Obock
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Demographics
The population consists of two major ethnic groups: the Somali 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 Madoobe Dir, while the Gadabuursi and Isaaq are part of the Mahe Dir, Mohammed Hiniftire.
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Culture
Djiboutian attire reflects the 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 jewelry and head-dresses.[6]
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.
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History
The history of Djibouti as recorded in poetry and songs of its nomadic people, 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 Islam.
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French interest developed in the nineteenth century when the area was ruled by the sultan of Raheita, Tadjoura and Gobaad. The French purchased the anchorage of Obock in 1862 and expanded it eventually to a colony called French Somaliland with essentially the current boundaries. In 1967 the area became the French overseas territory of the Afars and the Issas.
The Republic of Djibouti gained its independence from France on June 27, 1977. Djibouti is a Somali, Arab and Islamic country which regularly takes part in Islamic affairs as well as Arab meetings.
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Lac Abbé
Lac Abbé must rate among the most desolate places on earth. The scenery is unique: the plain is dotted with hundreds of limestone chimneys, some standing as high as 50m (165ft), belching out puffs of steam. These spikelike chimneys are the result of calcareous deposits across time. It’s often described as lunar, and Planet of the Apes was filmed here.
Though desolate, it is not uninhabited. Numerous mineral-rich hot springs feed the farms of local nomads who graze their camels and goats here. The banks of the lake are also where flamingos gather at dawn.
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Weather
Djibouti swelters all year round, with slightly more friendly conditions, and a few wet days, in and around January. The relatively dry conditions guarantee lots of sun and just bearable heat, peaking around 29-32°C (85-90°F) between October and April. In between these months things get extreme, with 40°C (104°F) days not uncommon.
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Djibouti (city)
The city of Djibouti (Arabic: جيبوتي, Somali: Jabuuti, French: Ville de Djibouti) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Djibouti. It lies on a peninsula that divides the Gulf of Aden from the Gulf of Tadjoura.
Djibouti has the same status as the country’s five regions. The metropolitan territory borders Arta Region to the south and west, and the Gulf of Tadjourah/Gulf of Aden to the north. Djibouti is home to a population of around 400,000 people, its planned centre having been divided into the former European and African quarters.
The Djibouti-Addis Ababa Railway runs from the city to Addis Ababa, while it is also home to the Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport. Northwest of the city centre lies the cities port, used for international trade, fishing and by ferries to Obock and Tadjoura.
Founded as a seaport in 1888 by the Catalan Eloi Pino, Djibouti became the capital of French Somaliland in 1891, replacing Tadjourah. It has remained the capital for the succeeding colonial government of French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, as well as for the independent country of Djibouti.
One travel writer describes Djibouti as having an identity problem, “it is the sedentary capital of a nomadic people, an African city designed like a European settlement and a kind of French Hong Kong in the Red Sea.”[1] Features of Djibouti City include beaches along its eastern shore and the large Central Market, the national stadium Stade du Ville, the Presidential Palace and Hamouli Mosque.
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Djibouti
Djibouti (Arabic: جيبوتي Jībūtī, Somali: Jabuuti), officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in eastern 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.
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