Horn of Africa (region)

The Horn of Africa is a region located in the northeast portion of the continent. This region is the easternmost area of the continent and is a peninsula that extends hundreds of miles into the Arabian Sea. The Horn of Africa consists of four countries: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia. Some definitions of the region do not include Somalia, while others are expanded to include Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.

The Horn of Africa, as defined here, is bordered on the west by Sudan and South Sudan. Ethiopia is bordered on the south and southwest by Uganda and Kenya. To the north and northeast, the region is bordered by the Red Sea, across which lies the Arabian Peninsula. To the east of Djibouti and north of Somalia lie the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. The region covers approximately 770,000 square miles (around 2 million square kilometers) in total area, with Ethiopia comprising over half. This is only about 6 percent of the total surface area of the greater African continent. According to the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), the population of the Horn of Africa in 2015 was approximately 115 million people, which grew to over 140 million by 2020 and over 190 million by 2024. Ethiopia is by far the most populous country in the Horn of Africa, with 132 million people. It is the second most populous country in Africa and the largest country in the region, covering over 426,000 square miles (1,104,000 square kilometers) in total area. Ethiopia is landlocked and is the most populous country in the world not bordering a body of water. Somalia makes up the majority of the region’s remaining population and surface area, with over 18 million people. By comparison, the country of Djibouti is tiny in area and population, and only covers about 8,880 square miles (23,000 square kilometers).

The Horn of Africa has ancient roots extending back to many prominent ancient cultures, including the Egyptians and Aksumites. Additionally, the ancient empires of the Horn of Africa were some of the first to receive influence of the three major Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. The Horn of Africa served as a crucial link in trade activities for the surrounding regions. The countries of the Horn have long fought both outside and regional pressures to establish peace and independence, and many of these struggles endure. The Horn of Africa was also the origin of several agricultural staples enjoyed worldwide, including coffee.

Historical Perspective

The Horn of Africa was once the location of the ancient city of Punt, whose people had close ties to the ancient Egyptians. During the eighth and seventh centuries BCE, the kingdom of D’mt ruled over much of the territory bordering the Red Sea. The D’mt Empire was advanced in many ways, crafting sophisticated iron tools and developing irrigation and agricultural systems. The next significant player in the region was the Aksumites, which reigned over the Ethiopian Highlands between the first and seventh centuries CE. Due to the kingdom’s proximity to the Red Sea, the Aksumites successfully traded amongst ancient empires, such as the Romans and Indians. The Aksumites were also notable for being the first major empire to convert to Christianity.

The northern portion of Somalia also played a crucial role in trade by extending the region’s reach to other ancient civilizations via sailors. These merchants supplied many local spices to their contemporary powers, including the Babylonians and the Romans. These sailors would often travel across the Red Sea to the Arabian Peninsula, where Islam was a growing influence. Eventually, Muslims began to migrate to the Horn and peacefully convert the locals to their religion. Islam took a strong hold over the region, and Somalia’s capital of Mogadishu became known as the City of Islam. Throughout the Middle Ages, many different powers ruled over the countries of the Horn, until the Solomonic dynasty secured power over the Ethiopian region.

When the Suez Canal opened in 1869, many of Europe’s leading powers sought to take hold of the Horn’s crucial trading territories. France occupied the area that would become Djibouti beginning in 1894, dubbing it French Somaliland. Djibouti did not gain independence until 1977. Italy successfully invaded and turned Eritrea into an Italian colony in 1890. Ethiopia was the only Horn country successful in rejecting European influence, and assumed administrative responsibilities for Eritrea after Italian and British forces were ousted in 1941 and 1950, respectively. The people of Eritrea grew increasingly frustrated with Ethiopia’s treatment of them, and began seeking independence in 1961. This began a thirty-year war for independence, and Eritrea finally gained autonomy in 1993. Border disputes continued, however, and war erupted again from 1998 to 2000, with tensions continuing to simmer.

