National Geographic - USA (2021-11)

Mekele

Abiy Adi

Agula-e

Mahibere

Dego

Aksum

Dembela

Adi Chilo

Inda Silase

(Shire)

Badme

Dansheha Togoga

May Barya

May Harmaz

Sheraro

Selekleka

Adwa

Gijet

Grizana

Nerake

Wikro

Dinglet

Abuna

Yemata

Hawzen

Freweyni

Idaga

Hamus

Adigrat

Zela

Ambesa

Sebca

Alitena

Maychew

Feu Adi Washo

Hintalo

Dum

Sero

Ziban

Gedena

May Gaba

Adi Dairo

May

Kinetal

Yechilay

Korem

Alamata

Korbeta

(Mehoni)

Inticho

(Ahferom)

Mendefera

Bridge

destroyed,

June 2021

Gonder

Tekeze

TEKEZE DAM

BADME

TRIANGLE

IROB

TIGRAY

A

FA

R

AMHA

RA

A

M

H

AR

A

AFAR

E

T

H

I

O

P

I

A

ER

ITR

EA

ET

HI

OP

IA

170

251

260

63

513 confirmed

battle fatalities

164

64

125

90

133

158

111

53

ROSEMARY WARDLEY, NGM STAFF; SCOTT ELDER. SOURCES: ARMED CONFLICT LOCATION & EVENT DATA PROJECT; POPULATION AND HOUSING

CENSUS 2007, ETHIOPIAN CENTRAL STATISTICS AGENCY; REGIONAL BUREAU OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; OCHA; THE CIA

WORLD FACTBOOK, 2021; OPENSTREETMAP; YOHANNES WOLDEMARIAM, GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY; TSEGA ETEFA, COLGATE UNIVERSITY

Clashes in the west

Federal and Eritrean troops

and Amhara militia seized

all the territory west of

the Tekeze River, blocking

a potential supply route

from Sudan. All groups have

been accused of atrocities

against civilians.

Disputed borders

In 2018 the national govern-

ment agreed to hand over

borderlands, fought over

in the 1990s, to Eritrea. The

TPLF refused; Eritrean sol-

diers seized those areas when

the current conflict erupted.

Fearing another famine

Fighting has forced more than two

million people from their homes in

northern Ethiopia, the arid highlands

that suffered drought and famine in the

1980s. In August aid organizations esti-

mated that 5.2 million people in Tigray

faced catastrophic food insecurity, in

part because pro-government forces

were blocking and looting aid. Damage

to bridges, roads, and airstrips also has

hampered humanitarian aid efforts.

Counterattack in the east

Early on, federal forces and

allies took control of the

east. In June the TPLF struck

back, regaining control of

the capital, Mekele, and

pushing into Amhara and

Afar to open supply lines.

An unsteady federation

A 1994 constitution structured Ethiopia into nine (now 10)

regional states predominantly based on ethnicity. The

TPLF controlled the repressive central government for

27 years; widespread protests led to the election of new

leadership in 2018. Attempts by the new government to

centralize power have led to regional resistance.

100 km

100 mi

Oromo (35%)

Afar (1%)

80 other groups (21%)

Somali (3%)

Amhara (28%)

Tigrayan (7%)

Sidama (4%)

Major ethnic groups

(share of population, 2016)†

*ACLED data as ofJuly 30, 2021

†Does not total 100% due to rounding

Map shows ethnic majority or

plurality as of latest census in 2007.

Gambela

Jijiga

Harar

Dire Dawa

Bahir Dar

Mekele

Semera

Asosa

Awasa

TIGRAY

BINSHANGUL

GUMUZ

OROMIA

AMHARA

SOUTHERN

NATIONS,

NATIONALITIES,

AND PEOPLES

AFAR

SOMALI

GAMBELA
PEOPLES

Addis

Ababa

SIDAMA

ETHIOPIA

AREA ENLARGED