Djibouti - Gibuti

Djibouti

Location
Coat of arms and flag
Capital	Djibouti
Government	Semi-presidential republic
Currency	Djiboutian Franc (DJF)
Surface	23,200 km²
Inhabitants	774.389 (2012 estimate)
Tongue	French, Arabic
Religion	Islam (94%), Christianity (6%) (2012)
Electricity	220V / 50Hz (European socket)
Prefix	253
TLD	.dj
Time zone	UTC 3
Website	Djibouti Tourist Office^{[link not working]}

Djibouti (in Arabicجيبوتي is French Djibouti) is a small state of theEast Africa between the Gulf of Aden and the mouth of the Red Sea, bordering theEritrea to the north, theEthiopia to the west and south and with the Somalia to the southeast.

To know

Geographical notes

The Arabian Peninsula, and in particular the Yemen, is only 20 km from the coast of Djibouti.

The morphology of the territory is rather irregular in fact with peaks reaching 2,000 m a.s.l. deep depressions alternate. In the north, at the border with Ethiopia ed Eritrea, there is Moussa Ali which with its 2063 meters is the highest mountain relief in the country.

There are rivers, but they are unable to flow into the sea due to the hot and dry climate which contributes to their premature drying up.

The main lakes of the country are: Lake Assal and Lake Abbe (shared with theEthiopia).

When to go

The climate of Djibouti is very hot, humid and arid, especially in summer. The summer heat is however moderated by a light breeze in the coastal city of Djibouti. From October to April the temperature is cooler with occasional rain. Cyclones from the Indian Ocean can create heavy rains and rapid floods.

Background

Around 825 A.D. Islam spread to a region at the time used to graze cattle by various tribes, including the Afar of Eastern Ethiopia and the Hois of Somalia.

The city of Djibouti was founded in 1888 by the French during the colonial period.

On June 27, 1977, after years of turmoil and riots, France granted Djibouti independence.

Spoken languages

In addition to the official languages, Somali is also widespread among the Issa population, the Afar language spoken by the homonymous people.

Territories and tourist destinations

The state of Djibouti is divided into five administrative regions plus the capital which enjoys an autonomous status.These regions are in turn divided into 11 districts.

Djibouti - Given its small size, Djibouti can be considered as a single indivisible region.

Urban centers

Djibouti - The capital and the largest city.
Ali Sabieh - Capital of the homonymous region.
Dikhil - Capital of the homonymous region.
Obock - Capital of the homonymous region.
Tagiura - Capital of the homonymous region.

A beach in Djibouti

Other destinations

Maskali Island
Moucha Island
Abhe Lake - On the Ethiopian border. Used as a backdrop for the movie "Planet of the Apes".
Assal Lake - The deepest point on the African continent: (157m below sea level) and the saltiest lake outside of Antarctica.

How to get

Entry requirements

Entry is denied to Israeli citizens and to anyone with a visa in their passport Israel.

To obtain the VISA for Djibouti, Italian citizens must go to the embassy of France in Italy or in the French consulates of Milan, Turin is Naples, bring 3 passport photos, your passport and the completed form. Production time 3 days.

Rail route from Addis Ababa to Djibouti

By plane

The international airport of Djibouti-Ambouli (JIB), thanks to flights that stop in Dubai it is the main access point of the country.

On boat

There are frequent ferries that connect the port of Djibouti to Yemen.

On the train

The only existing link is the one with Addis Ababa in Ethiopia but in recent years it seems to have stopped. For more information see this link (in English).

How to get around

By car

In 1996 there was a total of 2,890 km of public roads, but just over 10% were asphalted.

On the train

In 1995 there were just over 100 km of railway lines.

By bus

In capital, and in a few other inhabited areas, there are public and private companies that manage urban, suburban and interurban transport by bus.

What see

Assal Lake. At 150 m below sea level it is the third lowest point on Earth. You will need to rent a car or ask someone who lives in Djibouti to drive you there. Expect a big problem: the roads outside the capital are destroyed by the traffic of trucks passing between Djibouti and Ethiopia.

What to do

Scuba diving - Despite the arid landscape of the country, in the seabed along the coast there are cliffs that attract all sorts of underwater fauna.

Currency and purchases

The national currency is the Gibutian franc (DJF) Here are the links to know the current exchange rate with the main world currencies:

(EN) With Google Finance:	AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
With Yahoo! Finance:	AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
(EN) With XE.com:	AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD
(EN) With OANDA.com:	AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD

At the table

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Tourist infrastructure

Bungalow inMoucha Island

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Events and parties

National holidays

Date		Festivity	Note
1	January	New Year	International holiday
1	May	Workers Day	International holiday
27	June	Independence Day	Independence from France (1977)
25	December	Christmas	Christian holiday that marks the birth of Christ
1	muharram	Ras as-Sana	Muslim holiday that marks the beginning of the Islamic New Year
12	rabi 'al-awwal	Mawlid	Muslim holiday that marks the birth of the Prophet Muhammad
27	Rajab	Isra 'and Mi'raj	Muslim holiday that marks the ascension of Muhammad
1	shawwal	Id al-fitr	Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan
10	dhul-hijja	Id Al Adha	Muslim festival of sacrifice or ram also known as Id El Kabir (great festival)

Safety

Before embarking on the journey consult:

Safe travel - Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Farnesina) (Country safety information).

Drought, cyclones and earthquakes are natural hazards that can be encountered while staying in the country. Outside the capital there is also the danger of banditry.

Health situation

3% of the population is affected by the HIV virus (AIDS). A low percentage compared to other African countries which, however, should not be underestimated.

Respect the customs

Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth and holiest month in the Islamic calendar and lasts 29-30 days. Muslims fast every day for its entire duration and most restaurants will be closed until dusk. Nothing (including water and cigarettes) should pass through the lips from sunrise to sunset. Foreigners and travelers are exempt, but should still refrain from eating or drinking in public as it is considered rude. Working hours are also decreasing in the corporate world. The exact dates of Ramadan depend on local astronomical observations and may vary from country to country. Ramadan ends with the feast of Eid al-Fitr, which can take several days, usually three in most countries.

13 April - 12 May 2021 (1442 AH)
2 April - 1 May 2022 (1443 AH)
23 March - 20 April 2023 (1444 AH)
11 March - 9 April 2024 (1445 AH)
1 March - 29 March 2025 (1446 AH)

If you are planning to travel to Djibouti during Ramadan, consider reading the article Traveling during Ramadan.

Being a predominantly Muslim nation, the codes of conduct prescribed by this religion must be respected. It is unfortunate to wear shorts outside the hotel, beach or sports facilities.