Djibouti was originally inhabited by nomadic tribes, the main ones being the Afars and the Issas, who are strongly linked to Ethiopia and Somalia respectively.
In 1862, the French signed a treaty with the Afar leaders, giving them land on the north coast.
In 1945, French Somaliland (as the area was called) was declared an 'overseas territory', and in 1967, it became the French territory of the 'Afars and Issas'.
Tensions between the Afars, the Issas and the French led to sporadic outbreaks of violence during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
In 1977, the French agreed to withdraw and the country achieved independence with Hassan Gouled Aptidon as president.
A sizeable French military presence in the country guaranteed the Gouled regime, which was threatened by organised opposition - both inside the country and abroad - and by the instability of its larger neighbours, Somalia and Ethiopia and, later on, Eritrea.
In 1991, Afar tribesmen launched a major assault on the regime, under the rubric of Le Front pour la Restauration de l'Unité et la Démocratie (FRUD). After two years of fighting, the rebellion was put down by the government with French support and, in May 1993, Gouled was re-elected as president.
After a major split within FRUD, part of the movement formed an alliance with the government and the ruling Rassemblement Populaire pour le Progrès (RPP). The current premier, who took office in 2001, is Mohammed Dileita.
Gouled resigned in the spring of 1999 after 22 years in office. Gouled's nephew and former security chief, Ismail Omar Guelleh, replaced him and comfortably won the April 1999 poll.
Apart from a failed coup in December 2000 – orchestrated by a disaffected former police chief – Djibouti has since enjoyed a welcome spell of domestic calm.
In April 2005, Guelleh won a second-term in a one-man presidential election. In his campaign he promised to deal with poverty and reduce the country's dependence on imported food.
Predominantly Muslim (94%) with Roman Catholic, Protestant and Greek Orthodox minorities.
Social conventions:Casual wear is widely acceptable, but visitors are reminded that Djibouti is a Muslim country and certain codes of behaviour should be observed.
The official languages are Arabic and French. Afar and Somali are spoken locally. English is spoken by hoteliers, taxi drivers and traders.
