People and Society of Djibouti

Nationality

Djiboutian(s)

Ethnic Groups

Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%

Population

740,528

Population in Major Urban Areas

DJIBOUTI (capital) 496,000

Adequate medical facilities in the capital of Djibouti are limited and trauma services are only for stabilization and air ambulance transfer. Medical services in many outlying areas are nonexistent. Even in the capital, hospitals are unable to treat many ailments and frequently recommend medical evacuation. Visitors to Djibouti should purchase medical evacuation insurance. Hospitals in Djibouti require up-front cash payment for services and do not have service agreements with U.S. insurance companies. Cash payment will be requested in full before the patient is allowed to depart the hospital – reimbursement may then be requested by the U.S. Citizen through their insurance company in the United States. U.S. Motorists should be especially aware that, in case of an accident outside the capital, emergency medical treatment would depend on assistance from passersby. In addition, cell phone coverage in outlying areas is often unavailable, making it impossible to summon help. Ambulance service in Djibouti is limited in effectiveness, must be scheduled and paid for in advance and is only a means of transportation. U.S. Citizen visitors to Djibouti are not permitted to access Embassy or U.S. Military medical facilities and must depend entirely on local medical facilities. Malaria and dengue fever are endemic to Djibouti. Travelers who become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in a malaria-risk area and even up to one year after returning home should seek prompt medical attention, tell their medical provider about their travel history and what anti-malarial drugs they have been taking. In 2013, polio was found in Djibouti’s neighbors (Somalia and Ethiopia), and health professionals strongly suspect it is present in Djibouti. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all infants and children in the United States should receive four doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) at 2, 4, 6–18 months and 4–6 years of age. Adults traveling to polio-endemic and epidemic areas and who have received a primary series with either IPV or oral polio vaccine should receive another dose of IPV. For adults, available data does not indicate the need for more than a single lifetime booster dose with IPV. Tuberculosis is a serious health concern in Djibouti, including multi-drug resistant strains. For further information, please consult the CDC's information on TB. In May 2006, avian influenza was confirmed in three chickens and one human in Djibouti.

Major Infectious Diseases

High

Literacy Definition

Age 15 and over can read and write

• Muslim94.0%
• Christian6.0%

French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

• Arabic
• French

Crime Information

Accurate Djiboutian crime statistics are not available, but the majority of crimes are petty theft and crimes of opportunity. Anecdotal evidence suggests an increasing frequency of violent crimes against Djiboutian citizens and burglaries of residences in established neighborhoods. Violent crimes against foreigners are rare in Djibouti. However, foreigners are frequent victims of snatch-and-grab robberies and price gouging by unscrupulous taxi drivers. Do not buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Djibouti, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own. In some places, you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you. In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings. In some places, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol could land you immediately in jail. These criminal penalties will vary from country to country. There are also some things that might be legal in Djibouti, but still illegal in the United States. For example, you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in Djibouti, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what is legal and what is not wherever you go. If you are arrested in Djibouti, you have the right to request authorities alert the U.S. Embassy of your arrest. The U.S. does not have an agreement with Djibouti requiring notification of the U.S. Embassy upon your arrest. If you are arrested in Djibouti you should use whatever means of communication available to alert the U.S. Embassy of your situation.