Get country overviews, detailed information including providers, recent alerts, and more for the countries you are visiting
Djibouti is a developing African country located at the juncture of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is a multi-party democracy with a legal system based on French civil law (Djibouti was a French colony until 1977), though modified by traditional practices and Islamic (Sharia) law. Although exact statistics are unavailable, unemployment is estimated in excess of 50% of the working-age population. Over two-thirds of the country’s 650,000 residents live in the capital, also called Djibouti. Modern tourist facilities and communications links are found in the city of Djibouti, but are limited outside the capital. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Djibouti for additional information.