Djibouti's Borders: Neighbors & Water Bodies

Djibouti's Strategic Location

Djibouti occupies a critical position at the Horn of Africa, controlling access to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Land Borders

• Eritrea – North (113 km)
• Ethiopia – West (337 km) – primary trade partner, landlocked Ethiopia's main port access
• Somalia – Southeast (58 km)

Maritime Borders

• Gulf of Aden – Northeast (opens to Arabian Sea/Indian Ocean)
• Red Sea – East (connects to Suez Canal/Mediterranean)
• Bab-el-Mandeb Strait – Critical chokepoint (29 km wide) between Yemen and Djibouti/Eritrea

Strategic Significance

• Hosts foreign military bases (U.S., France, China, Japan, Italy)
• Port of Djibouti handles 95% of Ethiopia's trade
• Submarine cable landings (global internet connectivity)

Djibouti's geography makes it a linchpin of global maritime trade and regional geopolitics.