Geography & environment — Djibouti
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Djibouti: Africa
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Africa
- Geographic Coordinates
11 30 N, 43 00 E
- Total Area
8,958 Square Miles 23,200 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
8,950 Square Miles 23,180 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
8 Square Miles 20 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
321 Miles 516 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km
- Coastline
195 Miles 314 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
- Highest Point
2,028 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Moussa Ali 2,028 m
- Lowest Point
-155 Meters
- Lowest Point Location
Lac Assal -155 m
- Natural Resources
Geothermal areas
- Irrigated Land
4 Square Miles 10 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
Djibouti has two seasons. During the May-to-September hot season, daytime temperatures average over 100°F and often exceed 120°F. The high temperatures are sometimes accompanied by hot, sandy winds called the "Kahm Sin." The beginning and ending months of the hot season are also marked by high humidity. The cooler season, from October through April, has clear skies, refreshingly cool breezes, somewhat lower humidity, and temperatures in the 80s. Because of its geographic location between the Ethiopian and Yemeni escarpments, Djibouti gets little precipitation. Occasional rains occur mostly in the hills in the interior, but the average annual rainfall is only 5 to 10 inches. Rains most often come to Djibouti City in the fall and spring; some years are rainless. Because of a high water table and lack of drainage, the rare heavy rain can cause flooding in and around the capital.
- Terrain
coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains
- Location
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia
- Total Area
8,958 Square Miles 23,200 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
Inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species
- Environment - International Agreements
Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements