Randa, Djibouti

{{Infobox settlement

|official_name = Randa
راندا

|native_name =

|settlement_type = Town

|image_skyline =

{{Photomontage

| photo1a = Randa, Djibouti 2016.jpg

| photo2a = Randa valley view.jpg

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|pushpin_map = Djibouti

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|pushpin_map_caption = Location in Djibouti

|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_type1 = Region

|subdivision_name = 25px Djibouti

|subdivision_name1 = Tadjoura

|subdivision_type2 = District

|subdivision_name2 = Randa

|established_title =

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|area_total_km2 = 0.44

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|population_as_of= 2024 census

|population_footnotes = [https://www.citypopulation.de/en/djibouti/cities/ Citypopulation.de] Population of Cities & Rural Localities in Djibouti

|population_total = 2055

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|coordinates = {{coord|11|50|49|N|42|39|38|E|region:DJ-TA|display=inline,title}}

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|elevation_m = 927

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Randa ({{langx|ar|راندا}}) is a town in central Djibouti located in Tadjoura. It is the capital of the Randa District. The settlement lies in a small valley, north of the Day Forest National Park in the Goda Mountains. It is located on the RN-11 Highway, which connects it to Tadjoura, located some {{convert|32|km|0|abbr=off}} to the south.

File:Randa Mountain Side.png

History

Randa has played an important role in trade between the port of Tadjoura, and the hinterland, once dynamic and prosperous possessing a well on its bed of wadi which crossed it and has one of the mildest climates in Djibouti. The beginning of the civil conflict in December 1991, when the FRUD rebels captured Randa and neighbouring towns. However, the Djiboutian Army re-took the town in October 1993.

Overview

The settlement lies in a small valley, north of the RN-11 road which leaves the coast to the south to head west towards Dorra. It is within {{convert|10|mi}} of the Day Forest National Park in the Goda Mountains to the south.

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|+ Nearest towns

style="background: #F0E68C" align="left"

! style="width:150px;"| Name

! style="width:150px;"| Distance

Bankouale{{convert|1.8|mi}}
Airolaf{{convert|5.3|mi}}
Tadjoura{{convert|15.8|mi}}
Dorra{{convert|24.3|mi}}
`Assa Gaila{{convert|23.8|mi}}
Medeho{{convert|26.2|mi}}
Balho{{convert|34.6|mi}}

Geography

Randa's altitude gives the settlement and the surrounding area a milder climate than the Tadjoura coastal area, where the weather is typically hotter. A river runs through the town. Often dry, the watercourse divides Randa in half. The surrounding mountains to the west are high and jagged, lengthening journeys in that direction.

Wildlife

Due to the fertility of the region, experienced in many years, wild mammals such as gazelle and mountain goats migrate to the area either to breed or to live and graze on the grassland savannah.

Climate

The town seldom experiences either sweltering or cold weather, due to the high altitude. The settlement has relatively high average precipitation for the region, twice that of Tadjourah city for example. Average monthly temperatures in Randa range from {{convert|14|°C|1|disp=or}} during December and January mornings to {{convert|34.7|°C|1|disp=or}} during June afternoons.

Randa has a hot semi-arid climate (BSh) by the Köppen-Geiger system.

{{Weather box

|width = auto

|location = Randa

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|Jan high C = 23.6

|Feb high C = 23.9

|Mar high C = 25.9

|Apr high C = 28.0

|May high C = 31.2

|Jun high C = 34.4

|Jul high C = 34.7

|Aug high C = 33.7

|Sep high C = 32.1

|Oct high C = 28.6

|Nov high C = 25.8

|Dec high C = 24.0

|Jan mean C = 18.6

|Feb mean C = 19.3

|Mar mean C = 20.9

|Apr mean C = 23.1

|May mean C = 25.8

|Jun mean C = 28.9

|Jul mean C = 28.9

|Aug mean C = 28.1

|Sep mean C = 27.2

|Oct mean C = 23.4

|Nov mean C = 20.8

|Dec mean C = 19.2

|Jan low C = 13.7

|Feb low C = 14.8

|Mar low C = 16.0

|Apr low C = 18.2

|May low C = 20.5

|Jun low C = 23.5

|Jul low C = 23.1

|Aug low C = 22.5

|Sep low C = 22.3

|Oct low C = 18.2

|Nov low C = 15.8

|Dec low C = 14.4

|precipitation colour=green

|Jan precipitation mm = 39

|Feb precipitation mm = 36

|Mar precipitation mm = 20

|Apr precipitation mm = 27

|May precipitation mm = 12

|Jun precipitation mm = 7

|Jul precipitation mm = 25

|Aug precipitation mm = 38

|Sep precipitation mm = 40

|Oct precipitation mm = 13

|Nov precipitation mm = 37

|Dec precipitation mm = 31

|source 1 = Climate-Data.org, altitude: 1034m{{cite web|title=Climate: Randa - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table|url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/31638/|publisher=Climate-Data.org|accessdate=25 September 2013}}

}}

References

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