Ethiopia

Full name of country: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Region: Africa

Official language: Amharic (Oromo, Somali, and Tigrigna are official regional languages)

Population: 118,550,298 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Ethiopian(s) (noun), Ethiopian (adjective)

Land area: 1,000,000 sq km (386,102 sq miles)

Water area: 2.37% (2024 est.)

Capital: Addis Ababa

National anthem: "Whedefit Gesgeshi Woud Enat Ethiopia" (March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia), by Dereje Melaku Mengesha/Solomon Lulu

National holiday: National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), May 28 (1991)

Population growth: 2.42% (2023 est.)

Time zone: UTC +3

Flag: The flag of Ethiopia features three horizontal bands of color—red, yellow, and green. The red symbolizes strength, the yellow represents hope, and the green represents the land. In the center of the flag is a light blue circle, inside of which sits a yellow star. The star stands for unity and diversity while the blue represents peace.

Motto: “Unity in Diversity”

Independence: Recognized as oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world—at least 2,000 years (may be traced to the Aksumite Kingdom, which coalesced in the first century B.C.)

Government type: federal republic

Suffrage: universal for those eighteen years of age

Legal system: civil law system

The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is a landlocked country located in East Africa, occupying most of the area known as the Horn of Africa. The country is home to ancient and unique culture. Some of the oldest discovered hominid fossils have been found there. The source of the Blue Nile River is in Ethiopia. It is one of the only African nations to have escaped European colonization, except for a brief Italian occupation from 1936 to 1941. In recent decades, Ethiopia has struggled with drought, famine, and extreme poverty.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: The majority of the population of Ethiopia is concentrated in the central highlands; the hot, dry lowlands are less hospitable and do not support the intense agricultural production in which most Ethiopians engage. More than 38.7 percent of the population is under the age of fifteen (2023 estimate). About 23.5 percent lived below the poverty line in 2015. Life expectancy at birth is 70 years for women and 65.4 years for men (2024 estimate). Ethiopia ranked 176 out of 191 countries and territories on the 2022 United Nations Human Development Index.

Of the total population, 23.2 percent lived in urban areas in 2023. Addis Ababa is the largest city, with 5.46 million people (2023 est.). Other cities include Dire Dawa, Bahir Dar, Nazret, and Mekele.

The linguistic situation is complex. Around seventy languages are spoken in Ethiopia, over fifty of which belong to three families of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Amharic (the official national language, spoken by 29.3 percent of the population according to 2007 estimates) and Tigrinya (the official working language of the State of Tigray, spoken by 5.9 percent of the population) are both Semitic languages and written in a unique script. Oromo, a Cushitic language and the official working language of the State of Oromiya, spoken by 33.8 percent of the population, uses the Latin alphabet with some variations (2007 estimate).

Islam and Christianity are the most popular religions in Ethiopia. An estimated 43.8 percent of the population belongs to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which was designated as the state religion in the fourth century CE. Islam accounts for 31.3 percent of the population, while 22.8 percent are Protestant and 0.7 percent are Roman Catholic. Amhara and Tigray peoples generally adhere to the Orthodox faith, whereas the Oromo are equally divided between Islam and Christianity. Adherents of traditional religions account for about 0.6 percent of the population (2016 estimates).

Indigenous People: The ethnic diversity of Ethiopia is one of its most complex features. The largest groups are the Oromo and Amhara (Amara), accounting for 35.8 percent of the population and 24.1 percent, respectively, according to 2022 estimates. The Tigray (Tigrinya), who are ethnically related to the Amhara, account for 5.7 percent. In general, the Oromo live in the central and southwestern regions, while the Amhara occupy the central highlands and the Tigray live in the northern highlands. Lowland peoples include the Sidama (4.1 percent), the Welaita (2.3 percent), the Gurage (2.6 percent), the Somali or Somalie (7.2 percent), and the Afar or Affar (2.2 percent). Other ethnic groups account for 13.5 percent of the population.

Historically, the ruling class came from among the Amhara, but their domination ended in 1974 when Emperor Haile Selassie was overthrown. Thereafter, other ethnic groups attempted to gain more power for themselves, leading to a period marked by civil strife. The implementation of a constitutional democracy in 1994 brought greater self-determination to majority and minority groups. There is still conflict between some minority groups and the government, however.

