Dewele
| Dewele | |
|---|---|
 Dewele
|
|
| Coordinates: 11°2′N 42°37′E / 11.033°N 42.617°E | |
| Country |
 Ethiopia
|
| Region | Somali |
| Zone | Shinile |
| Elevation | 898 m (2,946 ft) |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Total | 3,357 |
Dewele (French Douanlé or Daouenlé) is a town on the Ethiopia and Djibouti border. Located in the Shinile Zone in the Somali Region this town has a longitude and latitude of 11°2′N 42°37′E / 11.033°N 42.617°E with an elevation of 898 meters above sea level. Nearby towns and villages include Dikhil (15.8 km), Ali Sabieh (8.7 km), Assamo (9.5 km), Rahele (10.7 km), Ferate (11.2 km) and Meru (13.1 km).
Dewele is served by a station on the Addis Ababa - Djibouti Railway. It serves as an official crossing point between Djibouti and Ethiopia, with a customs post. In the mid-1960s, gypsum was excavated near the town, then transported to a factory in Dire Dawa to be used in the manufacture cement and plaster of Paris.
Dewele was the first point inside the boundaries of Ethiopia to receive train service. The first train ran between Djibouti City and Dewele on 22 July 1901, requiring 5½ hours to make the trip with four halts for water.
In 1907, the Englishmen Bentley and Wells drove a Siddeley automobile from the Red Sea coast to Addis Ababa. They feigned to go to Jaldessa but headed for Dewele instead, to mislead potential shifta or bandits.
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