Djibouti–Somalia border

A French and a British Somaliland

After Britain took Aden in 1839 it signed trade treaties with Somali chiefs across the Gulf, and in 1884 it set up the protectorate of British Somaliland. France had acquired Obock by treaty with Afar chiefs in 1862 and in 1884–85 signed protection treaties around the Gulf of Tadjoura. In February 1888 the two powers agreed a line between their holdings.^[1]

The agreement ran the line from the coast opposite “the wells of Hadou” inland along caravan routes, and said both sides could use the wells. But nobody could find the wells of Hadou, so officials agreed to start the border just northeast of Loyada and run a straight line inland to the hill of Madaha Djalelo, which later became the Ethiopian tripoint.^[1]

“It is expressly agreed that the use of the wells of Hadou shall be common to both parties.”^[1]

Two independences, then a split

British Somaliland became independent on 26 June 1960 and five days later joined former Italian Somaliland to form the Somali Republic. French Somaliland, renamed the French Territory of the Afars and Issas in 1967, became independent as Djibouti on 27 June 1977.^[1]

After Somalia’s government fell in 1991, the Somali National Movement took control of the former British Somaliland and in May 1991 declared it the independent Republic of Somaliland.^[2] Somalia rejects its secession. In December 2025 Israel became the first country to recognise Somaliland; the African Union rejected any recognition, and Djibouti’s foreign minister joined Egypt, Somalia and Turkey in condemning Israel’s move.^[3]