17 interesting facts about Djibouti

17 interesting facts about Djibouti

From eerie landscapes to magnificent marine life, we take a look at the most interesting facts about Djibouti

Before we explored Djibouti, I would have struggled to point to this tiny speck of a nation on a map. Located in the Horn of Africa between some volatile neighbors, the country probably won't appear on many bucket lists - a shame given its wealth of beauty.

Djibouti is home to the otherworldly landscapes of Lac Abbé and Lac Assal, fascinating diving opportunities, magnificent marine life including whale sharks and an enchanting wildlife sanctuary.

With this in mind, perhaps it is time for Djibouti to emerge as a viable tourist destination in an otherwise turbulent part of the world.

To pique your interest, below we share some of the most interesting facts about Djibouti that we collected during our visit.

Interesting facts about Djibouti

1. Dschibuti war von 1888 bis 1977 Teil der französischen Kolonie Somaliland. Ab 1894 war es die Hauptstadt. (Quelle: BBC)
2. 1967 wurde Dschibuti in „Französisches Territorium der Afar und Issa“ umbenannt, bevor es 1977 zur völlig unabhängigen „Republik Dschibuti“ wurde. (Quelle: BBC)
3. Lac Assal, ein Kratersee im Zentrum von Dschibuti, ist zehnmal salziger als das Meer. Tatsächlich ist es das zweitsalzigste Gewässer der Welt nach Don Juan Pond in der Antarktis. (Quellen: BBC, BBC)

alt="Things to know about Djibouti Lac Assal">Atlas & BootsLac Assal is ten times saltier than the sea

1. Mit 155 m unter dem Meeresspiegel ist der Lac Assal der tiefste Punkt Afrikas und der dritttiefste Punkt der Welt nach dem Toten Meer und dem See Genezareth. (Quelle: Britannica)

2. Several nations have military bases in Djibouti, including France, the United States and China. Djibouti's status as a model of stability in a volatile region and its proximity to the world's busiest shipping route make it particularly attractive to global military powers. (Source: BBC)

3. These military bases include Camp Lemonnier, the only permanent U.S. military base in Africa. (Source: Washington Post)

4. Djibouti lies on a plain known as the Afar Triple Junction, where three diverging segments of the Earth's crust - the African, Somali and Arabian plates - are breaking away from each other. (Source: Independent)

alt="interesting facts about Djibouti records">Atlas & BootsBelvedere sul Canyon is located at the Afar Triple Junction

1. 2017 wurde eine neue 750 km lange Eisenbahnlinie eröffnet, die Addis Abeba in Äthiopien mit Dschibuti-Stadt verbindet. Die Linie ersetzt die alte stillgelegte französische Eisenbahn, die 1917 eröffnet wurde. (Quelle: The Guardian)

2. The railway line, which opened to the public in 2018, partly prompted Lonely Planet to name Djibouti as one of their top travel destinations of 2018. (Source: Lonely Planet)

3. Djibouti is made up of two main ethnic groups: the Somali and the Afar. (Source: Britannica)

alt="interesting facts about the people of Djibouti">Atlas & BootsAn Afar village near Lac Abbé

1. Das süchtig machende Narkotikum Khat wird von den Dschibutern häufig gekaut. Das Blatt wird in großen Mengen aus Äthiopien und Kenia importiert und gibt dem Benutzer ein mildes Amphetamin-ähnliches High. (Quelle: Reuters)

2. With over 600,000 residents, the capital Djibouti City accounts for 76% of the country's total population of 865,267. (Source: CIA World Factbook)

alt="What you should know about Djibouti People's Palace of the City of Djibouti">Atlas & BootsThe People's Palace in Djibouti City

1. Mit 23.200 Quadratkilometern (8.958 Quadratmeilen) ist Dschibuti das drittkleinste Land in Kontinentalafrika, nach Swasiland (zweitkleinstes) und Gambia (kleinstes). (Quelle: CIA World Factbook)

2. Hussein Ahmed Salah is the only athlete from Djibouti to win an Olympic medal. He won a bronze medal in the 1988 marathon in Seoul, South Korea. (Source: Olympic Organization)

3. Whale sharks – the largest known fish in the world – regularly visit the coast of Djibouti, making the country a prime location for swimming with whale sharks. (Source: CNN)

alt="interesting facts about Djibouti whale sharks up close in Djibouti">Atlas & BootsWhale sharks are the largest known fish in the world

1. Die Fußballnationalmannschaft von Dschibuti wurde 2017 aufgelöst, um „schlechte Ergebnisse zu stoppen“. Auf Platz 185 der Weltrangliste hat sich Dschibuti noch nie für ein großes internationales Turnier qualifiziert. (Quelle: BBC Sport)

2. Djibouti is home to the bizarre dystopian landscape of Lac Abbé, a plateau with hundreds of limestone chimneys, some 50 m (160 feet) high and emitting puffs of steam. (Source: Lonely Planet)

alt="Things to know about Djibouti Lac Abbé">Atlas & BootsThe dystopian landscape of Lac Abbé

Lonely Planet Ethiopia & Djibouti is a comprehensive travel guide to the country, ideal for those who want to both explore the top attractions and take the road less traveled.

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

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