of exchange agencies andremittances throughout the country. The Djiboutian financial sector, with total assets of 265 billion DJF or 10.2 per cent of GDP, has not been affected by theinternational financial crisis. Djibouti has been considered an oasis of peace and a model of political stability in aregion.^[36]

Tourism in Djibouti is centred in the Djibouti region. City landmarks includehistoric buildings, two important public squares, and the Hall of the People. Many private companies offer organized tours of these sites.

The two smallMaskali andMoucha islands are situated an hour's boat ride from Djibouti. They feature madreporicmangroves, with a richseabed and colourful algae. Various fish species can also be found in the localcoral gardens, including groupers, jacks and barracuda.^[37]

Djibouti is a major transportation hub, served by a comprehensive public transport network. Roads leading out of the city connect it to other national localities and toSomalia andEthiopia. Public transportation is provided through buses stationed at the Djibouti Bus Service Enterprise. The city at large serves as a point of intersection for the main roads and highways linking different parts of the country. It is one of the most accessible urban areas in the country, where one can find public and private transportation 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. A significant number of the city's residents use the local informal minibuses and taxis, which include a fleet of 400 green-and-white taxis. The main bus hub in Djibouti is the Central Bus Station, located at the crossing of Rue de Bender.

Djibouti is served primarily by theDjibouti-Ambouli International Airport. It is the second largest airport in theHorn of Africa, and offers flights to numerous global destinations. As of 2016^[update], the largest services using the airport includeAir Djibouti,Yemenia,Air France,Flydubai,Ethiopian Airlines,Turkish Airlines,Kenya Airways andQatar Airways. It is the largest airport in Djibouti and serves as a major gateway for travellers to the Horn of Africa and the world. Located approximately 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) from the city centre, the airport was opened in 1948. Originally a modest-sized facility, the airport grew considerably in size in the post-independence period after numerous successive renovation projects. Outbound international travel from the Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport accounts for the majority of all air passengers traveling to and from Djibouti. Due to its strategic location, the facility acts as a civil aviation hub for the rest of the country. This makes for a large number of departures and arrivals, and it is not unusual for flights to be delayed in the holding pattern before landing.

ThePort of Djibouti is one of the largest and busiest seaports in theHorn region. As of 2013^[update], the container terminal at the port handles the bulk of the nation's trade. About 70% of the seaport's activity consists of imports to and exports from neighboring Ethiopia, which depends on the harbour as its main maritime outlet. The port also serves as an international refueling center and transshipment hub.^[3] In 2012, the Djiboutian government in collaboration with DP World started construction on theDoraleh Container Terminal,^[38] a third major seaport intended to further develop the national transit capacity.^[3] A$396 million project, it has the capacity to accommodate 1.5 million 6.1-metre (20 ft) container units annually.^[38] There are also daily scheduled ferry services from the Port de Peche toTadjoura,Obock also some other destinations inYemen,Somalia andEritrea.

Djibouti is a terminus of theAddis Ababa–Djibouti Railway. For most of its length, the railway runs parallel to the abandoned metre-gaugeEthio-Djibouti Railway.^[39] However, the standard-gauge railway is built on a new, straighterright-of-way that allows for much higher speeds. New stations have been built outside city centres, and the old stations have been decommissioned.^[40][41] On 10 January 2017, the 100 km section ofDjibouti side was inaugurated in a ceremony held in the new station by Djibouti's PresidentIsmail Omar Guelleh and Ethiopia's prime ministerHailemariam Dessalegn. There are two local railway stations: a passenger station atNagad, and a freight station at thePort of Doraleh.

Djibouti istwinned with the following places:

• Ebsworth, W. A. (1953). "Jibouti and Madagascar in the 1939–45 War".Journal of the Royal United Service Institution.98 (592):564–68.doi:10.1080/03071845309422199.
• Raugh, H. E. (1993).Wavell in the Middle East, 1939–1941: A Study in Generalship. London: Brassey's.ISBN 0-08-040983-0.
• Rovighi (1995).Le operazioni in Africa orientale (giugno 1940 – novembre 1941). Volume II: Documenti. Rome: Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito.

•   Media related toDjibouti (city) at Wikimedia Commons
•  Djibouti (city) travel guide from Wikivoyage