Bow of the ship

Other than the promise of whale sharks, Djibouti seems to have little to offer, at least as a tourist destination. The country is extremely poor: two-thirds of the population live in Djibouti city, where the French influence can be clearly seen in the architecture and occasional passing Foreign Legionnaire; the street markets, however, have a much more traditional African feel to them. Outside of the city, the countryside seems to consist of orange sand, black rocks and wiry bushes. Rainfall is scant, the majority usually falling in December. Nomadic people scratch a living from the barren landscape by herding goats, and goat skin tents can even be seen on the black volcanic rock, defying belief that anyone could actually survive in such an apparently hostile landscape. The country's most important economic asset seems to be its location - its port and roadways providing an artery from Djibouti city's container terminal through to Ethiopia to the west. Its port and airport seem also to serve as havens for American military activity, including providing a landing strip for a bizarre-looking 'Reaper' unmanned combat aircraft.