Africa's oldest independent nation is a mystical land that has never been colonised. Home of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, it has a unique cultural identity. A place of natural contrasts, Ethiopia has some of Africa's highest mountains but also some of the world's lowest points below sea level, and one of the greatest numbers of rivers of any country. The Great Rift Valley starts here, studded with a string of pretty lakes inhabited by flamingoes. Ethiopia has a staggering array of wildlife: over 800 species of bird have been recorded, around 30 of which are endemic. Among its 80 or so species of mammals, the most notable are gelada baboon, walia ibex, mountain nyala and the endangered Ethiopian wolf - which survives only in the Simien and Bale Mountains.