1977 – Djibouti Gains Independence Vote

On June 15, 1977, the people of Djibouti overwhelmingly voted for independence from French colonial rule in a referendum that marked the end of nearly a century of occupation. Previously known as the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, the vote was the culmination of years of political struggle, regional unrest, and diplomatic negotiations. The two major ethnic groups—the Somali Issas and the Afars—rallied behind the call for self-determination, and independence was formally declared just ten days later, on June 27. Djibouti’s strategic location on the Horn of Africa, near the Suez Canal, has made it geopolitically significant. Its independence represented another victory in the wave of decolonization sweeping Africa during the 20th century and reinforced the role of collective ethnic identity in the dismantling of imperial power.