The first, and only, railway in Djibouti is the metre gauge line linking the port of Djibouti with Addis Ababa, the capital of neighbouring Ethiopia. The first section of this line (Port of Djibouti to Dire Dawa, about 311km) opened in 1901. About 100km of the route lies within the borders of present day Djibouti.
The line, now jointly owned by the governments of Djibouti and Ethiopia, is in a poor condition and in need of rehabilitation. Since 2005 several attempts have been made to award a conceesion to rehabilitate, operate and maintain the line, but to date little progress has been made.
© 2006-2011
Glyn Williams
Flag image from CIA World Factbook
