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Latest news on Djibouti, the strategic Horn of Africa nation covering politics, the Port of Djibouti, foreign military bases, Red Sea shipping, Bab al-Mandab and Ethiopia trade.

Djibouti is a small country on the Gulf of Aden at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. It overlooks the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping routes. It borders Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, and its capital is Djibouti City. Arabic and French are the official languages.

Ports and logistics drive the economy, led by the Port of Djibouti and the Doraleh Multipurpose Port. Most of landlocked Ethiopia's sea trade passes through the country, helped by the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway. Several nations, including the United States, France, China, Japan and Italy, keep military bases there. Coverage also follows Red Sea security, piracy, elections, opposition criticism and human rights concerns.

Djibouti's people include the Issa-Somali and Afar communities, and the president and prime minister posts have traditionally been balanced between them. Most people are Muslim and live in the capital. Lake Assal, Lake Abbe and the Goda Mountains are among the country's striking landscapes.

Djibouti was once French Somaliland, later the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. It became independent on 27 June 1977 under its first president, Hassan Gouled Aptidon. Ismail Omar Guelleh has led the country since 1999. A civil conflict in the 1990s ended with a power-sharing agreement.

This ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ Djibouti feed gathers the latest headlines on Djibouti politics, the economy, ports, military bases, the Red Sea, the Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Aden, updated throughout the day.