Comparison

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Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.

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Comparison of selected legal systems
Attribute	DjiboutiReviewed	United Arab EmiratesReviewed
Legal family	Civil law with Islamic and customary personal status	Mixed (civil law and Islamic law, with common-law financial free zones)
System of government	Semi-presidential republic	Federal elective monarchy
Constitution	Constitution of the Republic of Djibouti	Constitution of the United Arab Emirates
In force since	1992	1971
Capital	Djibouti	Abu Dhabi
Official languages	Arabic, French, Somali, Afar	Arabic
Currency	Djiboutian franc (DJF)	UAE dirham (AED)
Population	1,140,000	10,500,000
Division of powers	Unitary, with five regions and the capital district. Regional councils were introduced by the decentralisation laws of 2002 and hold limited local competences; there is no legislative devolution.	Federal, and asymmetric in practice. Seven emirates, of which Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah maintain their own separate local court systems outside the federal judiciary entirely, while the others are integrated into it. Each emirate legislates in its own sphere, and the two financial free zones are separate legal jurisdictions with civil and commercial competence.
How law is made	Bills originate with the government or with deputies, are examined in committee and adopted by the National Assembly. Organic laws require referral to the Constitutional Council before promulgation. The President promulgates within fifteen days and may request a second deliberation. The government may legislate by ordinance under an enabling statute, subject to later ratification.	Draft federal legislation is prepared by the Council of Ministers, reviewed by the Federal National Council, approved by the Supreme Council of Rulers and ratified by the President before publication in the Official Gazette. The Federal National Council may propose amendments but the Supreme Council may enact legislation over its objection. Much regulation now issues as federal decree-laws. Free-zone legislation is enacted by the DIFC and ADGM authorities under their own procedures.
Legal profession	A small avocat profession organised in a single bar in the capital, admitted on the French model after a law degree and professional training, frequently completed abroad. Notaries handle conveyancing and company formation. Judges are career appointments, and the limited size of the profession means many practitioners move between bench, bar and government service.	Onshore advocacy before the federal and local courts is reserved to UAE nationals licensed by the Ministry of Justice, with foreign lawyers practising as legal consultants; pleadings onshore must be in Arabic. The DIFC and ADGM courts, by contrast, admit registered practitioners from any common-law jurisdiction and conduct proceedings in English, which is the principal practical reason parties opt into them. Notarisation before a public notary is required for powers of attorney, share transfers and real property dispositions.

A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.