Editing Obock Region

{{Short description|Region of Djibouti}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->| name                            = Obock Region
| native_name                     = {{langx|aa|Rakaakay Obock}}<br />{{langx|so|Gobolka Obock}}<br />{{langx|ar|إقليم أوبوخ}}
| settlement_type                 = [[Regions of Djibouti|Region (Gobolka - Rakaakay)]]
| nickname                        = 
| motto                           = 
| image_skyline                   = Obock Region landscape.jpg
| image_map                       = Djibouti - Obock.svg
| map_alt                         = 
| map_caption                     = 
| pushpin_label_position          = 
| pushpin_map_alt                 = 
| pushpin_map_caption             = 
| coordinates                     = {{coord|11|58|N|43|18|E|region:DJ_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint                   = 
| coordinates_footnotes           = 
| subdivision_type                = [[Country]]
| subdivision_name                = {{flag|Djibouti}}
| seat_type                       = [[Administrative centre]]
| seat                            = [[Obock]]
| area_footnotes                  = 
| area_total_km2                  = 4,700
| area_land_km2                   = 
| area_water_km2                  = 
| area_water_percent              = 
| area_note                       = 
| elevation_footnotes             = 
| elevation_m                     = 
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_total                = 37,666<ref>{{cite web|title=Djibouti Population|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/djibouti/|publisher=citypopulation.de|access-date=8 September 2024}}</ref>
| population_as_of                = 2024 census
| population_density_km2          = auto
| iso_code                        = DJ-OB
| website                         = 
| footnotes                       = 
}}

The '''Obock Region''' ({{langx|aa|Rakaakay Obock}}, {{langx|ar|إقليم أوبوخ}}, {{langx|so|Gobolka Obokh}}) is a [[Regions of Djibouti|region]] in northern [[Djibouti]]. It has a land area of 4,700 square kilometres (1,800 sq mi), and had a population of 37,856 in 2009.<ref name="EB"/>  It lies along the [[Red Sea]], [[Bab-el-Mandeb]], [[Gulf of Aden]], [[Gulf of Tadjoura]] and includes the [[Seven Brothers Islands|Seven Brothers]], [[Doumeira Islands|Doumeira]] Islands and the coastal city of [[Obock]]. It lies along a portion of the national border with [[Eritrea]]. In total area, it is larger than [[Cape Verde]] and smaller than [[Trinidad and Tobago]]. The topography of the region has highland and coastal plains.

==History==
In the mid-19th century and earlier, Obock was ruled by [[Afar people|Afar]] [[sultan]]s, local authorities with whom [[France]] signed various treaties between 1862 and 1887 to first gain a foothold in the region.<ref name="Uwechue">Raph Uwechue, ''Africa year book and who's who'', (Africa Journal Ltd.: 1977), p.209.</ref><ref>Hugh Chisholm (ed.), ''The encyclopædia britannica: a dictionary of arts, sciences, literature and general information'', Volume 25, (At the University press: 1911), p.383.</ref><ref name="Apcoatf">''A Political Chronology of Africa'', (Taylor & Francis), p.132.</ref> The March 11, 1862 agreement the Afar [[sultan]], Raieta Dini Ahmet signed in [[Paris]] was a treaty where the Afars sold the territory of Obock for 10,000 [[thalaris]], around 55,000 [[francs]] and the [[Obock Territory]] was established.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Henri|first=Brunschwig|url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/cea_0008-0055_1968_num_8_29_3123|title=Histoire Africaine|publisher=Cahiers d'Études africaines|year=1968|pages=32–47}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Tracer des frontières à Djibouti|url=https://djibouti.frontafrique.org/?toDo=docs&ID=4&posID=2&cherche=Ali|access-date=2020-10-23|website=djibouti.frontafrique.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Tracer des frontières à Djibouti|url=https://djibouti.frontafrique.org/?toDo=docs&ID=27&posID=22&cherche=Ali|access-date=2020-10-23|website=djibouti.frontafrique.org}}</ref> The French developed Obock as a colonial port, while the Italians maintained a port to the north of Obock at [[Assab]].<ref name="AshAtkins2010">{{cite book|last1=Ash|first1=John|last2=Atkins|first2=John|title=Birds of Ethiopia and Eritrea: An Atlas of Distribution|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GxfSBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA16|date=30 June 2010|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-4081-3308-8|page=16}}</ref>

Obock region became a separate administrative entity in 1927, with [[Michel Azenor]] appointed as chief.<ref name="Simon2011">{{cite book|last=Simon|first=Imbert-Vier|title=Tracer des frontières à Djibouti, des territoires et des hommes au XIXe et XXe siècles|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ebEjbfy13-0C&pg=PA137|date=20 April 2011|publisher=KARTHALA Editions|language=fr|isbn=978-2-8111-3361-0|page=137}}</ref>

