 Situated
in the Gulf of Aden in Northeast Africa, Djibouti is
bordered by Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea. The country
is mostly barren desert land with thorn bushes, steppes
and volcanic mountain ranges, except for the white sandy
beaches looking out onto the Red Sea. The official
languages are Arabic and French. Afar and Somali are
spoken locally, while most, taxi drivers and traders
controlling access to the Red Sea, speak English.
Djibouti is a major strategic site, especially so during
the Gulf War, and it is still under the French military
control. It is also in a particular geographical
position known as the Afar Triangle, being one of the
hottest and most desolate sites of the world.
Just outside the city one may find a pleasant respite
from the heat at the Ambouli palm grove, as well as at
the beaches of Khor-Ambado and Doralé that are also near
to the capital.
The Gulf of Tadjoura teems with numerous species of fish
and coral and is a paradise for snorkeling and scuba
diving, for most of the coral reefs are accessible
directly from the beach. The best time of the year for
these activities is from September to May.
Lake Abbé is a paradise for wildlife spotting, here
flamingos and pelicans gather in flocks while strange
natural steaming chimneys pour out steam. Lake Assal is
surrounded by dormant volcanoes and lava fields and is
the lowest area in the world, situated at 150 m below
sea level.
The climate is very hot and arid particularly between
June to August, being slightly cooler from October to
April. Rainfall is very rare.
The people from Djibouti are called Djiboutians.
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