Sunday, July 21, 2024 Djibouti is a small, strategically located country on the northeast coast of the Horn of Africa, situated on the Bab el Mandeb Strait, which separates the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden. Formerly known as French Somaliland (1896–1967) and the French Territory of the Afars and Issas (1967–77), it gained independence from France on June 27, 1977, and adopted the name Djibouti. The country’s capital, Djibouti City, is built on coral reefs at the southern entrance of the gulf.
Other significant towns include Obock, Tadjoura, Ali Sabieh, Arta, and Dikhil. Djibouti has a multiparty republic form of government with a National Assembly comprising 65 members. The countries whose citizens visit Djibouti the most include France , due to historical ties and the presence of a significant French community and military base; the United States, owing to military operations in the region; Ethiopia, as a neighboring country with strong economic and transport connections; and China, driven by business interests and infrastructure investments.
Economic activity in Djibouti experienced a significant boost in 2023, with GDP growth reaching an estimated 7.3%, up from 3.7% in 2022.
This growth was predominantly fueled by the trade and transport sectors. Services continued to dominate the economy, contributing around 85% of GDP in 2023, followed by industry at 14% and agriculture at 1%. Notably, inflation dropped from 5.
2% in 2022 to 1.3% in 2023, largely due to a decrease .