Djibouti Became Independent From France in 1977

It covers about 23,000 square kilometers, and much of its population lives in the capital, Djibouti City.

French and Arabic are official, while Somali and Afar are widely spoken.

The landscape of tall mineral towers on the Ethiopian border looks otherworldly and has appeared in science-fiction films.

The narrow waterway links the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and is one of the world's busiest shipping routes.