Home





East Africa page

Djibouti Eritrea Ethiopia Kenya
Seychelles Somalia Tanzania ..Uganda

Top of page - Menu


Djibouti


Map of Djibouti

Population: 450.000
Capital: Djibouti
Official language: French, Arabic
Ethnic groups: Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%

Background: The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 11037. A peace accord in 1994 ended a three-year uprising by Afars rebels.
(Source: WorldFackbook 2000 CIA)

More info: BBC Country Profiles: Djibouti

Top of page - Menu


Eritrea


Map of Eritrea

Population: 4 million
Capital: Asmara
Offisial language: n/a
Major ethnic groups: ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%

Background: Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 remains unresolved.
(Source WorldFactbook 2000 CIA)

More info: BBC Country Profiles: Eritrea

Artists from Eritrea:


Top of page - Menu


Ethiopia


Map of Ethiophia

Population: 64 million
Capital: Addis Ababa
Offisial language:
Major ethnic groups: Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%

Background: Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, one exception being the Italian occupation of 1936-41. In 11034 a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SALASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), in 1991. A constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea that erupted in May 1998 has strengthened the ruling coalition, but has hurt the nation's economy.
(Source WorldFactbook 2000 CIA)

More info: BBC Country Profiles: Ethiopia

Ethiopia is an old kingdom, and is one of the oldest Christian countries in the world. Ethiopia has a conflict going on with Eritrea, and there's been civil war in the country for three decades. But at the moment it's more peaceful, the regime collapsed in 1991.

The music in Ethiopia is based at a five note, pentatonic scale. This means that the is a greater interval between the notes than in the rest of the world.

Artists from Ethiopia:

Top of page - Menu


Kenya


Map of Kenya

Population: 29 million
Capital: Nairobi
Offisial language: English
Major ethnic groups: Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African (including Maasai) 15%

Background: Ethnic divisions account for many of Kenya's problems. During the early 1990s, tribal clashes killed thousands and left tens of thousands homeless. Ethnically split opposition groups allowed the regime of Daniel Toroitich arap MOI, in power since 11038, to be reelected for a fourth term in 19103 in balloting marred by violence and fraud.
(Source WorldFactbook 2000 CIA)

More info: BBC Country Profiles: Kenya

Kenyan music

Most ethnic music of Kenya is used to accompany different rites. Celebration of birth, marriages, harvests, festivities, religious rites, solar and lunar songs and death. For special interests, check the book: George Senoga-Zake, Folk music of Kenya.

There is a lot of different music styles Kenyan music today, most of them is based at old traditional styles. Most styles have one thing in common, the guitar. The guitar has been in use for more than hundred years in Kenya.

In pop music there is one main style, Benga. It is from the Luo people in Western Kenya, and it goes back to the 50s. At first it was an accoustic style, nowaday it is mostly electric.
In addition to the local benga, there is Swahili music with roots in Tanzanian pop styles, in example Swahili rumba.

Artists from Kenya:

Top of page - Menu


Seychelles


No map

Location: Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Population: 80.000
Capital: Victoria
Official language: English, French
Ethnic groups: Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)

Background: A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 11036. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993.
(Source: WorldFackbook 2000 CIA)

More info: BBC Country Profiles: Seychelles

Top of page - Menu


Somalia


Map of Somalia

Population: 7 million
Capital: Mogadishu
Offisial language: Somali
Major ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu

Background: Intermittent civil war has been a fact of life in Somalia since 11037. In 1991, the northern portion of the country declared its independence as Somaliland; although de facto independent and relatively stable compared to the tumultuous south, it has not been recognized by any foreign government. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored.
(Source WorldFactbook 2000 CIA)

More info: BBC Country Profiles: Somalia

Top of page - Menu


Tanzania


Map of Tanzania

Population: 30 million
Capital: Dodoma
Offisial language: Kiswahili and English
Major ethnic groups: mainland - native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab)

Background: Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 11030s.
(Source WorldFactbook 2000 CIA)

More info: BBC Country Profiles: Tanzania

Music in Tanzania

In the 1960s and up the 80s many musician and bands where paid by the state organizations in Tanzania. The bands where often organized as collectives, and composing and arranging music was mostly a group process. Politics changed in early 90s. The plug was dragged out of the tub, leaving music life in a vacuum, and in a state of financial shock.

Artists from Tanzania:

Top of page - Menu


Uganda


Map of Uganda

Population: 23 million
Capital: Kampala
Offisial language: English
Major ethnic groups: Baganda 17%, Karamojong 12%, Basogo 8%, Iteso 8%, Langi 6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Bunyoro 3%, Batobo

Background: Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (11031-79) was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed another 100,000 lives. During the 1990s the government has promulgated non-party presidential and legislative elections.
(Source WorldFactbook 2000 CIA)

More info: BBC Country Profiles: Uganda