==Geography==
The region covers an area of {{convert|4700|km2}}.<ref name="EB">{{cite book|title=Britannica Book of the Year 2012|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EeqbAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA586|date=1 March 2012|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.|isbn=978-1-61535-618-8|page=586}}</ref> It is bordered by [[Eritrea]] to the north, the [[Tadjourah Region]] to the southwest, and the [[Red Sea]] and [[Gulf of Aden]] to the east.<ref name="GM">{{Google maps | url = https://www.google.com/maps?ll=11.966667,43.3&q=11.966667,43.3&hl=en&t=h&z=9 | access-date =6 November 2016}}</ref> There are several salt-lakes on the road to [[Tadjoura]].<ref name="Rimbaud2007">{{cite book|last=Rimbaud|first=Arthur|title=I Promise to Be Good: The Letters of Arthur Rimbaud|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-c6qA8yyguIC&pg=PA252|date=18 December 2007|publisher=Random House Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-307-43125-7|page=252}}</ref>

The regional capital is [[Obock]] which is positioned on the [[Gulf of Tadjoura]] littoral, by the sea, by a group of beaches and flattened abraded in coral beds with a very salty sheet of water. The wooded area of the [[Mabla Mountains]], reaching more than 1,000 m and housing the second forest of the country, constitutes the natural border between the region of Obock and that of Tadjourah. The coastline is more than a thousand kilometers long. Obock with its proximity to [[Yemen]] (less than two hours).<ref name="GM"/> The city has a functional airstrip and offers regular ferry services to [[Djibouti City]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Carillet|first1=Jean-Bernard|last2=Bewer|first2=Tim|title=Lonely Planet Ethiopia, Djibouti & Somaliland|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K4iXDlX_3JwC&pg=PT487|date=1 May 2013|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74321-647-7|page=487}}</ref> The wildlife such as [[hamadryas baboon]]s, [[Soemmerring's gazelle]], [[dorcas gazelle]], [[warthog]], [[black-backed jackal]], [[Rüppell's fox|Ruppells sandfox]], [[dikdik]], [[African golden wolf]], [[hyena]], [[Abyssinian hare]], [[African wild ass|wild ass]] and [[ostriches]] are found in this region. [[African wild dog]] was also found in this region, but their present condition is unknown. There have been reports of [[cheetah]] occurring in this region, but there has been no evidence of their presence.

==Economy==
The region is characterized mainly by an activity oriented towards animal production ([[goat]] and dromedary farming), and agricultural activities in irrigated areas and [[artisanal fishing]] along the entire length of its coastline. The practice of small business and other informal activities is also widespread in the town of [[Obock]] and in the main localities. The number of salaried jobs is quite limited. The 200 fishermen of Obock are relatively well organized as part of their Association of Fishermen Cooperatives of Obock.
[[File:Traditional houses on the Mabla Mountains.jpg|thumb|Traditional houses in the [[Mabla Mountains]].]]

==Climate==
The region is characterized by two seasons. The cool season, which runs from November to April, and the warm season which begins in May and is often more or less dry. The rare and low rainfall and endemic [[drought]] make this area one of the driest places in the country. The [[effects of climate change]] are also being felt. Sometimes it is hot and dry and sooner or later than usual. Sometimes it makes cool and wet longer or shorter, later or earlier than expected.

The annual mean statistics for some Tadjoura Region centres is shown below:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Town
!Min. Temp
!Max. Temp
!Rainfall
|-
|[[Khôr ‘Angar]]
|align=center | {{convert|22.8|C|F}} || align=center | {{convert|39.8|C|F}} || align=center | {{convert|57|mm|in|abbr=on}}
|-
|[[Obock]]
|align=center | {{convert|22.3|C|F}} || align=center | {{convert|41.0|C|F}} || align=center | {{convert|80|mm|in|abbr=on}}
|-
|[[Alaili Dadda`]]
|align=center | {{convert|19.6|C|F}} || align=center | {{convert|38.2|C|F}} || align=center | {{convert|135|mm|in|abbr=on}}
|-
|[[Medeho]]
|align=center | {{convert|14.3|C|F}} || align=center | {{convert|35.1|C|F}} || align=center | {{convert|322|mm|in|abbr=on}}
|}

==Towns==
[[File:Map of the Obock Region.png|thumb|right|360px|Map of the Obock Region.]]
{| class="wikitable collapsible sortable" style="margin:lem; margin-top:10;"
|+ Obock Region
|-
!Town names
|-
|[[Obock]]
|-
|[[Alaili Dadda]]
|-
|[[Medeho]]
|-
|[[Khôr ‘Angar]]
|-
|[[Moulhoule]]
|-
|[[Egahlou]]
|-
|[[Waddi, Djibouti|Waddi]]
|-
|[[Andali, Djibouti|Andali]]
|-
|[[La`assa]]
|-
|[[Bissidiro]]
|-
|[[Dadda'to]]
|-
|[[Ribta]]
|-
|[[Fagal]]
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Regions of Djibouti}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Obock Region| ]]
[[Category:Regions of Djibouti]]