Djibouti
Republic of Djibouti
Eastern Africa · DJI
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Djibouti
Djibouti works for travelers who want stark geology, salt lakes, and a short Horn of Africa itinerary that feels more like a landscape expedition than a classic city break. It is strongest as Djibouti City plus Lake Assal, Lac Abbe, or the Gulf of Tadjoura rather than as a destination with many separate urban stops.
Popular For
Things To See
- Djibouti City
- Lake Assal
- Lac Abbe
- Gulf of Tadjoura
- Day Forest National Park
Best Months
Know Before You Go
- This country makes the most sense for travelers who are happy to build the trip around a few big landscape days.
- Heat becomes a serious planning constraint outside the cooler season, especially for overland excursions.
- Most first visits do not need more than a compact route from the capital to one or two headline natural sites.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Djibouti.
Guidebooks
📚Browse Djibouti Guidebooks on AmazonTours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Djibouti.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Djibouti
- Population
- 1,066,809
- Area
- 23,200 km²
- Region
- Eastern Africa
Languages
- Arabic
- French
Currency
Djiboutian franc (Fr)
DJF
Exchange rate unavailable for USD.
Cost of Living (World Bank)
45.5
Price level index (US = 100)
Safety & Peace
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Djibouti (11.58°N, 43.15°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
28/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 20/100
- Lived safety
- 43/100
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionNone
- Adoption recognition❌
- Anti-discrimination laws❌
- Employment protections❌
- Legal gender recognition❌
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.513
Low human development
- 5-year change
- +0.021
- 10-year change
- +0.063
- Trend
- improving
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.814
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.481
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.480
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 1.6%
- Forest cover
- 0.3%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 11
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 15
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
28/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Luxury Infrastructure
71/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Updated to remove Crime indicator and to include area-specific Level 3 advisory for the border with Eritrea. Exercise increased caution in Djibouti due to terrorism. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Reconsider travel to: Areas bordering Eritrea due to border tensions Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. Terrorists target public areas including: Tourist locations Transportation centers (airports) Government buildings Markets and shopping malls Hotels, clubs, and restaurants Places of worship and schools Parks and public areas Major sporting and cultural events Hospitals Read the Country Information Page for more information on travel to Djibouti. If you decide to travel to Djibouti: Stay aware of your surroundings. Check local media for breaking news. Be prepared to adjust your plans. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive alerts from the U.S. Embassy. It makes it easier to locate you in an emergency. Review the Country Security Report for Djibouti. Prepare a backup plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist. Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel and return to the United States. We highly recommend that you buy insurance before you travel. Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancellation coverage. Border with Eritrea - Level 3: Reconsider Travel U.S. citizens should reconsider travel within 10 miles of the border with Eritrea in the Tadjoura and Obock regions due to government of Djibouti restrictions. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in the region. U.S. government employees are prohibited from travelling after dark anywhere within 10 miles of the Eritrean border region. Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data