Established as a country a little more than a century ago, born as an independent republic in June 1977, Djibouti is among the youngest as well as the smallest states in Africa. Yet its strategic location at the crossroads of the maritime trade routes between Africa, Asia and Europe turned this tiny spot on the world map into a vital player in twentieth century geopolitics.

"...concise and accurate descriptions of interest to general reader and specialist alike....well covered are contemporary governmental and social institutions...[the authors] succeeded in building a slender bridge across what is still a gaping abyss separating francophone and anglophone scholarship about Djibouti." - International Journal of African Historical Studies

"...the entries here and the bibliography should prove a useful resource." - Journal of African History

"This subject encyclopedia is key to information about Djibouti for beginning researchers...an excellent source that is essential for all academic libraries supporting an African studies program." - CHOICE