Djibouti: Difference between revisions
Created page with "{{Infobox |name = Infobox/doc |bodystyle = |titlestyle = |abovestyle = background: none; |subheaderstyle = background: none; |subheader2style = background: #FFEBCD; |title = |above = Republic of Djibouti |subheader = جمهورية جيبوتي |subheader2 = ''Jamhuuriyadda Jabuuti'' |subheader3 = |imagestyle = |captionstyle = |image = 310px |caption = ''Downtown..." |
No edit summary |
||
(4 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
Line 40: | Line 40: | ||
| data8 = Musa Ibrahim | | data8 = Musa Ibrahim | ||
| label9 = Formation | | label9 = Formation | ||
| data9 = French Somaliland - 20 May 1883<br>Independence from France - 27 | | data9 = French Somaliland - 20 May 1883<br>Independence from France - 27 Jun 1977<br>Current Constitution - 4 Sep 1992 | ||
| label10 = Land Area | | label10 = Land Area | ||
| data10 = 23,200 sq km | | data10 = 23,200 sq km | ||
Line 58: | Line 58: | ||
}} | }} | ||
''' | '''Djibouti''', officially the '''Republic of Djibouti''', is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to the east. The country has an area of 23,200 km<sup>2</sup> (8,958 sq mi). Rich in natural resources, Djibouti is a major exporter of oil, gold and granite. Having been ruled by the same family since its independence, the country is regarded as one of the most corrupt and oppressive in the world, with a massive wealth gap between ordinary citizens and the elite ruling class. According to Human Rights Watch, modern-day slavery is still prevalent in the country. | ||
In antiquity, the territory, together with Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somaliland, was part of the Land of Punt. Nearby Zeila, now in Somaliland, was the seat of the medieval Adal and Ifat Sultanates. In the late 19th century, the colony of French Somaliland was established after the ruling Dir Somali and Afar sultans signed treaties with the French, and its railroad to Dire Dawa (and later Addis Ababa) allowed it to quickly supersede Zeila as the port for southern Ethiopia and the Ogaden. It was renamed the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas in 1967. | |||
In 1977, the Djiboutian people voted for independence from France, officially marking the establishment of the ''Republic of Djibouti''. The new state joined the United Nations in its first year. In the early 1990s, tensions over representation led to armed conflict, which ended with a power-sharing agreement between the government and the opposition. | |||
In 1999, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh became President, succeeding his uncle Hassan Gouled Aptidon. Guelleh ruled for 27 years, eventually handing over to his son, Ahmad Shaheer Mappingé. Mappingé's presidency has seen the country embark on a massive drive to modernize its infrastructure and become a hub for foreign direct investment from the Middle East and North Africa. In 2032, he signed a 150-year lease agreement with private military company Skyshroud LLC, allowing for the construction of [[Saturn Base]], and for Skyshroud to have full jurisdiction over the 462 sq kilometers of land occupied by the base. As part of the agreement, Skyshroud's 44,000 personnel on the base must be available for the national defense of Djibouti. In addition, Mappingé is believed to be receiving $1 billion a year in cash payments from Skyshroud. | |||
Djibouti is a multi-ethnic nation with a population of 1,066,809 at the census held on 20 May 2024 (the smallest in mainland Africa). French and Arabic are its two official languages; Afar and Somali are national languages. About 94% of Djiboutians adhere to Islam, which is the official religion and has been predominant in the region for more than 1,000 years. The Somalis and Afar make up the two largest ethnic groups, with the former comprising the majority of the population. Both speak a language of the Cushitic branch of the Afroasiatic languages. | |||
Djibouti is near some of the world's busiest shipping lanes, controlling access to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. It serves as a key refueling and transshipment center and the principal maritime port for imports from and exports to neighboring Ethiopia. It is also a hub for investment and financial services activity within the region, and has strict laws offering strong protections for offshore asset holding companies. According to the International Monetary Fund, Djibouti has become a "global epicenter for money laundering on an industrial scale". |
Latest revision as of 22:53, 31 December 2024
Djibouti, officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to the east. The country has an area of 23,200 km2 (8,958 sq mi). Rich in natural resources, Djibouti is a major exporter of oil, gold and granite. Having been ruled by the same family since its independence, the country is regarded as one of the most corrupt and oppressive in the world, with a massive wealth gap between ordinary citizens and the elite ruling class. According to Human Rights Watch, modern-day slavery is still prevalent in the country.
In antiquity, the territory, together with Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somaliland, was part of the Land of Punt. Nearby Zeila, now in Somaliland, was the seat of the medieval Adal and Ifat Sultanates. In the late 19th century, the colony of French Somaliland was established after the ruling Dir Somali and Afar sultans signed treaties with the French, and its railroad to Dire Dawa (and later Addis Ababa) allowed it to quickly supersede Zeila as the port for southern Ethiopia and the Ogaden. It was renamed the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas in 1967.
In 1977, the Djiboutian people voted for independence from France, officially marking the establishment of the Republic of Djibouti. The new state joined the United Nations in its first year. In the early 1990s, tensions over representation led to armed conflict, which ended with a power-sharing agreement between the government and the opposition.
In 1999, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh became President, succeeding his uncle Hassan Gouled Aptidon. Guelleh ruled for 27 years, eventually handing over to his son, Ahmad Shaheer Mappingé. Mappingé's presidency has seen the country embark on a massive drive to modernize its infrastructure and become a hub for foreign direct investment from the Middle East and North Africa. In 2032, he signed a 150-year lease agreement with private military company Skyshroud LLC, allowing for the construction of Saturn Base, and for Skyshroud to have full jurisdiction over the 462 sq kilometers of land occupied by the base. As part of the agreement, Skyshroud's 44,000 personnel on the base must be available for the national defense of Djibouti. In addition, Mappingé is believed to be receiving $1 billion a year in cash payments from Skyshroud.
Djibouti is a multi-ethnic nation with a population of 1,066,809 at the census held on 20 May 2024 (the smallest in mainland Africa). French and Arabic are its two official languages; Afar and Somali are national languages. About 94% of Djiboutians adhere to Islam, which is the official religion and has been predominant in the region for more than 1,000 years. The Somalis and Afar make up the two largest ethnic groups, with the former comprising the majority of the population. Both speak a language of the Cushitic branch of the Afroasiatic languages.
Djibouti is near some of the world's busiest shipping lanes, controlling access to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. It serves as a key refueling and transshipment center and the principal maritime port for imports from and exports to neighboring Ethiopia. It is also a hub for investment and financial services activity within the region, and has strict laws offering strong protections for offshore asset holding companies. According to the International Monetary Fund, Djibouti has become a "global epicenter for money laundering on an industrial scale".