According to the 2010 revision of the UN's World Population Prospects, the total population was 889,000 in 2010 compared to 62,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 35.8%, 60.9% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 3.3% was 65 years or older.
Djibouti was originally inhabited by nomadic tribes, the main ones being the Afars and the Issas, who are strongly linked to Ethiopia and Somalia respectively. In 1862, the French signed a treaty with the Afar leaders, giving them land on the north coast. During the rest of the 19th century, Djibouti gradually became more firmly associated with France.
Alcohol is not widely available, nor is drinking a social activity in this Islamic country. The Djibouti alternative to standard intoxication is a plant known as qat that is grown in the Highlands and acts as a mild stimulant.