Djibouti vs. Somalia
Geography
| Djibouti | Somalia | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia | Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia |
| Geographic coordinates | 11 30 N, 43 00 E | 10 00 N, 49 00 E |
| Map references | Africa | Africa |
| Area | total: 23,200 sq km land: 23,180 sq km water: 20 sq km | total: 637,657 sq km land: 627,337 sq km water: 10,320 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than New Jersey | almost five times the size of Alabama; slightly smaller than Texas |
| Land boundaries | total: 528 km border countries (3): Eritrea 125 km, Ethiopia 342 km, Somalia 61 km | total: 2,385 km border countries (3): Djibouti 61 km, Ethiopia 1640 km, Kenya 684 km |
| Coastline | 314 km | 3,025 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | territorial sea: 200 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate | desert; torrid, dry | principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons |
| Terrain | coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains | mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Moussa Ali 2,021 m lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m mean elevation: 430 m | highest point: Mount Shimbiris 2,460 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 410 m |
| Natural resources | potential geothermal power, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum | uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves |
| Land use | agricultural land: 73.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 73.3% (2018 est.) forest: 0.2% (2018 est.) other: 26.4% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 70.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 1.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 68.5% (2018 est.) forest: 10.6% (2018 est.) other: 19.1% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 10 sq km (2012) | 2,000 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods volcanism: experiences limited volcanic activity; Ardoukoba (298 m) last erupted in 1978; Manda-Inakir, located along the Ethiopian border, is also historically active | recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season |
| Environment - current issues | inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution; limited arable land; deforestation (forests threatened by agriculture and the use of wood for fuel); desertification; endangered species | water scarcity; contaminated water contributes to human health problems; improper waste disposal; deforestation; land degradation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban |
| Geography - note | strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa and the saltiest lake in the world | strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal |
| Total renewable water resources | 300 million cubic meters (2017 est.) | 14.7 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | most densely populated areas are in the east; the largest city is Djibouti, with a population over 600,000; no other city in the country has a total population over 50,000 as shown in this population distribution map | distribution varies greatly throughout the country; least densely populated areas are in the northeast and central regions, as well as areas along the Kenyan border; most populated areas are in and around the cities of Mogadishu, Marka, Boorama, Hargeysa, and Baidoa as shown on this population distribution map |
Source: CIA Factbook
