The Republic of Djibouti is a small country on the northeastern coast of Africa. It is part of an area called the Horn of Africa. This region is a crossroads between Africa and the nearby Middle East. Furthermore, Djibouti lies on an important sea connection at the entrance to the Red Sea. The country makes much of its income from services provided to the busy shipping traffic. The capital of Djibouti is Djibouti city, its chief port. GeographyDjibouti is a small country covering an area of 8,950 square miles (23,200 square kilometers). The country is bordered on the south and west by Ethiopia, on the north by Eritrea, and on the southeast by Somalia. The Gulf of Aden bounds the country on the east. The Gulf of Tadjoura extends far into southeastern Djibouti, indenting the country's coastline. Much of the land in Djibouti is bare, dry desert. Low, rolling plains occupy the south and west. A range of rugged mountains in the north contains the country's highest point, Mount Mousa. It stands 6,654 feet (2,028 meters) above sea level. The country's coastline has broad, sandy beaches that gently slope down into natural harbors. Dry riverbeds and salty lakes dot the interior. Lake Assal lies 515 feet (157 meters) below sea level, making it the lowest point on the African continent. Some of the planet's hottest ground temperatures have been recorded in Djibouti. There is a slightly cooler season from November to April. Rain is scarce. Plants and animalsDjibouti is mostly dry, desert land with little vegetation and few animals. The most common plants are thorny shrubs and some grasses. However, around Mount Mousa is a dense forest of olive, juniper, and acacia trees. The waters of Lake Assal provide a gathering place for flamingos, millions of which spend the winter there. Djibouti's wildlife also includes hyenas, jackals, ostriches, antelopes, and gazelles. People and cultureThe country's two largest ethnic groups are the Issas and the Afars. The Issas are ethnically related to the Somalis. The Afars are a people of Arabian origin. Most of the rest of the county's people belong to other Somali groups. The Issas and other Somalis are concentrated in the capital and the southeast. The Afars live mainly in the north and west. - The Great Mosque in Djibouti city, the capital of Djibouti, overlooks a large public square.
The vast majority of the people are Muslim. The official languages of Djibouti are French and Arabic. However, many people speak either Somali or Afar as their first language. About two thirds of the country's people live in or near Djibouti city. It is the country's capital, main port, and only large city. Djibouti city lies on the southern shore of the Gulf of Tadjoura. EconomyDjibouti has few natural resources and little industry. Unemployment is a major problem. The country relies on trade with foreign countries for basic goods and supplies. Transport and commercial services are important to the economy. The port at Djibouti city is a refueling and supply station for ships traveling through the Red Sea. It is also a key point of transfer for shipments from one form of transportation to the next. Djibouti city is the only seaport connected by railway to neighboring Ethiopia. About two thirds of the people work in agriculture. However, the country's bare deserts are not well suited for growing crops. In rural areas, people raise goats and sheep. There is limited fishing along the coast. Djibouti must import most of its food. HistoryEarly historyFor much of its history, the land of Djibouti has served as a gateway between East Africa and the Middle East. Ancestors of the Afars came over from Arabia in about the 3rd century BC. The Somali Issas arrived hundreds of years later and settled the coastal regions in the south. The migration of the Issas gradually forced the Afars to move northward. This began a tense and uneasy relationship between the two ethnic groups. The region was long part of an empire of Christian Ethiopians. Missionaries and traders brought Islam to the area in about the 9th century AD. The people gradually converted to Islam. In the 13th century, Muslim and Ethiopian rulers began a long series of wars. Ultimately, the Muslim rulers gained control of the region. French controlDjibouti's history in the 19th and 20th centuries was shaped by its relationship with France. In the 19th century, European nations began establishing colonies in Africa and dividing up the land among themselves. The French began making treaties with local chiefs in Djibouti in the mid-1800s. By 1888 the French had established political control of the area. They called the colony French Somaliland. IndependenceThe area was gradually given greater self-rule. It remained a French colony until 1946, when it became an overseas territory of France. Its people then became French citizens. In 1967 its name changed to the French Territory of the Afars and Issas. The territory became an independent republic in 1977, with the name Djibouti. The new republic suffered from political and social instability. A central problem has been poverty. Djibouti has also been troubled by ethnic tensions between the Afars and Issas. The Issas have tended to dominate the country's government. A rebel group composed mainly of Afars fought the government in the early 1990s. The government began to allow multiple political parties in 1992. Djibouti has also been affected by conflicts in the neighboring countries of Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. People fleeing the fighting in those countries have moved to Djibouti in large numbers. Population (2001 estimate), 461,000. |