Top ten facts about Djibouti

1. Bordering the Gulf of Aden and serving as a gateway to the Suez Canal, Djibouti is one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. 

2. The capital city of Djibouti is called Djibouti City; 76 per cent of the population live there. 

3. The population of the country of Djibouti is less than that of Birmingham but more than Leeds. 

4. The only countries in Africa smaller than Djibouti in area are Swaziland and Gambia. 

5. Only one Djiboutian athlete has ever won a medal at the Olympics: Hussein Ahmed Salah won a bronze medal in the marathon in 1988. 

6. Lake Assal in Djibouti is one of the saltiest seas in the world, even saltier than the Dead Sea. 

7. Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti City is the only United States military base in Africa. 

8. From 1896-1967, Djibouti was known as French Somaliland. 

9. The origin of the name Djibouti is unclear. One theory is that it comes from “gabouti”, a type of doormat made of palm fibres. 

10. Other theories are that it is named for the killing of a legendary terrifying beast, or that it was named after the Egyptian god of the moon.