Population: 923,000 (est.)
- The Djiboutian franc is the official currency of Dijibouti.
- Djibouti’s population is predominantly Muslim. Islam is observed by around 94% of Djibouti’s population, while the remaining 6% follow Christianity
- Not only is Lac Assal (Lake Assal) the lowest point in Djibouti, it is also the lowest point in the continent of Africa.
- Afar and Somali ethnic groups in Djibouti were amongst the first populations in Africa to embrace Islam as a religion.
- The only United States military base in sub-Saharan Africa is located in Djibouti.
- Strangely, the capital city of Djibouti goes by the same name and is the largest city in the country. Nearly two-thirds of the country’s population lives in the capital, while the rest are mostly nomadic herders.
Djibouti, officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east. Islam is the largest religion in the country, practiced by 94% of the population. The land was known as French Somaliland in the 19th century; in 1967, it changed its name to Afars and Issas after new treaties with France. The territory was declared an independent nation in 1977 and changed its name to the “Republic of Djibouti” after its principal city. Djibouti joined the United Nations on September 20, 1977.