Somalia is located in East Africa bordering Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya, with the Indian Ocean to the east. The country has experienced civil war and violence for decades. Pirates operate out of Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region, with five pirate gangs made up of around 1,000 armed men who are typically former fishermen or ex-military between 25-30 years old. Somalia's population is almost entirely Muslim, with men and women shaking hands separately and women wearing hijabs.