Djibouti is the eponymous capital and largest city of Djibouti. It is located in the coastal Djibouti Region on the Gulf of Tadjoura.

Djibouti has a population of around 600,000 inhabitants, which counts for 54% of the country’s population. The settlement was founded in 1888 by the French on land leased from the ruling Somali and Afar Sultans. During the ensuing period, it served as the capital of French Somaliland and its successor, the French Territory of the Afars and Issas.

Tadjoura is one of the oldest towns in Djibouti and the capital of the Tadjourah Region. The town evolved into an early Islamic center with the arrival of Muslims shortly after the Hijra. An important port for many centuries, it was ruled by a succession of polities, including the Ifat Sultanate, Adal Sultanate, the Ottoman Empire, and France, until Djibouti’s independence in 1977. Lying on the Gulf of Tadjoura, it is home to around 45,000 inhabitants. It is the third largest city in the country, after Djibouti City and Ali Sabieh.

Obock is a small port town in Djibouti. It is located on the northern shore of the Gulf of Tadjoura, opening into the Gulf of Aden. The town is home to an airstrip and has ferries to Djibouti City. The French form Obock derives from Arabic “Oboh,” deformation of Oboki, a name given to the Wadi Dar’i in its middle part, upstream of its coastal delta.

Dikhil is a town in the western Dikhil Region of Djibouti. Lying east of Lake Abbe, It is situated about 122 km (76 mi) southwest of Djibouti City and 12 km (7.5 mi) north of the border with Ethiopia. It serves as the administrative center of the Dikhil Region and is home to the Afar and Somali ethnic groups. The town develops gardens and fruit trees.

Ali Sabieh is the second largest city in Djibouti. It is situated about 98 kilometers (61 miles) Southwest of Djibouti City and 10 km (6 mi) north of the border with Ethiopia. It sprawls on a wide basin surrounded by granitic mountains on all sides. The famous landmark of Ali Sabieh is located near the city.