Ethiopia

This ancient country has had a troubled history, but apart from a very brief spell by the Italians in WW2, it has never been colonised by another culture, so has managed to keep it's unique identity.

Bigger than France and Spain put together, this dusty land is really quite mountainous, and when the rains do arrive the land is very fertile. However, while famine isn't (currently) a problem, acute poverty still is.

Religion plays a huge part, and it's one of the oldest Christian civilisations in the world. Indeed the Ark of the Covenant is said to rest in a small building in Axum. The other religion is football !!