Education: Education in Ethiopia has improved dramatically since the 1950s. Primary school, which starts at age seven and lasts for eight years, is free and compulsory by law, while lower secondary (grades 9 and 10) and upper secondary (grades 11 and 12, also called pre-university) are free but not compulsory. However, each student must pass a national examination at the end of grades 8 and 10 in order to maintain their spot, as schools are overcrowded and resources are limited. Students who do not continue to pre-university may attend technical and vocational educational training colleges (TVETs) instead. The adult literacy rate in the country was estimated at 51.8 percent in 2017, and significantly higher among men than women.

Public universities in Ethiopia charge no fee up front, but students are required to repay the cost of their education once they graduate and find employment. Public university students may not be able to choose which universities or programs they attend. Alternatively, students may attend one of the growing number of private fee-paying universities. Addis Ababa University has branches in several cities.

Health Care: Ethiopia's urban-centered health-care system lacks both resources and adequately trained health-care providers. Both illiteracy and the remoteness of many rural settlements prevent widespread public awareness about health and hygiene; as a result, a plethora of illnesses, many of which are preventable or curable, afflict or potentially afflict significant portions of the population. Among the most common threats are malaria, dengue fever, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, schistosomiasis, rabies, meningococcal meningitis, and HIV/AIDS.

Food: Ethiopia has a distinct cuisine. Food is generally served in heaps on a large folded pancake called injera, made through a fermentation process from an endemic grain called teff. With the right hand, pieces of injera are torn off and used to pick up the often spicy portions of meat, vegetables, or pulses. Ethiopians also traditionally eat raw and lightly cooked beef.

The Orthodox Church requires its adherents to fast on certain days throughout the year; during these fasts, animal products must not be eaten. Coffee and tej, a honey mead, are both popular drinks.

Arts & Entertainment: Ethiopia has many active folk ways, including Indigenous dances, music, and an oral tradition that encompasses proverbs, poems, and tales, sometimes recited by wandering minstrels. One very popular dance is the isikista, in which only the dancers' shoulders gyrate rhythmically. The krar and the masinko are common stringed instruments. Among a host of popular singers, Aster Awoke, Gigi, and Tilahun are perennial favorites.

The Orthodox religion has inspired several unique architectural and artistic styles. Church interiors are often painted with elaborate narratives telling scriptural history. Some churches have been hewn out of rock and painted with similar iconic frescoes. Most of the country's literary works as well as many of its songs are likewise of a religious nature.

Long-distance running is one of the most popular sports in Ethiopia, with several athletes having garnered international stature. Haile Gebrselassie, a national hero, is one of the most widely known outside of the country.

Holidays: Ethiopians celebrate a mixture of secular and religious holidays. Important secular holidays include New Year's, which falls on September 11 according to the Julian calendar, and National Day on May 28, in celebration of the defeat of the Mengistu regime on May 28, 1991.

The Ethiopian Orthodox church designates several unique holy days, in addition to the traditional Christmas and Easter. Meskel (September 27 and 28), a celebration of the finding of the True Cross, involves parades, bonfires, and singing. Timkat (January 19), commemorating Christ's baptism, is marked by processions bearing each church's representation of the Ark of the Covenant, called a tabot, to water and then back to its sacred repository in the church. Muslims celebrate Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr at the end of the month-long fast, and Eid al-Ahda, which commemorates Abraham's sacrifice.

Environment and Geography

Topography: The Ethiopian highlands consist of a mountainous central plateau divided by the Great Rift Valley; this plateau comprises over half of Ethiopian territory. The peripheral lowlands are desert, which become hotter and drier towards the borders with Djibouti, Somalia, and Kenya. The Great Rift Valley opens into a basin in the north called the Danakil Depression. At 125 meters (about 410 feet) below sea level, it is one of the lowest and hottest places on earth.

Among the important mountain ranges are the Simien, Chercher, and Bale Mountains. Ras Dejen, rising in the Simien Mountains, is the highest peak in Ethiopia and the fourth highest in Africa, at 4,550 meters (14,927 feet).

Near the source of the Blue Nile, in the north of the country, is Lake Tana. It is the largest lake in Ethiopia. In the south, a string of lakes is found along the Rift Valley, including Lake Awasa and Lake Langano.

The principal rivers are the Blue Nile, the Tekaze, and the Baro, all tributaries of the Nile, and the Awash and Omo. Ethiopian rivers flow from the highlands into the lowlands along deep valleys.

Natural Resources: Ethiopia's most prominent natural resources are agricultural. Soil erosion is increasingly problematic, and large areas are not cultivated, since they are low enough for malaria to be widespread.

Of enormous potential are the rivers of Ethiopia, which could generate billions of kilowatts of hydroelectric power. Yet only a few of the rivers, like the Awash, are exploited for energy. Both the lack of funds and geopolitical tensions with other countries that need the waters of the Nile might continue to prevent Ethiopia from further development in this area.

