Afar

The Afar are a Cushitic people inhabiting the eastern Horn of Africa. Their territory is primarily located in eastern Ethiopia, southern and central Eritrea, and northern and western Djibouti. They speak the Afar language, which belongs to the eastern Cushitic branch alongside Somali and Saho.

Most of their land is arid with low rainfall, including parts of the Danakil Desert and the Awash River valley. Consequently, the economy is based on pastoral herding—camels, goats, and cattle—and small-scale agriculture along nearby rivers. Salt extraction from deposits in areas such as Assal and Karum was a significant component of internal trade for a long time.

Language and religion

The Afar language is written in a modified Latin script and is used in limited education and media in Djibouti and Ethiopia. Most Afar are Sunni Muslims; Islam arrived at the Red Sea coast and the Gulf of Tajura in early periods, traveling along maritime trade routes.

Social organization

Afar society is organized into clans and subclans, traditionally divided into two major branches known as Asaimara and Adoimara. Local sultanates existed, including the Awsa, Tajura, and Rahayta sultanates. A customary legal system called Madga was used to resolve disputes, particularly in matters of blood compensation and property.

Political status

Colonial boundaries—French Djibouti, Italian Eritrea, and Ethiopia—divided the Afar among three present-day states. Within Ethiopia, the Afar Region (Afar Region) is one of the federal states. In Djibouti, the Afar are one of two largest populations, and national politics are managed through power-sharing arrangements between the Afar and Issa-Somali; a civil war that began in 1991 ended with agreements on power division.