Djibouti

General Map

Medical Summary

The health risk information presented here is summarized from Shoreland Travax^®, a decision-support tool used by health care providers to perform a detailed health risk analysis based on specific locations, individual travel styles, and traveler risk behaviors. Travax provides practitioners current, independently researched malaria risk and prevention recommendations in a map-based format that goes beyond the annual WHO and US CDC statements included here. Not included here are current reports from Travax of disease outbreaks or environmental events that may pose elevated risks to travelers’ health and safety. The Providers section of this site offers a directory of health care providers who utilize Shoreland Travax for travel health counseling. Learn more about the detailed reports and maps available from these practitioners (includes links to samples).

General Information

Djibouti is a developing nation classified as lower middle income. Located in eastern Africa along the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea (north of Somalia), the climate is classified as predominantly dry (arid).

Vaccinations

Yellow Fever

Although yellow fever does not occur in Djibouti, an official yellow fever vaccination certificate may be required depending on your itinerary.

Requirement: A certificate proving yellow fever vaccination is required for travelers aged ≥ 1 year coming from countries with risk of YF transmission. This also applies to airport transit stops (no exit through immigration checkpoint) longer than 12 hours in risk countries.

Other Vaccines

Depending on your itinerary, your personal risk factors, and the length of your visit, your health care provider may offer you vaccination against COVID-19, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, measles, mumps, rubella, rabies, or typhoid fever. Routine immunizations, such as those that prevent tetanus/diphtheria or "childhood" diseases, should be reviewed and updated as needed.

Malaria

WHO—International Travel and Health (current online update, Country List)

(2021) Malaria risk due predominantly to P. falciparum exists throughout the year in the entire country.

Recommended prevention: C – Risk of P. falciparum malaria, in combination with reported chloroquine and sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine resistance. Mosquito bite prevention plus atovaquone–proguanil or doxycycline or mefloquine chemoprophylaxis (select according to reported side effects and contraindications) ^a
^aAlternatively, for travel to rural areas with low risk of malaria infection, mosquito bite prevention can be combined with stand–by emergency treatment (SBET).

WHO Country List footnote: When available, the date of the most recent update or confirmation is indicated in parentheses in the country list. If no date is indicated, the most recent update or confirmation was provided before 2013.

CDC—Health Information for International Travel (current online edition)

Areas with malaria: All.

Drug resistance³ : Chloroquine.
Malaria species: P. falciparum 90%, P. vivax 5%–10%.
Recommended chemoprophylaxis: Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, or tafenoquine.⁴
³ Refers to P. falciparum malaria unless otherwise noted.
⁴ Primaquine and tafenoquine can cause hemolytic anemia in people with G6PD deficiency. Patients must be screened for G6PD deficiency before starting primaquine or tafenoquine. See Tafenoquine Approved for Malaria Prophylaxis and Treatment for more information.

Other Concerns

Travelers' Diarrhea

High risk exists throughout the country, including in deluxe accommodations. Community sanitation and food safety measures are generally inadequate. Some itineraries (e.g., remote destinations, austere accommodations) and activities (e.g., ecotourism, eating street or local-market food) further increase risk.

Travelers should observe food and beverage precautions, which reduce the likelihood of illness.

Travelers should carry loperamide for self-treatment of diarrhea and, if risk is moderate to high, an antibiotic to add if diarrhea is severe. Consult a knowledgeable health care provider regarding which antibiotic is appropriate for you and most effective for your destination.

Other Food-Borne Illnesses

Precautions to prevent seafood poisoning may be needed.

Insect- and Arthropod-Borne Diseases

Chikungunya, dengue, leishmaniasis, West Nile virus may pose a risk. Personal protective measures are important.

Other Disease and Health Risks

Additional concerns include Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, helminths, leptospirosis, marine hazards, schistosomiasis, sexually transmitted infections, snakebites, tuberculosis.

Consular Advice

The material below includes information from the US Department of State (DOS), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCO), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), as well as from additional open-source material. Standard safety precautions that apply to all international travel can be found in the Library article Safety and Security.

Consular Travel Advice

Due to military conflict, Australia (DFAT) advises avoiding travel to within 10 km (6.2 mi) of the border with Eritrea and 10 km (6.2 mi) of the border with Somalia. UK (FCO) and Canada (GAC) have more limited warnings. US (DOS) has no current warning.

Terrorism Risk

Risk of attack by transnational terrorist groups exists throughout the country. Targets may include domestic and international organizations and businesses; public places and events, including those frequented by tourists; and transportation systems.

Crime

Negligible risk of violent crime exists throughout the country.

Moderate risk of petty crime exists throughout the country, especially in isolated locations, including Dorale and Khor Ambado beaches.

Civil Unrest

Protests and demonstrations may infrequently occur and have the potential to turn violent without warning. Bystanders are at risk of harm from violence or from the response by authorities. Disruption to transportation, free movement, or the ability to carry out daily activities may occur.

Unsafe Areas

Armed conflict and territorial disputes may occur in areas bordering Eritrea. Landmines and other unexploded ordnance are present in areas bordering Ethiopia and Somalia. Unmarked boundaries exist in border areas. Piracy (involving commercial and private leisure vessels) may occur in coastal and international waters.

Water Safety

Rent water sports equipment from reputable operators. Scuba dive only with personnel certified by PADI or NAUI, and use equipment only from PADI- or NAUI-certified dive operators.

Transportation Safety

National incidence data on traffic-related injury or death are not available.

Natural Disasters

Extreme heat (which can lead to heat-related illness) occurs from May through October.

Seismic and volcanic activity frequently occurs.

Consular Information

Selected Embassies or Consulates in Djibouti

United States: [+253] 21-45-30-00; dj.usembassy.gov
Canada: [+253] 21-35-59-50; travel.gc.ca/assistance/embassies-consulates/djibouti
United Kingdom: U.K. does not have an embassy or consulate in Djibouti.
Australia: [+253] 21-35-38-44

Djibouti's Embassies or Consulates in Selected Countries

In the U.S.: www.djiboutiembassyus.org
In Canada: Djibouti does not have an embassy or consulate in Canada.
In the U.K.: Djibouti does not have an embassy or consulate in the U.K.
In Australia: Djibouti does not have an embassy or consulate in Australia.

Visa/HIV Testing

HIV testing is not required to obtain a tourist, work, or residence visa.

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