It was the base of operat
It was the base of operations for French forces during the Persian Gulf War, and although it was granted independence from France in 1977 they maintain a strong military presence there. Strategically situated, it commands Bab el Mandeb, the strait between the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. Among its interesting features is Lake Assal, the lowest point in Africa at 509 feet below sea level. FTP, name this African nation of a half-million people bounded by Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, and the Gulf of Aden.
It was the base of operations for French forces during the Persian Gulf War, and although it was granted independence from France in 1977 they maintain a strong military presence there.