Geography, Climate and Natural Resources

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

Occupying an area of around 8,958sq miles, the country ranks 151st in the world, around the size of the US state of New Jersey. It is the third smallest country in continental Africa after Swaziland and the first smallest is the Gambia. .It shares borders with Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia and has just over 230 miles of coastline along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Djibouti is 90 percent desert, 9 percent pasture-land, and less than 1 percent forest

The country’s landscape is varied. Djibouti has an elevation range that runs from Lac Assal, at 508 ft below sea level, to Moussa Ali, at around 6654 ft above sea level. The interior plateau is separated from the coastal plain by a central mountain range. Parts of the country are susceptible to seismic and volcanic activity. Djibouti shares 78 mi of border with Eritrea 240 mi with Ethiopia, and 37 mi with Somalia.

It has a strategic location on the Horn of Africa and the Bay el Mandeb, along a route through the Red Sea and Suez Canal. Djibouti's coastline serves as a commercial gateway between the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn region's interior. Djibouti is also the terminus of rail traffic from Ethiopia.

Climate and Natural Resources

Djibouti has a sub-tropical desert climate. It is hot and arid. The capital, Djibouti city, is one of the warmest and driest cities in the world. Average temperatures here range from 74°F in winter to 107F in mid-summer. The country receives very little precipitation, with the wettest month, November, receiving on average five days of rain. Unsurprisingly, Djibouti is vulnerable to droughts. However, the country can also suffer from flash flooding, a consequence of cyclonic activity in the Indian Ocean.

Despite these difficulties, Djibouti also has some natural advantages. In terms of metals and minerals, it contains deposits of gold, granite, limestone and marble. In terms of energy, moves have been towards petroleum exploration.

Djibouti, it is said, is the Dubai of the Horn. Its port location and peaceful nature in an otherwise restive region has made it a prime location for foreign interest. The country is home to Africa’s largest US army base and France's biggest Foreign Legion deployment. China, Japan,Italy, Germany and Spain among others  also have soldiers stationed there.

The military presence has garnered Djibouti a reputation for safety.  But, it is still a conservative country and while western dress and behavior is acceptable, it is quite staid compared to Dubai or Miami.  I have packed to be respectful to the culture of my host country, but sitting here at the pool, I am seeing mostly western bathing suits including many bikinis. 

Still, Djibouti feels exciting because it’s largely undiscovered. Its world-class sights include Lac Assal, Lac Abbé, as well as excellent reef diving and a once in a lifetime excursion to swim with the whale sharks.   Hooray! Katherine is taking me to see them all and I'll take you with me, too!

*Facts taken from Wikipedia