History Djibouti

 Historical dates

With Ethiopia, Djibouti is part of "the cradle of humanity". The skeleton of Lucy, a 3 million year old Australopithecus, was discovered in Harar, 62 miles away from Lake Abbe. Petroglyphs dating back to the third or fourth millenniums BC. are found in the country. During the pre-Islamic period, the country was inhabited by nomad tribes, and crossed by Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Phenician expeditions.
Eighth - Fifteenth Centuries, Muslim kingdoms (Choa, Adal).
1862, Treaty between France and the Sultans of Raheitah, Tadjourah and Gobad : cession of the Obock port and a part of the coast.
1885, protectorate treaty between the French and the Afar Sultans and the Issa chiefs.
1887, funding of the City of Djibouti.
1896, Djibouti becomes capital of the "Côte française des Somalies et dépendances".
1898-1917, construction of the Franco-Ethiopian railway between Djibouti and Addis-Abeba.
1949, Djibouti becomes a tax free port. The currency is linked to the Dollar.
1967, the "Côte française des Somalies" is renamed French territory of the Afar and Issa, France gives it more autonomy.
1977, Independence Day, Hassan Gouled becomes President of the Republic.
1991-1992, war between the army and the rebel Afars.
1994, signature of a peace treaty. A national coalition government is established.
1999, Ismaël Omar Guelleh becomes president. He still is today (in 2008).