History of Djibouti 2

French wanted to purchase the area in the mid 19^th century while it was ruled by the sultan of Raheita, Tadjoura, and Gobaad. France bought the land in 1862 and expanded it eventually to form a colony called French Somaliland with about the same borders of Djibouti today. In 1967, the area became the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, which are two ethnic groups that then inhabited the area. The Republic of Djibouti later gained independence from France on June 27, 1977. Djibouti is now a Somali, Afar and Islamic country.