A variety of minerals are mined in Ethiopia, but the operations are generally small. Metals include copper, gold, and platinum. There are also deposits of potash and natural gas.

The forests of Ethiopia have been seriously reduced over the last one hundred years and occupy only 12.2 percent of the total land (2011 estimate). Wood is exploited by the populace for use as a fuel source and as construction material, so it is a challenge to protect the land from deforestation and, in more extreme cases, desertification.

Plants & Animals: One of the most commonly seen trees on the central plateau is the non-indigenous eucalyptus, introduced as a fast-growing source of lumber and firewood. There are also modest evergreen forests, particularly in national parks.

Indigenous trees such as the acacia dominate the lowlands, along with a variety of savannah grasses and desert shrubs. It is thought that the coffee plant, which is now heavily cultivated, originated in the Ethiopian highlands.

There are more than 240 animal species, 28 of them endemic, living in Ethiopia. Large animals such as the lion, elephant, zebra, hippopotamus, and rhinoceros are found, though in small numbers, and small primates abound. The mountain nyala, Menelik's bushbuck, the gelada baboon, and the hartebeest are all endemic animals. Some of Ethiopia's critically endangered species include the African wild ass and the Ethiopian wolf.

More than 800 bird species inhabit the country. Some of the more unique species are the golden-backed woodpecker, the Abyssinian catbird, and the yellow-fronted parrot.

Climate: Ethiopia encompasses three climatic zones because of its great topographical variances in elevation. The cool and temperate zones which prevail across the highlands yield warm and sunny days and cool nights outside of the rainy seasons.

The cool zone occurs above 2,400 meters (7,874 feet) with general temperatures ranging between 26 and 4 degrees Celsius (80 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit), though mountain heights can reach freezing. The temperate zone occurs on the lower parts of the plateau between 1,500 meters (4921 feet) and 2,400 meters. Average temperatures in this zone fall between 16 and 30 degrees Celsius (61 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit).

The lowlands, below 1,500 meters, constitute the hot zone. Average temperatures range from 27 to 50 degrees Celsius (81 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit), but the climate varies. In the west, a tropical climate prevails, whereas in the east and portions of the south, there is desert.

There are two rainy seasons on the Ethiopian plateau; the rains are heavier in the central and southern areas than in the north. The long rainy season, during which it rains torrentially nearly every day, lasts from the middle of June to the middle of September; 30 centimeters (12 inches) usually falls during each month of this season. The shorter, less intense rainy reason generally occurs from February to April, yielding just under 13 centimeters (5 inches) of rain each month. Droughts generally occur every seven years in the highlands, more frequently in the eastern lowlands.

Economy

Industry: Industry accounted for 24.5 percent of Ethiopia's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023. Food processing, beverages, textile manufacturing, leather, chemicals, metals processing, and cement production are the most significant industries in a largely agrarian society. What little manufacturing occurs in Ethiopia is usually dependent on agricultural production.

In 2023, Ethiopia's estimated GDP was US$163.698 billion, or US$2,800 per capita. The country's primary exports are agricultural. Exports earned an estimated 6.6 percent in 2023. One reason the Ethiopian economy underperforms is because it must periodically rely on imports to satisfy the basic needs of its population.

Agriculture: Approximately 72.7 percent of the working population is engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry (2013 estimate). Agriculture accounted for 35.8 percent of Ethiopia's GDP in 2023. Crops in Ethiopia and other parts of East Africa were severely damaged in 2020 due to catastrophic desert locust swarms that descended on the region. Experts reported the scale of the locusts was a result of unusual weather in previous years caused by climate change.

Coffee, sometimes referred to as "black gold" for the money it earns, is the most important cash crop. It is cultivated for the most part in the western and southern regions. Coffee prices on the international market can fluctuate, but it generally accounts for a large percentage of annual export earnings.

Other important crops are pulses (legumes) and cereals, which are central to the Ethiopian diet, as well as sesame seeds, sugarcane, and khat. The latter crop is a green-leafed shrub that is chewed for mildly stimulating effects. It is important to the domestic economy and as an export to Djibouti and Somalia.

It is estimated that Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in all of Africa. Poultry is the most common, followed by cattle, which serve as important beasts of burden and sources of meat. Sheep and goat, important for their meat and hides, are also raised in large numbers.

