Republican of Djibouti

The capital:            Djibouti

The inhabitants enumerated:            472,810 (July 2002)

The language:            The Frenchman and Arabic (official), Somalian

The sweat:            Somalus, boil over, and the last sweats includes the Arab and French

The climate:            Hot and dry throughout the year and especially in the summer

Regime of the governing:            The republican

The economy

- the currency:            Djibouti Frank

- the resources:            Plaster, copper, and ores last

The religion:            The Islam

Area = 22000 km2

History

The first french settlements in Djibouti date from the 1850's. France gained control of the area around the port of Obock in 1862 by purchasing it from the Afars. Control was expanded throughout the rest of the century. Djibouti became a French overseas area in 1967, its old name of French Somaliland being replaced by Afar and Issa. Rivalry between the Afars (ethnically related to Ethiopians) and Issas (related to Somalis) led to armed conflicts in 1976. In May 1977, a referendum was held in which a 98% vote in favour of independence from France was returned. Djibouti became the last French colony on the African continent to gain independence, on 27 June 1977, when it became a presidential republic. A peace accord in 1994 ended a three-year uprising by Afars rebels.