The history of Djibouti happens in chronology of key events according to BBC News:
825 - Islam introduced to the area. French rule 1862 - France acquires the port of Obock. 1888 - French colony of Somaliland established over the region. 1892 - Djibouti becomes capital of French Somaliland. 1897 - Ethiopia acquires parts of Djibouti after signing a treaty with France. 2008 February - Ruling coalition wins all 65 seats in parliamentary elections which are boycotted by the three main opposition parties. 2008 June - Fighting breaks out between Djiboutian and Eritrean troops in the disputed Ras Doumeira border area. At least nine Djiboutian soldiers killed. US condemns Eritrean "aggression" but Eritrea denies launching an attack.
International Court of Justice rules that France is not obliged to share information it gathered in investigation into the 1995 death of French judge Bernard Borrel. 2009 April - UN Security Council says Eritrea has failed to fulfil its obligation to withdraw troops from disputed border area of neighbouring Djibouti. Eritrea denies having troops on Djiboutian soil. 2009 December - UN Security Council approves tough sanctions against Eritrea for supplying weapons to opponents of the Somali government and refusing to resolve border dispute with Djibouti. The Djibouti government welcomes the move. 2010 April - Parliament approves constitutional amendment allowing president to run for a third term. 2010 June - Eritrea, Djibouti agree to resolve their border dispute peacefully. 2011 February - Thousands gather for rare protest demanding regime change. At least two people are killed in confrontation with police. 2011 April - Guelleh wins a third term as president in an election boycotted by the opposition. 2011 June-September - Horn of Africa hit by worst drought in 60 years.
A military official at the Pentagon says they learned how quickly Somalis would unite against any U.S. presence in their country. "Any armed foreign forces are viewed as enemies. As soon as a Somali sees one of our guys, that's it." The U.S. military has several encampments along the Kenyan side of Somalia's border. In neighboring Djibouti , there is a U.S. base focused on regional counterterrorism, the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, which was set up in 2002.
France has thousands of troops as well as warships, aircraft and armoured vehicles in Djibouti, contributing directly and indirectly to the country's income. The US has stationed hundreds of troops in Djibouti, its only African base, in an effort to counter terrorism in the region.
After independence from France in 1977, Djibouti was left with a government which enjoyed a balance between the two main ethnic groups, the Issa of Somali origin and the Afar of Ethiopian origin.
But the country's first president, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, installed an authoritarian one-party state dominated by his own Issa community. Afar resentment erupted into a civil war in the early 1990s, and though Mr Gouled, under French pressure, introduced a limited multi-party system in 1992, the rebels from the Afar party, the Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (Frud), were excluded.
Thus, Mr Gouled's Popular Rally for Progress party won every seat and the war went on. It ended in 1994 with a power-sharing deal which brought the main faction of Frud into government. A splinter, radical faction continued to fight until 2000, when it too signed a peace deal with the government of Gouled's successor, Ismael Omar Guelleh.
Economy
The country of Djibouti is about 428 million dollars in debt, with about 42% of the population below the poverty line. (CIA) In the urban areas about 59% of the population is unemployed and in the rural areas of Djibouti 83% of the population is unemployed. (CIA) When it comes to agriculture Djibouti produces fruits, vegetables, goats, sheep, camels, and animal hides. (CIA) Djibouti makes the most profit from its harbors. Djibouti City handles most of Ethiopian imports and exports, and it also exports hides and skins, and coffee.
