Djibouti

Part of Djibouti's appeal is its lack of tourists. Dawn over a desolate lake full of flamingos on the wing is unforgettable. The black lava fields, weird natural chimneys blowing steam and the burning, endless plains are deserted. Diving and snorkeling around Red Sea coral reefs is fabulous.

The country is a boisterous blend of colonial French and modern Arabic. What it lacks in major attractions it makes up for in buzz, and travelers are often regarded as curios and treated to traditional African hospitality. However, its lack of visitors is due to its tendency towards strife.

The injuries of the civil war have only recently begun to heal, and none of the continuing strife beyond the country's borders makes that process easier. The population has been inflated by tens of thousands of refugees from Somalia and Ethiopia, and the disaffected along Djibouti's national boundaries threaten at least to relieve travelers of their cameras, at most to reunite the war. The French military withdrawal has taken much-needed cash out of the country, and Monody’s are not about to give the economy an 'AAA' rating anytime soon.

Full country name: Republic of Djibouti
Area: 23,200 sq km
Population: 850,000
Capital City and Others cities: Djibouti City (pop 420,000), Obock, Tadjourah, Ali-Sabieh, Dikhil, Arta-Weah, Balbala, Randa, Doraleh, Holl-Holl.
People: Issas, Afars, Somalis
Language: Issas, Afars, Somalis, French, And Arabic.
Religion: 100% Muslim
 

GDP: US$530 million
GDP per capita: US$1,200
Annual Growth: 3.1%
Inflation: 3%
Major Industries: Shipping, oil, hides and skins and a few small enterprises like dairy products and mineral water
Major Trading Partners: Ethiopia, France, Somalia, Thailand, and Yemen