Located in the Horn of Africa, Djibouti is a small but strategically important country bordered by Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, with a coastline along the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Its history dates back thousands of years, as the region was inhabited by the Afar and Issa Somali people, both of whom still make up much of the population today. Djibouti’s position near key sea routes has long made it a crossroads for trade and cultural exchange between Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. In the 19th century, France established colonial control, creating French Somaliland in 1896, which became a major port and coaling station. After a 1967 referendum and increasing nationalist sentiment, Djibouti gained independence on June 27, 1977, becoming one of Africa’s smallest states. Since then, it has maintained relative stability and leveraged its location, hosting several foreign military bases and serving as a gateway for commerce in the region.