Balbala
Sign in to savethumb|Boulevard Cheikh Maktoum in Balbala Balbala () is a southern suburb of Djibouti City, located west of the river Ambouli. The name is from the "Flashing" (on Somali bal-bal be derived) from the nearby lighthouse. The suburb has formed since 1966 when access to the city was restricted. At first a shanty town, it is now a suburb with schools and a hospital, and a population estimated at 554,350 in 2024.
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thumb|Boulevard Cheikh Maktoum in Balbala Balbala () is a southern suburb of Djibouti City, located west of the river Ambouli. The name is from the "Flashing" (on Somali bal-bal be derived) from the nearby lighthouse. The suburb has formed since 1966 when access to the city was restricted. At first a shanty town, it is now a suburb with schools and a hospital, and a population estimated at 554,350 in 2024.
==History== After riots in 1966 a checkpoint was erected in front of the capital of the former French colony to discourage "subversive elements" at the entrance to the city. Upstream of this checkpoint developed a settlement of migrants from other parts of the country, an informal cattle market and a caravan station. Police raids in the city and the subsequent deportation of unwanted newcomers further contributed to the growth of Balbala, which became a large shanty town.
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