Djibouti: Holidays, national customs, climate
Date | Holiday |
January 1 | New Year |
January February | El-am-Hejir (Islamic New Year) |
February March | Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) |
March April May | Moloud (Prophet’s Birthday) |
1st of May | Labor Day |
June 27 | Independence day |
October November | Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan) |
25 December | Christmas |
Source: Countryaah – Djibouti Holidays
The dates for the Islamic holidays are calculated according to the lunar calendar and therefore shift every year. During the fasting month of Ramadan, which precedes the festival day Eid al-Fitr, Muslims do not eat during the day, but only after sunset. Many restaurants are therefore closed during the day. The festivals Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha last 2-10 days depending on the region. The weekly rest day is Friday.
Djibouti: climate
Djibouti has a very hot climate with a particularly hot dry season between June and August, when temperatures rise to 42 °C. At this time the Khamsin appears, a dusty desert wind. There is a slightly more temperate period, with the occasional, scanty shower of rain, which lasts from November to March. During this time about 130 mm of precipitation falls and the air humidity is about 70 – 75%. The Tadjoura Basin is one of the hottest areas on earth.
Climate table
The following table shows a range of climate data for the country. However, it must be taken into account that the values shown only provide a good overview of the climate in the country; the table says less about the currently expected weather.
Month | Average number of rainy days | Mean maximum temperatures in (°C) | Mean minimum temperatures in (°C) |
January | 02-03 | 28-29 | 22-23 |
February | 01-02 | 28-29 | 23-24 |
March | 01-02 | 30-31 | 24-25 |
April | at 01 | 31-32 | 25-26 |
May | at 01 | 32-34 | 28-29 |
June | at 01 | 34-36 | 30-31 |
July | at 0 | 38-42 | 31-32 |
August | 01-02 | 38-40 | 28-29 |
September | 01-02 | 35-37 | 28-29 |
October | 01-02 | 32-33 | 26-27 |
November | 02-03 | 30-31 | 24-25 |
December | 02-03 | 28-29 | 22-23 |
National customs
For guests in an Islamic country, consideration for the local customs is required. Women in particular should pay attention to decent clothing. Beach clothing outside the bathing zone is taboo, and long pants are also recommended for men outside the hotel zones. Photographing locals without their permission must be avoided at all costs, as the image of people is traditionally a taboo in Islamic countries.
Djibouti: sightseeing
- Abbreviationfinder.org: Presents the way that DJ stands for the nation of Djibouti as a two-letter acronym.
Cities
Djibouti city
In Djibouti’s capital of the same name, founded in the 19th century, around 450,000 people live, which makes it the largest city in the country. Djibouti City is particularly known for its seaport, an important trading center with mainly Ethiopian foreign trade. The modern city combines the cold character of a banking and financial center with the charm of colonial memories. Also impressive is the multicultural and international chaos of the city, which is determined, for example, by the juxtaposition of businessmen alongside Afar nomads and French Foreign Legionaries.
Harar
This city in eastern Djibouti is known to be proud of more than 80 mosques.
Tadjourah
Tadjourah, the city with about 22,000 residents, is the oldest city in Djibouti. It should be an interesting travel destination, which of course is mainly due to the gulf of the same name, a veritable paradise for divers and water sports enthusiasts. The two islands Moucha and Maskali, which are still considered an insider tip for those looking for relaxation and tranquility, are also close to the city.
Special structures
Hamoudi Mosque in Djibouti City
One of the most famous and worth seeing buildings in Djibouti’s capital of the same name is the impressive Hamoudi Mosque, a truly huge Islamic place of worship.
Stade National Gouled in Djibouti City
The multifunctional Stade National Gouled in Djibouti City is mainly used for football matches in which up to 10,000 spectators can participate.
Markets and aquariums
Marché Central in Djibouti City
A colorful and very lively attraction in the capital of Djibouti is the Marché Central (German central market). The visitor is not only given a fascinating multicultural atmosphere. Rather, he can also participate in people’s daily life.
Djibouti City
Tropical Aquarium The Djibouti Tropical Aquarium is a must for anyone interested in the incredible biodiversity of the Red Sea.
Natural beauties
Abbé Lake ( also Abhe Bad)
The Lac Abbé, also known as Abhe Bad, extends on the border with Ethiopia. It is a salt lake that acts as the center of the Afar Depression. There three tectonic plates meet. The fascinating thing is that the lake is one of the most inaccessible areas on earth, but impresses with its bizarre, unreal and unique scenery. Up to 50 meters high sandstone cones surround its banks and leave the visitor in the belief that they are in a lunar landscape. The imposing wasteland, which was also used as a backdrop for the film “Planet of the Apes”, is used by the nomadic Afar people as pasture for their cattle, and flamingos frolic around the lake.
Lake Assal
At 170 m below sea level, this lake is one of the deepest areas in the world. Its salt content is 34% and thus even higher than that of the Dead Sea. The lake has an area of around 54 km² with a maximum depth of a little more than 20 m. It loses its water through evaporation and receives its water from the Gulf of Tadjoura, only a few kilometers away, via underground tributaries – a bulge in the Gulf of Aden, on whose southeastern bank lies the city of Djibouti. Its water volume is around 400 million m³ = 0.4 km³
Ghoubbet Bay In Ghoubbet
Bay, between October and January, you have the opportunity to see the giant whale sharks. The bay is one of the few places on earth where these giants of the seas can reach the coast.
Islands Moucha and Maskali near Tadjourah
Near Tadjourah, the oldest city of Djibouti, are the two islands Moucha and Maskali, which are still considered an insider tip for those seeking relaxation and tranquility. The islands, which also delight with their wonderful beaches, can be reached by boat from the Gulf of Tadjourah. Highly recommended!
Lac Goubet
The seawater lake is surrounded by extinct volcanoes and black lava rock.
Salt pans Petit Bara and Grand Bara Gulf of Tadjoura
Colorful fish and coral species live in the diving paradise.
Djibouti port
The port of Djibouti is located on the southeastern bank of the Gulf of Tadjoura, a bulge of the Gulf of Aden. With a turnover rate of over 25 containers per hour, the port is one of the most efficient ports on the African continent. Around 85% of Ethiopia’s foreign trade is also processed here. By 2005 the oil port was expanded for the first time by “Dubai Ports International” (United Arab Emirates), which has been under the management of the port since 2000. Another terminal is to be built by 2008 for US $ 300 million.