Geography and Climate

The most distinguishing geographic feature of the Horn of Africa is the Ethiopian Highlands (sometimes called the Abyssinian Highlands), a large mountain mass. The Ethiopian Highlands are the longest continuous area of high altitude on the African continent. Most of the Highlands reach an altitude of over 5,000 feet (1,500 meters). The Ethiopian Highland primarily stretches across northern and central Ethiopia, as well as Eritrea. The highest peak of the Highlands, Ras Dashan, exists in Ethiopia and reaches an altitude of nearly 15,000 feet (4,550 meters). The Highland is divided by the Great Rift Valley, formed as a result of a crack in the earth’s crust, which separated the Arabian Peninsula from the Horn (they were once connected). The Highlands experience a tropical monsoon climate and can receive 40 to 87 inches of rainfall yearly, mostly in the rainy season from June to September. However, because of its altitude, the climate of the Highlands is considered alpine. The lowland regions of the Horn are generally much more arid and hot. The monsoon winds generally lose their moisture by the time they reach the regions of Djibouti and Somalia, and, therefore, these areas experience little rain. Another prominent geographical feature on the Horn is the Danakil Desert (sometimes called the Danakil Depression), which extends more than 60,000 miles (96,500 kilometers) across Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti. The Danakil Desert experiences extremely high temperatures and is also home to many active volcanoes. Because of the desert's visible geological changes, it is often used as a prime example of tectonic rifting.

The Horn of Africa is home to over 200 mammal species, though only about 20 are endemic. Additionally, the Horn has more than 285 species of reptiles. Ninety of these reptile species are unique to the Horn, making it the region with the highest concentration of regional reptiles in Africa.

Economy

The developing nations of the Horn experience some of the lowest average gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in southern Africa, generally depending on a few particular exports. Djibouti is located at an important position on the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The capital’s port is a crucial shipping location, exporting and importing many goods for East Africa, coming and going to the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. However, the region's exports are poorly diversified, with China importing most of the goods. Djibouti’s economy is almost entirely supported by these trading activities due to the country’s limited natural resources. All of the country’s food must be imported, as its climate is largely unsuitable for agriculture. Both Eritrea and Somalia’s economies suffer at the hands of their respective governments. Eritrea’s government is heavily involved in most sectors but struggles to implement an effective economic strategy. Moreover, the vast majority of the population (around 80 percent) works in agriculture, despite this sector only slightly contributing to the GDP. Somalia’s unstable government makes growing the economy a formidable task. Agriculture is the country’s most important economic sector, with nomadic herders contributing to a large percentage of the population. The exportation of livestock makes up more than a third of the GDP, and it is estimated that between 80 and 95 percent of cross-border trading is undocumented, limiting potential tax revenue.

Ethiopia’s GDP ranks the highest amongst countries of the Horn. The country’s economy is largely reliant on agriculture, with coffee being the most important crop and export. The Ethiopian government continues efforts to diversify the economy with a focus on manufacturing, textiles, and energy generation. Despite the high growth of the country’s GDP in the twenty-first century, Ethiopia’s per capita income is one of the lowest in the world, inflation is high, and youth unemployment continues to be problematic.

Demographics

The countries of the Horn of Africa are still largely rural, and in each country, more than half of the population still lives in rural areas. The only exception is Djibouti, where more than 75 percent of the country lives in its capital city. French and Arabic are the official languages of Djibouti. Somali Arabic and Northern Standard Somali are the official languages of Somalia. The official languages of Eritrea are Tigrigna, Arabic, and English, and Ethiopia’s official language is Amharic. Many other languages are spoken in both Eritrea and Ethiopia, including Oromo and Somali.

There are varying ethnicities across the Horn countries. Djibouti’s population is 60 percent Somali and 35 percent Afar, while in Somalia, 85 percent of the population is Somali. Eritrea has a significant Tigrinya population at 55 percent, as well as 30 percent who are of Tigre ancestry. In Ethiopia, the most common ethnicities are Oromo (34 percent) and Amara (27 percent).

The Horn of Africa has a history with all three major Abrahamic religions. In the twenty-first century, the region is primarily Muslim (Sunni). The only exception is Ethiopia, which has a more varied religious makeup. Ethiopia has one of the largest Orthodox populations in the world, with between 36 and 50 million practicing individuals, and between 30 and 35 percent of the population are Sunni Muslims.

Bibliography

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