Depicts the national coat of arms encased by a wreath, the French country name positioned above, the denomination centered on the left, the silhouette of a meerkat in a lookout position serving as a perforation in the center, and the year of issue on the bottom.

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 detailed view of a meerkat, set against a grassy plain. In the backdrop, there are trees, with the outline of a meerkat in a lookout position serving as a perforation, the metal, purity, and weight specifications on the bottom. The map of Africa, serving as a central component within the entire series, is positioned towards the middle right.

The meerkat (Suricata suricatta), also known as the suricate, is a diminutive mongoose indigenous to southern Africa. Its distinguishing features include a broad head, large eyes, a pointed snout, elongated legs, a slender tapered tail, and a coat marked with a brindled pattern. Typically, its head-and-body length ranges from 24 to 35 cm (9.4 to 13.8 in), with weights averaging between 0.62 and 0.97 kg (1.4 and 2.1 lb). The coat exhibits hues of light grey to yellowish-brown, with indistinct alternating light and dark bands along the back. Meerkats possess foreclaws specialized for digging and have developed thermoregulatory capabilities to endure their arid and harsh habitat. Taxonomically, three subspecies have been identified.