Djibouti City Magaalada Jabuuti (Somali) Magaala Gabuuti (Afar) مدينة جيبوتي (Arabic) |
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Capital | ||
Collage of Djibouti City
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Nickname(s): Pearl of the Gulf of Tadjoura | ||
Location in Djibouti |
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Coordinates: 11°35′18″N 43°08′42″E / 11.58833°N 43.14500°ECoordinates: 11°35′18″N 43°08′42″E / 11.58833°N 43.14500°E | ||
Country | Djibouti | |
Region | Djibouti Region | |
Founded | 1888 | |
Districts | 35 | |
Area | ||
• Capital | 199.4 km2 (77.0 sq mi) | |
• Urban | 23 km2 (9 sq mi) | |
Elevation | 14 m (46 ft) | |
Population (2015) | ||
• Capital | 219,000 | |
• Density | 1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi) | |
• Urban | 310,000 | |
• Urban density | 13,000/km2 (35,000/sq mi) | |
Time zone | East Africa Time (UTC+3) | |
Area code(s) | +253 | |
ISO 3166 code | DJ-DJ |
Djibouti City (also called Djibouti; Arabic: جيبوتي, French: Ville de Djibouti, Somali: Magaalada Jabuuti, Afar: Gabuuti) is the capital and largest city of Djibouti, which is named after it. It is located in the coastal Djibouti Region on the Gulf of Tadjoura.
Djibouti City has a population of around 529,000 inhabitants, which counts for over 70% of the country's population. The settlement was founded in 1888 by the French, on land leased from the ruling Somali and Afar Sultans. During the ensuing period, it served as the capital of French Somaliland and its successor the French Territory of the Afars and Issas.
Known as the Pearl of the Gulf of Tadjoura due to its location, Djibouti City is strategically positioned near the world's busiest shipping lanes and acts as a refueling and transshipment center. The Port of Djibouti is the principal maritime port for imports to and exports from neighboring Ethiopia. Additionally, the city hosts a number of foreign embassies, and is the headquarters of many international organizations, non-profit organizations and companies. Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport is the main domestic airport, connecting the capital to various major global destinations. Djibouti City has the second-largest economy of any city in the Horn of Africa after Addis Ababa.
French Somaliland 1896–1967
British Occupation 1942–1943
French Territory of the Afars and the Issas 1967–1977
Republic of Djibouti 1977–present