About Djibouti

Geography of Djibouti

Djibouti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somaliland in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Indian Ocean for most part and the Red Sea to North near the straight of Bab el Mandeb which translates to ‘Gate of Tears’. It got its name from the challenges sailors faced being the narrowest part of the Red Sea.  Djibouti occupies a total area of just 23,200 km2 (8,958 sq mi).

History of Djibouti

In antiquity, the territory  was the seat of the medieval Adal and Ifat Sultanates. In the late 19th century, Frence colonised the land and ruled until independence in 1977.  This officially marked the establishment of the Republic of Djibouti, named after its capital city. Djibouti joined the United Nations the same year, on September 20, 1977. Until independence, the country was a free port enjoying tax free shopping and a very liberal economy with a strong international business community including jewish who owned many businesses.  The currency has been pegged to the US dollar since 1949 which has helped it with a very stable economy and the lowest inflation rate in Africa averaging about 3% year in year out. Today the country is a melting pot of nationalities including French, Italians, Americans, Japanese, Chinese and more. The country has always been home to biggest French military base outside of France and since 2002, the US army established their only base in Africa followed by the Japanese, Italians and most recently the Chinese.

Djibouti Facts:

AREA: 23,200 sq. km
POPULATION: 923,000
LANGUAGE: French, Arabic, English
TIME: GMT + 3 hours (winter)
ELECTRICITY: 220 v, 50Hz

Flight to Djibouti:

Air France
Qatar Airways
Turkish Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines
Fly Dubai
Air Djibouti (June 2016 direct flight)

Flight duration:

Seven hours for direct flights and approx. 12 hours incl. flight change.

Departure tax:

$20 is levied on all passengers (This does not apply if travelling on Ethiopian Airlines or Air Djibouti)

Passports:

Passengers travelling to Djibouti must have six months valid on their passport from date of return to the UK. It is recommended that passengers keep hold of their boarding cards for all sectors of their flight into Djibouti, as officials may wish to make copies of them to issue visas.

VISAS:

Visa on arrival is avaiable to all passport holders with the expection of Eritrea. The current cost is approximately €10 which is paid in cash either in US, Euro or British Pounds. Guests can also apply for e-visa on line by visiting www.evisa.gouv.dj which is highly recommended as it avoids long lines at the airport upon arrival.

Vaccinations:

Protection against Malaria, Hepatitis A, Tetanus and Typhoid are strongly recommended. If you are flying via Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, but not stopping over, you do NOT require the yellow fever certificate. Vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure. For the most up to date advice please consult your travel clinic.