Depicts the national arms within the wreath, country name in French above and date below surrounded by the mint and privy marks.

Djibouti adopted its national emblem upon gaining independence from France on June 27, 1977. The emblem features laurel branches on the sides and encloses a vertical spear with a shield in front. Below the shield, two hands holding large machetes represent the nation's main ethnic groups, the Afar and the Issa. At the top of the spear is a red star, symbolizing unity between the Issa and Afar peoples.

Depicts a family of lions male and female sitting under a tree and another female sitting over a tree branch, inscription above and denomination below.

The lion (Panthera leo) is a large cat of the genus Panthera native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane. It is a social species, forming groups called prides. A lion's pride consists of a few adult males, related females, and cubs. Groups of female lions usually hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. The lion is an apex and keystone predator; although some lions scavenge when opportunities occur and have been known to hunt humans, lions typically do not actively seek out and prey on humans.