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Djibouti (Arabic: جيبوتي Jībūtī, Somali: Jabuuti), officially the Republic of
Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Djibouti is bordered by Eritrea in
the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The
remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. On the
other side of the Red Sea, on the Arabian Peninsula, 20 kilometres (12 mi) from
the coast of Djibouti, is Yemen. The capital of Djibouti is the city of
Djibouti.
History
The Republic of Djibouti gained its
independence from the French on June 27, 1977. France had colonised it in the
early 19th century and renamed it Umunga (previously called Comoros).
Independence was claimed once before in 1887 when a local tribe overthrew the 8
permanent soldiers stationed there. Their independence only lasted 3 weeks
before they were once again colonised. However, the history of Djibouti recorded
in poetry and songs of its nomadic peoples, goes back thousands of years to a
time when Djiboutians traded hides and skins for the perfumes and spices of
ancient Egypt, India, and China. Through close contacts with the Arabian
peninsula for more than 1,000 years, the Somali and Afar tribes in this region
became among the first on the African continent to accept slam. Djibouti is a
Muslim country which regularly takes part in Islamic as well as Arab meetings.
Politics
Djibouti is a semi-presidential republic, with
executive power in the government, and legislative power in both the government
and parliament. The parliamentary party system is dominated by the People's
Rally for Progress and the current President is Ismail Omar Guelleh. The
country's current constitution was approved in September 1992. Djibouti is a one
party dominant state with the People's Rally for Progress in power. Opposition
parties are allowed, but have no real chance of gaining power (see
Elections in Djibouti).
The government is seen as being controlled by
the Somali Issas, though at its head power is shared between a Somali President
and an Afar Prime Minister (Scoitas Shilades), with cabinet posts similarly
divided. The country has recently come out of a decade long civil war, with the
government and the Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD)
signing a peace treaty in 2001. Two FRUD members are part of the current
cabinet.
Despite elections of the 1990s being described
as "generally fair", Guelleh was sworn in for his second and final six year term
as president in a one-man race on 8 April 2005. He took 100% of the votes in a
78.9% turnout. Opposition parties boycotted the election, describing the poll as
"ridiculous, rigged, and rubbish".
Djibouti's second president, Guelleh was
first elected to office in 1999, taking over from Hassan Gouled Aptidon, who had
ruled the country since its independence from France in 1977.[1]
The prime minister, who leads the council of
ministers ('cabinet'), is appointed by the President. The parliament - the
Chambre des Députés - consists of 65 members who are elected every five to
seven years
In 2001 the Djiboutian government leased the
former French Foreign Legion base Camp Le Monier to the United States. Camp
Lemonier is being used by the United States Central Command in operations as
part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Religion
Djibouti's main religion is Islam. Just like
Islam in other countries, every town and village in Djibouti has a mosque, to
which people go to worship. Tombs of their former religious leaders and those
considered "holy" are known as sacred spaces. The most famous sacred space for
Islam in Djibouti is the tomb of Sheikh Abu Yazid, found in the Goda Mountains.
In addition to the Islamic calander, Muslims in Djibouti also recognize New
Years Eve (January 1), and Labor Day (May 1), as holidays.
The Muslim religion comprises 94 percent of
Djibouti's population (about 444,440). This leaves six percent for other
religions. Christianity is mainly the other prevalent religion. Although Islam
is not the only religion practiced, there is minimal religious tolerance. Being
of another religion is greatly discouraged, especially because Djibouti's state
religion is declared Islam.
Regions and
districts
Djibouti is divided into 5 regions and one
city. It is further subdivided into 11 districts.
The regions and city are:
-
Ali Sabieh Region (Region d'Ali
Sabieh)
- Arta Region (Region d'Arta)
- Dikhil Region (Region de Dikhil)
- Djibouti (city) (Ville de Djibouti)
- Obock Region (Region d'Obock)
- Tadjourah Region (Region de Tadjourah)
Geography
Djibouti is in Eastern Africa, bordering the
Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, and between Eritrea and Somalia. Its coordinates
are 11°30′N 43°00′E.
Djibouti shares a 113-km border with Eritrea,
337 km with Ethiopia and 58 km with Somalia (total 506 km). It also has 314 km
of coastline.Djibouti lies in northeast Africa on the Gulf of Aden at the
southern entrance to the Red Sea. It borders on Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia.
The country, the size of Massachusetts, is mainly a stony desert, with scattered
plateaus and highlands.
Economy
The economy of Djibouti is based on service
activities connected with the country's strategic location and status as a free
trade zone in northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the
capital city, the remainder being mostly nomadic herders. Scant rainfall limits
crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must be imported. It is
a free trade zone.
On April 2005 the United Nations World
Food Programme warned that 30,000 people in Djibouti face serious food shortages
following three years of poor rains.
[1]
Djibouti provides services as both a
transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling
center. It has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is,
therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support its balance
of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of 40% to
50% continues to be a major problem. Inflation is not a concern, however,
because of the fixed tie of the franc to the U.S. dollar. Per capita consumption
dropped an estimated 35% over the last seven years because of recession, civil
war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees).
Also, renewed fighting between Ethiopia and Eritrea has disturbed normal
external channels of commerce. Faced with a multitude of economic difficulties,
the government has fallen into arrears on long-term external debt and has been
struggling to meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.[2]
Demographics
The population is divided into two main groups,
the Issa of Somali people and the Afar.
The remainder is formed by Europeans (mostly
French and Italians), Arabs and Ethiopians. Tensions between the Afar and Issa
was the cause of the civil war in the early 1990s.
The Somali ethnic component in Djibouti is
mainly composed of the Issas, who form the majority and the Gadabuursi and
Isaaq, all of whom are closely related as Dir subclans. The Issas form part of
the ciise waraabe, while the Gadabuursi and Isaaq are part of the Mahe Dir,
Mohammed Hiniftire.
Although French and Arabic are the official
languages, Somali and Afar are widely spoken.
The bulk of Djibouti's people are urban
residents; the remainder are herders. Health, sanitary, and education services
are relatively poor in both urban and rural areas.
Culture
Djibouti is unlike any other Islamic
country; women do not generally wear burkas. Their dress is derived from their
hot, arid climate. Men wear a loosely wrapped piece of cloth that goes down to
about the knee, along with a cotton robe over the shoulder, much like a Roman
toga. Women wear long skirts, typically dyed brown. Married women wear cloth to
cover their heads, sometimes also covering their upper body. Unmarried or young
women do not cover their heads. Traditional Arabian dress is worn strictly
during religious festivals, especially in preparation for the hajj. For some
occasions, women may adorn themselves with jewelery and headdresses.[2]
A lot of Djibouti's original art is passed on
and preserved orally, mainly through song. Using their native language, these
people can sing or dance a story, acting it out. Many examples of French and
Islamic influences can be noted in their buildings, which contain plasterwork,
carefully constructed motifs and calligraphy.
Further
reading
- Djibouti: Pawn of the Horn of
Africa Robert Saint-Veran
- Historical Dictionary of Djibouti
Daoud A. Alwan
- Naval Strategy East of Suez: The
Role of Djibouti Charles W.
Web Links
Government
Overviews
Directories
Tourism
References and
notes
- This article contains material
from the CIA World Factbook which, as a U.S. government publication, is in
the public domain.
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![[2]](http://www.discoverfrance.net/Colonies/Images/Places/Djibouti/Women_Costumes_Djibouti.jpg){kind=link}
