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Ethiopia
AFRICA
FACTFILE
OFFICIAL NAME: Federal Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia
DATE OF FORMATION: 1896
CAPITAL: Addis Ababa
POPULATION: 82.8 million
TOTAL AREA: 435,184 sq. miles
(1,127,127 sq. km)
DENSITY: 193 people per sq. mile
LANGUAGES: Amharic*, Tigrinya, other
RELIGIONS: Orthodox Christian 40%,
Muslim 40%, traditional 15%, other 5%
ETHNIC MIX: Oromo 32%, Amhara 30%,
other 26%, Tigray 6%, Somali 6%
GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary system
CURRENCY: Ethiopian birr = 100 cents
The former empire of Ethiopia once dominated
northeast Africa. A Marxist regime in 1974–1991, now a free-market
democracy, it has suffered economic, civil, and natural crises.
GEOGRAPHY
Great Rift Valley divides
mountainous northwest region from
desert lowlands in northeast and
southeast. Ethiopian Plateau is drained
mainly by the Blue Nile.
CLIMATE
Moderate, with summer rains.
Highlands are warm, with night frost and
snowfalls on the mountains.
PEOPLE & SOCIETY
76 Ethiopian nationalities speak 286
languages. Oromo (or Gallas) are the
largest group. Ethnic representation is a
major political issue. Orthodox
Christianity has a very ancient history in
Ethiopia. Former emperor Haile Selassie
inspired Rastafarianism.
THE ECONOMY
Overwhelmingly dependent on
agriculture; coffee is main export crop.
War-damaged infrastructure and periodic
serious droughts and famines undermine
growth. There is a heavy reliance on food
aid. Landlocked since secession of Eritrea.
INSIGHT: King Solomon and the Queen
of Sheba are said to have founded the
Kingdom of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) c. 1000 BCE
200 km200 miles004000m/13124ft
3000m/9843ft
2000m/6562ft
1000m/3281ft
500m/1640ft
200m/656ft
Sea Level
Below Sea LevelEritrea
SUDANKENYASOMALIASOMALILAND
(not internationally
recognized)DJIBOUTIRed SeaGulf of
AdenGabon............ G
reat^Rift^Valley Ogade nEthiopianHighlandsD
an
ak
ilDe
se
rtL. TurkanaBlue Nile
Diré DawaGonderHárerJímaMek’eléDeséNazrétBahir DarADDIS
ABABA