A pair of African camels.

Djibouti

(Location of Djibouti, just on top of the Horn of Africa, and across the Bab al-Mandab Straight from Yemen. Source: Wikipedia).

Djibouti is very diverse, thanks to its strategic geographic location, which has been (and still is) a crossroad of trade and commerce. The country’s culture is highly influenced by its ethnic clusters, with the dominant groups being the Afar and Issa-Somali. The Issa Somali make up 60 percent of the Djibouti population, though their language is not considered an official tonge. This group is largely Muslim and about a quarter of its population lives a nomadic lifestyle, residing in small huts that can easily be packed up and moved on the back of camels. The Afar people live in the desert and the mountains, and make up 40 percent of the country’s population. They are classified into two subgroups, the Asaemara and Adaemara. Ethnic traditions are very much alive, alongside European and French influences.

(Lake Assal in Djibouti is 155 metres below sea level, making it the second lowest land depression on Earth after the Dead Sea. Image TheCrazyTourist.com).

Djibouti’s history was shaped by its original inhabitants (the Afars and the Issas) and the French. The country was populated by the two ethnic groups; the Afars had a strong link with Ethiopia, and the Issas from Somalia. In 1862, the French started their colonization efforts when the Afar leaders signed a treaty that gave them rights to the land on the north coast. It was not until 1945 that French Somaliland (the original name of the territory) was officially declared a French overseas territory. In 1958, the French staged a referendum to determine if its inhabitants wanted to stay with France or join the newly founded Republic of Somalia. Later, the region was renamed The French Territory of the Afars and Issas in 1967.

In 1970, the country became independent as Djibouti with Hassan Gouled Aptidon as president. This was the last French colony in Africa. In 1979 the People’s Progress Assembly party set up with a view to uniting the Afar and Issa peoples, and in 1981 this became the sole party. Tensions have continued both internally and with neighbouring countries since then.

Obverse

The obverse of the coin contains a laurel wreath around Djibouti coat of arms. The country name (“REPUBLIQUE DE DJIBOUTI”) and year are around the edge.

The current national emblem of Djibouti was officially adopted on June 27, 1977. It is composed of a vertical spear in front of a shield. Beneath the shield, two hands are holding onto a machete. The two hands represent the two main ethnic groups of the nation (the Afar and Issa). The laurel branches make up the borders of the shield. At the top of the spear is a five-pointed red star. The star symbolizes the unity between the two main ethnic communities of the nation.

The spear is called a Waran, used by Afar warriors from around the Horn of Africa. The shield is called a Gãschãn or Gaashaan.

Reverse

The reverse of the coin features two dromedaries facing right (one standing, one on ground). Value above.

The lettering around the outside reads: “Unité, Égalité, Paix” (“Unity, Equality, Peace”). This has been the motto of Djibouti since independence.

Dromedary

There are two main species of camels: the Dromedary camel and the Bactrian camel. Also known as the Arabian camel, the dromedary camel is characterised by its single hump. This species is native to the Middle East and North Africa, where it has been domesticated for thousands of years. The dromedary is amongst the most important domesticated animals, playing a key role in the history of North Africa and South-West Asia as a means of transporting people and goods across vast expanses of desert efficiently. The exact lineage of the dromedary is speculated not known and the source of some speculation. One prominent theory is that it is from the Bactrian camel, which was bred for the hot deserts of South-West Asia, or alternatively that the dromedary is derived from a different population of the same ancestor somewhere in Central Asia

(Trans-Saharan Camel Caravan. Similar salt caravans can also be found in Djibouti. From WorldHistory.org).

Djibouti is home to more than six million tonnes of salt. Camel caravans still take the precious resource from Lake Assal to Ethiopia. The white “sand” in the top image of Lake Assal is actually salt. Camels are critical in Djibouti, not only for carrying loads, but also for camel milk.

I really like the camels on this coin. What is your favourite coin featuring an animal? Let us know!