111.   The rain came as a surprise as this Indian Ocean republic has been experiencing drought.

112.   The republic is close to many areas of the Caucasus Mountain region torn by civil and ethnic conflicts, such as Chechnya, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

113.   The republic was a Serb state which broke away from Croatia in the early days of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia.

114.   The republic has been hard hit by the economic problems affecting the region.

115.   The republic is a front-runner among former Soviet-bloc nations wanting to join the European Union and NATO.

116.   The republic is flat broke and can hardly expect help from cash-strapped Moscow.

117.   The republic is still nominally part of Russia but no longer under its control, and it is plagued by armed gangs and lawlessness.

118.   The republic was tense on Thursday, but peaceful.

119.   The tiny republic was home to tens of thousands of Russians, many of whom fled after fighting broke out.

120.   The three other republics are Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus.