The Port of Djibouti is one of the busiest in East Africa, handling the bulk of landlocked Ethiopia's imports and exports as well as regional shipping through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. The waterfront promenade gives views of the working harbour — container ships, tankers, and the occasional naval vessel alongside the traditional fishing boats. Early morning is the best time to see the fishing fleet returning with the catch. The scale of the commercial port operation is itself impressive: a reminder that this small, hot city on the edge of the Horn of Africa occupies one of the most strategically important pieces of coastline in the world.