Djibouti is a small country in the northeastern part of Africa. The country got its name for its one and only big city, Djibouti. According to Encarta Djibouti was an area where, many years ago (100,000), people begin to migrate over to the Middle East. Anyway, Encarta goes on about some kingdoms and how Islam was introduced to the country, and eventually, it gets to something relevant to this class... It says that in the second half of the 16th century Europeans begin trading coffee and perfumes with the sultanates of Djibouti.
             France wanted to challenge Britain with trading so they made a bunch of treaties with some rulers of Djibouti and basically got control of the country. This seems pretty simple, but this is the way Encarta says it happened. France chose Djibouti, as in the city, because it would be a good place to have a railroad, it would link with Addis Ababa. By 1917 France had made the railroad. Large amounts of people began to migrate to Djibouti in search of a job. In 1946 France made Djibouti its own and called it French Somaliland. Djiboutians voted to remain under the French administration, ten years later, however, Djiboutians voted for independence. The Republic of Djibouti achieved full independence on June 27, 1977.
             Djibouti has an area of 23,200 sq km (8,960 sq mi). It extends 190 km (120 mi) from north to south and 225 km (140 mi) from east to west. The country's highest point, Moussa Ali (2,063 m/6,768 ft), is on the northern border, just where Ethiopian and Eritrean boundaries meet. Lake 'Asal is the lowest point in Africa at 153 m (502 ft) below sea level. According to Encarta Djibouti has the potential for generating geothermal energy and producing various minerals like gypsum. Most of the country is very dry, Djibouti relies on underground aquifers for its freshwater. Djibouti is hot and dry year-round and even more so during the summer. In the capital, average daily temperatures range from 23° to 29...