Holhol ( so, Hollholl, ar, حلحول) is a town in the

Ali Sabieh Region Ali Sabieh Region ( ar, إقليم على صبيح, so, Gobolka Cali Sabiix) is a region in southern Djibouti. With a mainland area of 2,400 square kilometres (900 sq mi), it lies along the national border with Somaliland and Ethiopia, borderin ...

Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red ...

. It is located south-west of the capital Djibouti City, at an altitude of 450m. Holhol enjoys a

semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi ...

(Köppen: BSh). The surrounding district is rich in both

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to ani ...

and fledgling

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people ...

. It is notable for being the birthplace of ''Cheik Osman Waiss'' a nationalist and anti-colonial where he began his movement.

History

The Holhol area has been inhabited since ancient times with nomadics sometimes stopping here for water on the way to the town of Zeila, Tadjoura and after the signing treaties in 1894 with the then ruling Issa Somali Sultans, to established a

protectorate A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over most of its in ...

in the

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...

referred to as French Somaliland. Holhol became an administrative and commercial centre in the 1900s after the construction of the

Ethio-Djibouti Railways The Ethio-Djibouti Railway (french: Chemin de Fer Djibouto-Éthiopien, C.D.E.; ) is a metre gauge railway in the Horn of Africa that once connected Addis Ababa to the port city of Djibouti. The operating company was also known as the Ethio- ...

, the first railway in French Somaliland.

Overview

Holhol is served by a station on the meter gauge

Ethio-Djibouti Railway The Ethio-Djibouti Railway (french: Chemin de Fer Djibouto-Éthiopien, C.D.E.; ) is a metre gauge railway in the Horn of Africa that once connected Addis Ababa to the port city of Djibouti. The operating company was also known as the Ethio-Djib ...

. A notable feature of the meter-gauge railway is a viaduct, 29 meters high and 45 meters long, that was built in 1900. The station is a transit point for commercial goods from Ethiopia. Holhol also has a station on the new standard gauge

Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway The Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway (; , , ) is a new standard gauge international railway that serves as the backbone of the new Ethiopian National Railway Network. The railway was inaugurated by Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on January ...

. The town also lies along RN-5 National Highway. It is the seventh largest city in the country. Additionally, Holhol has a number of primary and secondary schools as well as nurseries. The El-Hajj Hassan Gouled Military Academy is located here. One kilometer from the town is the local college. Nearby towns and villages include Ali Sabieh (33 km),

Goubetto Goubetto ( ar, جوبيتو, so, Gubato), also spelled Goubétto, is a town in Djibouti. Located in the Ali Sabieh region, it is served by a station on the Ethio-Djibouti Railways. The eastern part of the same plateau is crossed by numerous val ...

(18 km), Ali Adde (23 km), Dasbiyo (18 km) and Chabelley (28 km).

Demographics

As of 2017, the population of Holhol has been estimated to be roughly around 3,000. The city inhabitants belong to various mainly Afro-Asiatic-speaking ethnic groups, with the Issa

Somali Somali may refer to: Horn of Africa * Somalis, an inhabitant or ethnicity associated with Greater Somali Region ** Proto-Somali, the ancestors of modern Somalis ** Somali culture ** Somali cuisine ** Somali language, a Cushitic language ** Somali ...

predominant.

Climate

Holhol is located in the central Ali Sabieh Region, and has a

hot arid climate The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk''), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...

(''BWh'') under the Köppen-Geiger system. Weather in Holhol, much like other inland towns in

, is warm and dry year-round. The average daytime

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measured with a thermometer. Thermometers are calibrated in various temperature scales that historically have relied o ...

s during the summer months of June and August can rise to , with a low of at night. The weather is cooler the rest of the year, averaging during the day and at nighttime. The town limited rainfall of usually comes with two peaks during March–May and September–October. Holhol's landscape is semi-desert and fairly flat with wadi valleys.

References

Populated places in Djibouti {{Djibouti-geo-stub

History

Overview

Demographics

Climate

See also

References