Djibouti is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, and has coastlines along the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The capital, also named Djibouti, is the political and economic center. The country spans 23,200 square kilometers and has a population of about 957,200 to 976,000, with Somali and Afar as the main ethnic groups. French and Arabic are the official languages.

Djibouti’s hot, dry climate is dominated by desert landscapes, and it occupies a strategic position along one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The economy is based largely on services tied to its deepwater port, which serves as a transit hub for neighboring Ethiopia and a host to several foreign military bases, including those of the US, France, China, and Japan.

Djibouti gained independence from France in 1977 and is led by a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government.