Lighthouses of Djibouti

Djibouti is a small nation at the head of the Gulf of Aden in northeastern Africa. It was formerly a French colony, known at various times as French Somaliland, French Somali Coast, and Territory of the Afars and Issas. It became independent in 1977. The country has maintained close ties with France and has established close ties with the U.S., making it possible for western tourists to visit the area.

The great lighthouse of Ras Bir is the one fairly well known Djiboutian light. Practically nothing is known about the others, so photos and visitor reports are badly needed.

The French word for a lighthouse, phare, is often reserved for the larger coastal lighthouses; a smaller light or harbor light is called a feu (literally "fire," but here meaning "light"). Aids to navigation in Djibouti are operated and maintained by the port authority, the Port of Djibouti. The port is operated under lease by Dubai Ports International. DPI is developing Djibouti as the major port of entry and export for northeastern Africa.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume D of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.

General Sources
Afrikanischen Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.

Phare de Ras Bir
Phares de Ras Bir, February 2005
photo copyright Étienne Henry; permission requested

Gulf of Tadjoura Lighthouses
Ras Bir (1)
Date unknown. Inactive as a lighthouse since 1952. 2-story square stone tower. In 2002-03, French contractors helped Djibouti install radars atop the old lighthouse to monitor ship traffic in the Bab el Mendab strait. Étienne Henry's photo is at the top of the page, and a distant view is available. Located on Ras Bir, a desolate cape at the northern entrance to the Gulf of Tadjoura. Accessible by boat or by 4WD from Obock, but permission of the military is probably required to visit the site. Site and tower closed. ARLHS DJI-008.
Ras Bir (2)
1952. Active; focal plane 74 m (243 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 50 m (164 ft) round concrete tower with lantern, gallery, and four supporting buttresses. The top of the tower has a broad horizontal band that is listed as red; it must be a dark red, as it appears black in photos. Lantern painted white. Keeper's house and other buildings enclosed by a stone wall. The old lighthouse, now a radar station, stands in front of the lighthouse. Étienne Henry's photo is at the top of the page, another photo and a view from the sea are available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. One of Africa's great lighthouses, this light marks the southern end of the Strait of Bab el Mendab connecting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Located on Ras Bir, a desolate cape at the northern entrance to the Gulf of Tadjoura. Accessible by boat or by 4WD from Obock, but permission of the military is probably required to visit the site. Site and tower closed. ARLHS DJI-001; Admiralty D7272; NGA 30952.
Obock Range Front
Date unknown. Inactive. This light is described by NGA as a "black and white checkered tower on fort." No photo available, but a Google satellite view of the abandoned French fort shows a prominent square tower that must have carried the light. The rear light, 700 m (0.4 mi) to the north, is described as a "round metal tower, black and white checkers." It cannot be found in the Google images. According to the 2007-08 Admiralty Light List, the front light has been replaced by an 8 m (26 ft) "black and white checkered tower on mosque" (focal plane 30 m (98 ft); white flash every 2 s). Located about 1.8 km (1.1 mi) north of the waterfront of Obock, on the north side of the Gulf of Tadjoura 13 km (8 mi) southwest of Ras Bir. Site status unknown. Admiralty D7274; NGA 30956.
Île Moucha
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); three red flashes every 12 s. 17 m (56 ft) tower, described as "metal framework tower on house." No photo available, but a Google satellite view probably shows the tower. More information is needed. Located at the northeastern point of the island in the Gulf of Tadjoura, about 20 km (12.5 mi) east northeast of Djibouti. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS DJI-004; Admiralty D7275; NGA 30968.
Île Maskali
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 20 m (66 ft) slender round cylindrical tower with lantern. Keeper's house and other station buildings. The light is seen at the far end of the island in one aerial photo and at the near end in another; Google has a satellite view. Located at the west end of an island about 5 km (3 mi) west of Île Moucha and 19 km (12 mi) north of Djibouti. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS DJI-006; Admiralty D7276; NGA 30972.

Djibouti City Lighthouses
* Ambouli (Djibouti Entrance Range Front)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); quick-flashing white light. This light is described by NGA as a "black square tower between white walls." However, Google's satellite view formerly showed a round tower in the approximate location listed for the light (the current view is obscured by clouds). More information is needed! Located about 4 km (2.5 mi) southwest of the Djibouti waterfront in a neighborhood adjoining the usually-dry Ambouli River. Site apparently open, tower status unknown. ARLHS DJI-002; Admiralty D7280; NGA 30988.
* Fort Ayabele (Djibouti Entrance Range Rear)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); quick-flashing white light. Approx. 18 m (59 ft) square masonry building with a lantern centered on the roof. No closeup photo available; Michel Forand has a historic postcard view, but clouds obscure Google's satellite view. Thanks to Michel Forand for spotting the photo at right in a Djiboutian government press release. In the photo, the president of the republic, Ismail Omar Guelleh, is visiting the scene of a disastrous fire; the lighthouse can be seen in the rear. (The president is the man in the dark shirt and sunglasses a little to the right of center.) We do not know how the building is used. Hardly anything remains of Fort Ayabele except a low wall and this tall tower, built on one corner of the former fort. Located beside the highway leading southwestward out of the capital, about 1 km (0.6 mi) south of the front range and 7 km (4.5 mi) south southwest of the harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DJI-003; Admiralty D7280.1; NGA 30992.
Phare d'Ambouli
Phare de Fort Ayabele (in the background)
Government of Djibouti photo

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Eritrea | East: Somaliland

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Posted June 20, 2005. Checked and revised May 29, 2011. Lighthouses: 7. Site copyright 2011 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.