Sanitation and Drinking Water
Sanitation in Djibouti is a major problem. Recently the sanitation has improved in urban areas and about 63% of the population now has proper sanitation and in the rural areas 10% of the population now has proper sanitation. (CIA) On the other hand, many people still do not have proper sanitation. About 37% of the urban population still does not have proper sanitation, and 90% of the population in the rural areas. (CIA)
A large problem in Djibouti is the lack of clean drinking water. Without clean drinking water the people of Djibouti can develop diseases, they cannot cook, and they cannot have proper hygiene. In the urban areas of the country about 2% of the population does not have clean drinking water. (CIA) In the rural areas of the country about 48% of the population does not have clean drinking water. (CIA)
Education
Youth (15-24 years) literacy rate, 2004-2008*, male
Primary school enrolment ratio 2005-2009*, gross, male
49
Primary school enrolment ratio 2005-2009*, gross, female
43
Primary school enrolment ratio 2005-2009*, net, male
44
Primary school enrolment ratio 2005-2009*, net, female
39
Primary school attendance ratio 2005-2009*, net, male
67
Primary school attendance ratio 2005-2009*, net, female
66
Survival rate to last primary grade (%) 2005-2009*, admin data
-
Survival rate to last primary grade (%) 2005-2009*, survey data
92
Secondary school enrolment ratio 2005-2009*, gross, male
35
Secondary school enrolment ratio 2005-2009*, gross, female
24
Secondary school enrolment ratio 2005-2009*, net, male
25
Secondary school enrolment ratio 2005-2009*, net, female
18
Secondary school attendance ratio 2005-2009*, net, male
45
Secondary school attendance ratio 2005-2009*, net, female
37
Definitions of the indicators Adult literacy rate - Percentage of persons aged 15 and over who can read and write. Gross primary or secondary school enrolment ratio - The number of children enrolled in a level (primary or secondary), regardless of age, divided by the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the same level. Net primary school enrolment ratio - The number of children enrolled in primary school who belong to the age group that officially corresponds to primary schooling, divided by the total population of the same age group. Net primary school attendance - Percentage of children in the age group that officially corresponds to primary schooling who attend primary school. These data come from national household surveys. Primary school entrants reaching grade five - Percentage of the children entering the first grade of primary school who eventually reach grade five.
The People
In the country of Djibouti about 35% of the population is from the ages 0-14, 61.7% of the population is between the ages of 15-64, and about 3.3% of the population is 65 or older. The death rate is per one thousand people about 8.23 die in a year. (CIA)
When it comes to religion about 94% of the population is Muslim, and the other 6% is Christian. (CIA)
The main ethnic group is Somali with 60% of the population, Afar with 35%, and the other 5% consists of French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian. Their two official languages are French and Arabic, but they also speak Somali and Afar.
Djibouti Background
The small country of Djibouti is located in Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia. The terrain of Djibouti is extremely desolate, with a barren plain stretching along the country's coast. Farther inland is a mountain range with several peaks that rise more than 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) above sea level (World Book Online). Inadequate supplies of potable water, limited arable land, desertification, and endangered species plague this country (CIA). Almost all civilians suffer from unsafe drinking water, which cause many illnesses, such as diarrhea. Many mothers drink this water during pregnancy, with other mothers providing the unsanitary water directly to their newborns instead of breastfeeding them. Along with unclean drinking water, many civilians suffer from malnutrition. This results from the infertile soil caused by desertification, which leaves small amounts of farmland. In the span of one year (May 2010 - May 2011), the moderate acute malnutrition rose from 7 percent to 22 percent, according to Médecins Sans Frontières (Switzerland) (UNICEF).
History
The history of Djibouti happens in chronology of key events according to BBC News:
825 - Islam introduced to the area.
French rule
1862 - France acquires the port of Obock.
1888 - French colony of Somaliland established over the region.
1892 - Djibouti becomes capital of French Somaliland.
1897 - Ethiopia acquires parts of Djibouti after signing a treaty with France.
2008 February - Ruling coalition wins all 65 seats in parliamentary elections which are boycotted by the three main opposition parties.
2008 June - Fighting breaks out between Djiboutian and Eritrean troops in the disputed Ras Doumeira border area. At least nine Djiboutian soldiers killed. US condemns Eritrean "aggression" but Eritrea denies launching an attack.
International Court of Justice rules that France is not obliged to share information it gathered in investigation into the 1995 death of French judge Bernard Borrel.
2009 April - UN Security Council says Eritrea has failed to fulfil its obligation to withdraw troops from disputed border area of neighbouring Djibouti. Eritrea denies having troops on Djiboutian soil.
2009 December - UN Security Council approves tough sanctions against Eritrea for supplying weapons to opponents of the Somali government and refusing to resolve border dispute with Djibouti. The Djibouti government welcomes the move.
2010 April - Parliament approves constitutional amendment allowing president to run for a third term.
2010 June - Eritrea, Djibouti agree to resolve their border dispute peacefully.
2011 February - Thousands gather for rare protest demanding regime change. At least two people are killed in confrontation with police.
