The Relativistic Hartree Bogoliubov (RHB) model is applied in the description of ground-state properties of proton-rich odd-Z nuclei in the region53⩽Z⩽73.For nuclei close to the drip-lines the RHB framework provides a unified and self-consistent description of mean-field and pairing correlations. The location of the proton drip-line, the ground-state quadrupole deformations and one-proton separation energies at and beyond the drip-line, the deformed single-particle orbitals occupied by the odd valence proton, and the corresponding spectroscopic factors are compared with available experimental data, and with predictions of the macroscopic-microscopic mass model. ©2000 American Institute of Physics.