Horn of Africa (Ethiopia: 96.6 million, Somalia: 10.4 million, Eritrea: 6.4 million, and Djibouti: 0.81 million). Regional studies on the Horn of Africa are carried out, among others, in the fields of Ethiopian Studies as well as Somali Studies. This peninsula is known by various names. In ancient and medieval times, the Horn of Africa was referred to as the "Bilad al Barbar" ("Land of the Berbers"). It is also known as the "Somali peninsula", or in the Somali language, "Geeska Afrika", "Jasiiradda Soomaali" or "Gacandhulka Soomaali". In other languages that are local or adjacent to the Horn of Africa, it is known
Horn of Africa eventually transformed into Islamic Mogadishu, Berbera, Zeila, Barawa and Merka, which were part of the "Berber civilization". The city of Mogadishu came to be known as the "City of Islam" and controlled the East African gold trade for several centuries. During the Middle Ages, several powerful empires dominated the regional trade in the Horn, including the Adal Sultanate, the Ajuran Sultanate, the Warsangali Sultanate, the Zagwe dynasty, and the Sultanate of the Geledi. The Sultanate of Showa, established in 896, was one of the oldest local Islamic states. It was centered in the former Shewa province in central Ethiopia. The