Geography of Djibouti

Physiographic regions

Djibouti can be divided into three physiographic regions

1. The Northern Mountains
2. Grand Bara
3. The Southern Mountains

Mountains

A great arc of mountains, consisting of the Mousa Ali, Goda Mountains, and Arrei Mountains surrounds Djibouti.

Djibouti has eight mountain ranges with peaks of over 1,000 m (3,300 ft).

• The Mousa Ali range is considered the country's highest mountain range, with the tallest peak on the border with Ethiopia and Eritrea. It has an elevation of 2,063 m.
• The Goda Mountains lie northwest of the Gulf of Tadjoura in Tadjoura Region. They rise to 1,783 m (5,850 ft) above sea level and are the nation's largest heavily vegetated area.
• Garbi is a mountain in the west of Tadjourah Region. It has an elevation of 1,680 metres (5,510 feet).
• The Mabla Mountains are located in Obock Region. At 1,780 m (5,840 ft) above sea level, the mountains are situated behind the coastal plain where the Red Sea meets the Gulf of Aden, on the northern side of the Gulf of Tadjoura.
• The Arrei Mountains are in the southern Ali Sabieh Region. The mountain range has an elevation of 1,301 metres (4,268 feet) above sea level, and is situated near the border with Ethiopia.
• The Dagouein Mountain sit at an elevation of 1,124 m (3,688 ft) above sea level.
• Hemed is a mountain in the western part of the Arta Region in south-central Djibouti. The summit is 1,103 metres (3,619 feet) above sea level.
• The Boura Mountains' highest peak has an elevation of 1,003 m (3,291 ft). The ecology of this landform is semi-desert. The altitude and size of the range affects its weather, with precipitation levels varying greatly and climatic conditions consisting of distinct zones.

Grand Bara

The Grand Bara Desert covers parts of southern Djibouti in the Arta Region, Ali Sabieh Region and Dikhil Region. The majority of the Grand Bara Desert lies at a relatively low elevation, below 1,700 feet (520 m). Home of the popular Grand Bara footrace.

Coasts

Most of Djibouti has been described as part of the Ethiopian xeric grasslands and shrublands ecoregion. The exception is a strip along the Red Sea coast, which is part of the Eritrean coastal desert; it is noted as an important migration route for birds of prey.

Regions

The area of the regions of Djibouti is set out in the table below.

Climate

There is not much seasonal variation in Djibouti's climate. Hot conditions prevail year-round along with winter rainfall. Mean daily maximum temperatures range from 32 to 41 °C (90 to 106 °F), except at high elevations. In Djibouti City, for instance, afternoon highs in April typically range from 28 to 34 °C (82 to 93 °F) in April. Nationally, mean daily minima generally vary between sites from about 15 to 30 °C (59 to 86 °F). The greatest range in climate occurs in eastern Djibouti, where temperatures sometimes surpass 41 °C (106 °F) in July on the littoral plains and fall below freezing point during December in the highlands. In this region, relative humidity ranges from about 40% in the mid-afternoon to 85% at night, changing somewhat according to the season.

Djibouti has 988,000 people living there. Djibouti has either a hot semi-arid climate (BSh) or a hot desert climate (BWh), although temperatures are much moderated at the high elevations. On the coastal seaboard, annual rainfall is less than 5 inches (130 mm); in the highlands, it is about 8 to 16 inches (200 to 410 millimetres). Although the coastal regions are hot and humid throughout the year, the hinterland is typically hot and dry. The climate conditions are highly variable within the country and vary locally by altitude. Summers are very humid along the coast but dry in the highlands. Heat waves are frequent. Annual precipitation amounts vary greatly from one year to another. In general, rain falls more frequently and extensively in the mountains. Sudden and brutal storms are also known to occur. Wadis turn for a few hours into raging torrents tearing everything in their path, and their course is regularized. Rainwater serves as an additional water supply for livestock and plants alongside seasonal watercourses. The highlands have temperate climate throughout the year. The climate of most lowland zones is arid and semiarid.

The climate of the interior shows notable differences from the coastline. Especially in the mornings, the temperature is pleasant: it is so in Arta, Randa and Day (where temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius have been recorded).

Climate charts of different locations in Djibouti

Djibouti CityTadjouraObockAli SabiehAirolafDikhilArtaDorraHolholAlaili DaddaYoboki

Graphically the seasons can be represented this way:

Selected elevations of notable locations

Lake Assal is the lowest point in Africa.

Resources and land use

Land use: arable land: 0.1%
permanent pasture: 73.3%
forest: 0.2%
other: 26.4% (2011)

Irrigated land: 10 km² (3.86 sq mi) (2012)

Water in Djibouti

Water is becoming a scarce resource in Djibouti due to climate change, which leads to different rainfall patterns as well as to inefficient methods of distribution within the country. Most of Djibouti's rainfall is in the four months, but over the last 25 years, the Djibouti's Ministry of Environment estimates that rainfall has decreased overall between 5 and 20 percent. It is predicted that in future years, there will be higher temperatures, lower rainfall, and longer droughts, leading to even less access to water. Moreover, seawater intrusion or fossil saltwater contamination of the limited freshwater aquifers due to groundwater overexploitation affect those who live close to the coastline.

In recent years, population growth has increased rapidly with the addition of many refugees.

Natural resources

Unlike much of the Horn of Africa and Middle East which is rich in lucrative crude oil, Djibouti has limited natural resources. These include potential geothermal power, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum.

Environment

Natural hazards include earthquakes, drought, and occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean, which bring heavy rains, and flash floods. Natural resources include geothermal energy. Inadequate supplies of potable water, limited arable land and desertification are current issues.

Djibouti is a party to international agreements on biodiversity, climate change, desertification, endangered species, Law of the Sea, ozone layer protection, ship pollution, and wetlands.

Coastline

Djibouti has a coastline which measures about 314 kilometres (195 miles). Much of the coastline is accessible and quite varied in geography and habitats.

Inlets

• Gulf of Tadjoura
• Ghoubbet-el-Kharab

Maritime claims

• Territorial sea: 12 nautical miles (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)
• Contiguous zone: 24 nautical miles (44.4 km; 27.6 mi)
• Exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)

Human geography

The population of Djibouti in 2015 was 846,000.

For statistical purposes, the country has three areas; Djibouti City (population 529,000), Ali Sabieh (population 55,000), and Dikhil (population 54,000). Djibouti's population is diverse demographically; 60% Somali, 35% Afar, and 3% Arabs. In terms of religion, 94% Muslim, 6% Christian.

Extreme points

This is a list of the extreme points of Djibouti, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.

• Northernmost point – Ras Doumera, Obock Region
• Northernmost point (mainland) – the point at which the border with Eritrea enters the Red Sea, Obock Region
• Easternmost point – unnamed section of the Red Sea coast north of Ras Bir, Obock Region
• Southernmost point – unnamed location on the border with Ethiopia west of the town of As Ela, Dikhil Region
• Westernmost point – unnamed location on the border with Ethiopia immediately east of the Ethiopian town of Afambo, Dikhil Region