2011 April - Guelleh wins a third term as president in an election boycotted by the opposition.
2011 June-September - Horn of Africa hit by worst drought in 60 years.
A military official at the Pentagon says they learned how quickly Somalis would unite against any U.S. presence in their country. "Any armed foreign forces are viewed as enemies. As soon as a Somali sees one of our guys, that's it." The U.S. military has several encampments along the Kenyan side of Somalia's border. In neighboring Djibouti , there is a U.S. base focused on regional counterterrorism, the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, which was set up in 2002.
France has thousands of troops as well as warships, aircraft and armoured vehicles in Djibouti, contributing directly and indirectly to the country's income. The US has stationed hundreds of troops in Djibouti, its only African base, in an effort to counter terrorism in the region.
After independence from France in 1977, Djibouti was left with a government which enjoyed a balance between the two main ethnic groups, the Issa of Somali origin and the Afar of Ethiopian origin.
But the country's first president, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, installed an authoritarian one-party state dominated by his own Issa community. Afar resentment erupted into a civil war in the early 1990s, and though Mr Gouled, under French pressure, introduced a limited multi-party system in 1992, the rebels from the Afar party, the Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (Frud), were excluded.
Thus, Mr Gouled's Popular Rally for Progress party won every seat and the war went on. It ended in 1994 with a power-sharing deal which brought the main faction of Frud into government. A splinter, radical faction continued to fight until 2000, when it too signed a peace deal with the government of Gouled's successor, Ismael Omar Guelleh.
Economy
The country of Djibouti is about 428 million dollars in debt, with about 42% of the population below the poverty line. (CIA) In the urban areas about 59% of the population is unemployed and in the rural areas of Djibouti 83% of the population is unemployed. (CIA) When it comes to agriculture Djibouti produces fruits, vegetables, goats, sheep, camels, and animal hides. (CIA) Djibouti makes the most profit from its harbors. Djibouti City handles most of Ethiopian imports and exports, and it also exports hides and skins, and coffee.
Sanitation and Drinking Water
Sanitation in Djibouti is a major problem. Recently the sanitation has improved in urban areas and about 63% of the population now has proper sanitation and in the rural areas 10% of the population now has proper sanitation. (CIA) On the other hand, many people still do not have proper sanitation. About 37% of the urban population still does not have proper sanitation, and 90% of the population in the rural areas. (CIA)
A large problem in Djibouti is the lack of clean drinking water. Without clean drinking water the people of Djibouti can develop diseases, they cannot cook, and they cannot have proper hygiene. In the urban areas of the country about 2% of the population does not have clean drinking water. (CIA) In the rural areas of the country about 48% of the population does not have clean drinking water. (CIA)
Definitions of the indicators
Adult literacy rate - Percentage of persons aged 15 and over who can read and write.
Gross primary or secondary school enrolment ratio - The number of children enrolled in a level (primary or secondary), regardless of age, divided by the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the same level.
Net primary school enrolment ratio - The number of children enrolled in primary school who belong to the age group that officially corresponds to primary schooling, divided by the total population of the same age group.
Net primary school attendance - Percentage of children in the age group that officially corresponds to primary schooling who attend primary school. These data come from national household surveys.
Primary school entrants reaching grade five - Percentage of the children entering the first grade of primary school who eventually reach grade five.
The People
In the country of Djibouti about 35% of the population is from the ages 0-14, 61.7% of the population is between the ages of 15-64, and about 3.3% of the population is 65 or older. The death rate is per one thousand people about 8.23 die in a year. (CIA)
When it comes to religion about 94% of the population is Muslim, and the other 6% is Christian. (CIA)
The main ethnic group is Somali with 60% of the population, Afar with 35%, and the other 5% consists of French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian. Their two official languages are French and Arabic, but they also speak Somali and Afar.
Work Cited
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13231763>.
<https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/
dj.html>.
<http://www.worldbookonline.com/advanced/article?id=ar161840&st=djibouti>.
July 2011. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. <http://www.unicef.org/hac2011/images/
UNICEF_Humanitarian_Action_Update-_Horn_of_Africa_Crisis-_Addendum_-_24_July_2011
.pdf>.