Northeast Africa, Gulf of Aden.

GMT + 3.

23,200 sq km (8,958 sq miles).

721,000 (UN estimate 2005)

31.1 per sq km

Djibouti. Population: 575,100 (2005).

Djibouti is part of the African continent, bordered to the northeast and east by the Red Sea, the southeast by Somalia, the southwest by Ethiopia and to the north by Eritrea. The country is a barren strip of land around the Gulf of Tadjoura, varying in width from 20km (12 miles) to 90km (56 miles), with a coastline of 300km (188 miles), much of it white sandy beaches. Inland is semi-desert and desert, with thorn bushes, steppes and volcanic mountain ranges.

Republic. Gained independence from France in 1977.

President Ismail Omar Guelleh since 1999 (re-elected in 2005).

Prime Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita since 2001.

Ismail Omar Guelleh succeeded his uncle, Hasan Gouled Aptidon, in April 1999. He won the presidential elections as the RPP candidate with 74% of the vote. The RPP joined with FRUD to form a new ruling coalition, l'Union pour la Majorité Présidentielle (UMP). The UMP took 62.7% of the votes but won all 65 seats in the Chamber of Deputies due to Djibouti's unusual first-past-the-post list system in the parliamentary elections in January 2003. Presidential elections were held on 8 April 2005. Guelleh claimed 96.85 of the vote. The opposition l'Union pour l'Alternative Démocratique (UAD) disputed the high turnout figure of 78.9% and called for a boycott of the polls. Guelleh is now serving his second six-year term and will not be eligible to stand again.

The official languages are Arabic and French. Afar and Somali are spoken locally. English is spoken by hoteliers, taxi drivers and traders.

Predominantly Muslim (94%) with Roman Catholic, Protestant and Greek Orthodox minorities.

220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Casual wear is widely acceptable, but visitors are reminded that Djibouti is a Muslim country and certain codes of behaviour should be observed.