The Role of Commercial Emporia in the World-System

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Despite its small size, Djibouti has capitalized on its singular geographic position to make itself indispensable as a commercial emporium, as a vital center for global trade, as a key player in bringing stability to a troubled region, and as a location where the armed forces of the world s great powers have established outposts. Situated at the crossroads of continents, Djibouti has long been a crossroads in many other ways, not least because three ethnic groups Afar, Arab, and Somali come together to form its population. Known as Djab-bouti the defeat of the ogress for the Somali, ja-buta lycanthropy for the Afar, or jaa-bawti my boat arrives for the Arab, Djibouti serves as a fascinating case study in geostrategy. This book, originally the author s PhD thesis, highlights how Djibouti developed into an essential commercial hub with a port that outshines others in the region. In detailing the country s vision, it also shows Djibouti over time to be at another crossroads between its precolonial and colonial past and a future that can be crucial to the world s commercial prosperity and geopolitical harmony.