Small in size, Djibouti is bordered by Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia, and separates the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden. It is considered one of Africa’s most barren countries, and can only produce three percent of its national food requirement. Much of Djibouti is covered by desert and thorn savannah, which renders living conditions for nomads and their livestock very difficult. About 800,000 inhabitants live in the country. The number of children taken to hospital for treatment of malnourishment is in Djibouti City extremly high.In recent years, increasing numbers of nomads have fled the droughts to settle in the capital. Many live in Balbala, a large slum area, where one in every three children under five years is malnourished.  Since 2004, Johanniter has been supporting the local hospital "Hôpital de Balbala" and several feeding centres in Balbala.