Tourism: Ethiopia has grown as a tourist destination since 1991, and the potential for further growth is considered promising. The infrastructure is limited, however, particularly outside of the capital. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the direct contribution of tourism and travel accounted for a total of 2.7 percent of Ethiopia's GDP in 2017, with over one million arrivals from international visitors. Though the COVID-19 pandemic that started in 2020 harmed Ethiopia's tourism industry, as in other parts of the world, tourism numbers began to recover by 2022.

Ethiopia has many historical attractions. Among the architectural highlights are the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, the towering stelae and ruins of the ancient city of Axum, and the imperial castles of Gondar. Natural attractions include dramatic scenery, a number of wildlife and nature reserves, and Tis Abay, known in English as the Blue Nile Falls. A plaster cast of the hominid fossil "Lucy," dated between 2.5 and 3 million years old, is housed in the National Museum of Addis Ababa.

Government

Ethiopia's government changed three times in the twentieth century. Historically, a dynasty tracing its heritage to King Solomon of Israel ruled the country. This rule came to an end in 1974, when the last emperor was overthrown.

Until 1991, a Marxist-inspired junta controlled the country, and power was concentrated in a dictatorship under Mengistu Haile Mariam. Many Ethiopians resisted the regime, and many of its opponents were killed. This period also saw the Ogaden War between Ethiopia and Somalia from 1977 to 1978 and extensive famine in the 1980s. The Mengistu regime was overthrown in 1991. Throughout the first half of the 1990s, the government worked to make Ethiopia a full-fledged federal democratic republic. Today, citizens have much more recourse to the political process.

The executive branch consists of a president, who acts as chief of state, and a prime minister, who acts as head of government. The president is indirectly elected by the bicameral parliament, and the prime minister is designated by the party that holds the majority in parliament. The legislative branch is the Parliament, which has two houses: the House of Federation, whose 153 representatives are indirectly elected by state assemblies, and the House of People's Representatives, whose 547 members are elected by direct vote. Ethiopia's highest national court is the Federal Supreme Court.

Ethnic identity determines most of Ethiopia's nine states and two self-governing administrations (Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa, designated as multiethnic chartered cities). The regions, over which local governments exercise jurisdiction, are further divided into administrative districts.

Since the advent of democracy in Ethiopia, many political parties have been formed, mainly defined by ethnicity. The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition, which strove to topple the Marxist regime, long dominated at the national level. In 2019 several of its constituent parties merged to become the Prosperity Party.

Beginning in the 1990s, Ethiopia became involved in the Eritrean-Ethiopian War with its neighbor Eritrea, which had seceded from Ethopia in 1993 after decades of conflict. While a peace treaty was signed in 2000, the border dispute remained ongoing and the two nations only declared an end to the state of war in 2018. In addition, Ethiopia forces became involved in an ongoing military conflict in Somalia. Ethiopia, with the support of the United States, drove out the Islamic Courts Union in Mogadishu, Somalia, in 2007. According to Human Rights Watch, war crimes have occurred in the region, resulting in widespread civilian deaths. Then, in 2020, civil war broke out between the Ethiopian government and the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front. While that conflict ended in late 2022, violence continued among other groups seeking concessions from the Ethiopian government.

Interesting Facts

• Some believe that the religious object known as the Ark of the Covenant is kept in the Church of St. Mary of Zion, in Northern Ethiopia. Only the monk watching over the Ark is allowed to see it.
• The hominid fossil "Lucy" received its nickname from a Beatles’ song. When the fossil was discovered by archaeologists in Ethiopia in 1974, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" was playing.
• Ethiopia uses the Julian calendar, which divides the year into thirteen months. Despite its two rainy seasons, Ethiopia is nicknamed the Land of 13 Months of Sunshine.
• Addis Ababa, located at an elevation of 2,355 meters (7,726 feet), is the highest capital city in Africa and the fourth highest in the world.
• In 2015 Ethiopia destroyed all the illegal ivory it had confiscated in an effort to deter poachers.

Bibliography

"Ethiopia." The World Bank 2024, data.worldbank.org/country/ethiopia. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.

"Ethiopia." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 6 Jan. 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/ethiopia/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.

"Ethiopian Educational System." African Children's Educational Trust, www.a-cet.org/ethiopian-educational-system/. Accessed 27 July 2013.

"Ethiopia." Human Development Reports, United Nations Development Programme, 13 Mar. 2024, hdr.undp.org/data-center/specific-country-data#/countries/ETH. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.

Travel and Tourism: Economic Impact 2016 Ethiopia. World Travel and Tourism Council, 2016, www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic%20impact%20research/countries%202016/ethiopia2016.pdf. Accessed 22 July 2016.