Djibouti

The region was part of the ancient world of trade, identified by some with the incense-rich Land of Punt that traded with ancient Egypt, and later home to Islamic sultanates such as Adal and Ifat that flourished on the commerce between the African interior and Arabia. France took control in the nineteenth century, building a port and railway to serve the trade of Ethiopia, and the territory became known as French Somaliland and later the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. Djibouti gained its independence in 1977.

Djibouti is a small, intensely hot, and arid country of volcanic plateaus, desert plains, and salt lakes. Its most remarkable feature is Lake Assal, a crater lake that is the lowest point on the African continent and one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world, ringed by gleaming white salt flats. The land sits in a geologically active zone where the continent is slowly splitting apart, and its strategic value lies above all in its coastline, commanding the narrow strait at the mouth of the Red Sea.

The flag of Djibouti has two horizontal bands of light blue over green, with a white triangle at the hoist bearing a red five-pointed star. The colours reflect the country's two main communities: the blue is associated with the Issa Somali and with the sea and sky, and the green with the Afar and with the land. The white triangle stands for peace, and the red star for unity and the blood shed for independence, expressing the hope of binding the two peoples into one nation.

Djibouti is an overwhelmingly Muslim country, with the great majority of its people following Sunni Islam, a faith that reached the Horn of Africa in the earliest days of the religion and is central to the culture and daily life of both the Somali and Afar communities. Islam shapes law, custom, and the rhythm of the year, often coloured by Sufi traditions. There is a small Christian minority, largely among foreign residents, reflecting Djibouti's role as an international hub.

Djiboutian cuisine reflects the country's location and history, blending Somali, Afar, Arab, and French influences. Rice and flatbread are staples, often served with spiced meat or fish, and a popular dish is a stew of meat and vegetables eaten with bread or rice. The French colonial legacy shows in baguettes and a café culture, while the flavours of the wider region, with their warm spices, dominate. Fresh fish from the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and dates, are also part of the diet.

Agriculture is almost negligible in Djibouti, where the harsh desert climate, lack of fresh water, and tiny amount of arable land make farming extremely difficult, and the country imports the great majority of its food. What little agriculture exists involves the herding of goats, sheep, and camels by nomadic and semi-nomadic people, and some growing of fruit and vegetables with irrigation. The country's economy rests instead on its port, its strategic location, and the rents paid by the foreign military bases it hosts.

The ancient incense trade, the medieval Islamic sultanates, and the building of the French port and railway shaped Djibouti's history, and independence came in 1977. The country's defining modern feature is its strategic position: commanding the strait at the mouth of the Red Sea, on the route between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, it has become host to the military bases of several major powers, including the United States, France, and China, making this tiny nation a focus of global interest.

Djibouti has a population of around 1.1 million people, made up mainly of two ethnic groups, the Somali Issa and the Afar, along with Arab and other communities, with Arabic and French as the official languages. The population is overwhelmingly urban, with the great majority living in the capital, Djibouti City, around its vital port, while the rest of the country is a thinly peopled desert roamed by herders. The balance between the two main communities is an important feature of national politics.