Djibouti is a country in Africa, in East Africa, with about 1.18 million people (2025) and an area of 23,200 square kilometres. Its capital is Djibouti, and it shares land borders with 3 countries.
By Team Geography·Last reviewed
Flag of DjiboutiDjibouti in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.
The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of Djibouti's 6, in full.
PLACELens 1 of 6
What defines Djibouti's geographic position?
Djibouti commands the western shore of the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the narrow chokepoint between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden through which roughly 10% of global seaborne trade passes each year. The country's interior is dominated by the Afar Triangle, a geological depression where three tectonic plates are pulling apart. Lake Assal, at 155 meters below sea level, is the lowest point in Africa and one of the saltiest bodies of water on Earth, ten times saltier than the ocean.
More on Bab el-Mandeb
Arabic for "Gate of Tears," this 26 km wide strait separates Djibouti and Eritrea from Yemen. It is one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints, linking Mediterranean trade via the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean.
5 more lenses on Djibouti in the app
STORY Who are the people of Djibouti?
NOW Why does Djibouti host so many foreign militaries?
THREAD How does Djibouti serve as a corridor for its neighbors?
PLACE What geological forces shape Djibouti?
THREAD One crack runs from Jordan to Mozambique
Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.
Compare Djibouti with another country
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Common questions
What is the capital of Djibouti?
The capital of Djibouti is Djibouti. Djibouti lies at about 11.6 degrees north and 43.1 degrees east. Djibouti is in Africa, in the region often called East Africa. It is home to about 1.18 million people. The world capitals quiz on this site tests every capital, and the printable capitals sheets cover each continent.
What is the population of Djibouti?
About 1.18 million people live in Djibouti, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 157th most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 23,200 square kilometres, that is about 51 people per square kilometre.
What countries border Djibouti?
Djibouti shares land borders with 3 countries: Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. The map on this page outlines each of them around Djibouti. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake. Borders here follow Natural Earth at the 1:50 million scale, with Crimea shown as part of Ukraine and Western Sahara as a separate territory.
How big is Djibouti?
Djibouti covers 23,200 square kilometres, or about 8,958 square miles. That makes it the 146th largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 1.18 million gives a density of 51 people per square kilometre.
Djibouti is a country in Africa, in East Africa, with about 1.18 million people (2025) and an area of 23,200 square kilometres. Its capital is Djibouti, and it shares land borders with 3 countries.
Capital
Djibouti
Continent
Africa
Region
East Africa
Population
1,184,076 2025, World Bank. 157th of 195.
Area
23,200 km² (8,958 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 146th largest of 195.
Population density
51 people per km²
Land neighbours
3: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia
Official name
Republic of Djibouti
UN status
Member state
PLACE · from the Geography app
What defines Djibouti's geographic position?
Djibouti commands the western shore of the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the narrow chokepoint between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden through which roughly 10% of global seaborne trade passes each year. The country's interior is dominated by the Afar Triangle, a geological depression where three tectonic plates are pulling apart. Lake Assal, at 155 meters below sea level, is the lowest point in Africa and one of the saltiest bodies of water on Earth, ten times saltier than the ocean.
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/djibouti/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
Geography · Country report
Djibouti
NameDate
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Colour Djibouti on the map, then fill in what you find.
Capital
Continent
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Area
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Currency
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Landmarks
Rivers or mountains
Three things I learned
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One question I still have
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Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/djibouti/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
