Ethiopia
Country Guide

Explore Ethiopia

Ethiopia with its capital Addis Ababa is located in Africa (Eastern Africa, west of Somalia). It covers some 1,104,301 square kilometers (slightly less than twice the size of Texas) with a population of 105,350,000. Amharic, English, Oromo, Tigrinya and Somali are some of the languages spoken by the majority in Ethiopia (consider regional differences). Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan are bordering countries.

Ethiopia is a country situated in the Horn of Africa. It is the 2nd-most populous nation in Africa (after Nigeria), bordered by Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, and Sudan and South Sudan to the west. Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa and the second-oldest official Christian nation in the world after Armenia. The predominant climate type is tropical monsoon, with wide topographic-induced variation. As a highland country, Ethiopia has a climate which is generally considerably cooler than other regions at similar proximity to the Equator.

Popular Destinations in Ethiopia

Administrative regions of Ethiopia

• Adis Abeba Astedader
• Afar Region
• Amhara
• Binshangul Gumuz
• Dire Dawa
• Gambella Region
• Harari Region
• Oromiya
• Somali
• Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region
• Tigray

About the country

The terrain is high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley. The average density of population is about 95 per km². The climate in Ethiopia can be described as tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation. Possible natural disasters include frequent droughts, geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and volcanic activity in the Great Rift Valley; Erta Ale (613 m), which has caused frequent lava flows in recent years, is the country's most active volcano; Dabbahu became active in 2005, forcing evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Alayt.

To reach someone Ethiopia dial +251 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".et". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 220 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, F). The sign for the locally used currency Birr is ETB.

Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red, with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; green represents hope and the fertility of the land, yellow symbolizes justice and harmony, while red stands for sacrifice and heroism in the defense of the land; the blue of the disk symbolizes peace and the pentagram represents the unity and equality of the nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia.

Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front. A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea in the late 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. In November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission (EEBC) issued specific coordinates as virtually demarcating the border and pronounced its work finished. Alleging that the EEBC acted beyond its mandate in issuing the coordinates, Ethiopia has not accepted them and has not withdrawn troops from previously contested areas pronounced by the EEBC as belonging to Eritrea. In August 2012, longtime leader Prime Minister MELES Zenawi died in office and was replaced by his Deputy Prime Minister HAILEMARIAM Desalegn, marking the first peaceful transition of power in decades.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 28)	1,104,300	sq km
Land (World Rank: 29)	1,000,000	sq km
Water (World Rank: 8)	104,300	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 90)	20.00	%
Comparative	slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Landborder
5925
Elevation
Lowest point (World Rank: 67)	-125	m
Highest point (World Rank: 34)	4,550	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 116)	36.30	%
Arable (World Rank: 79)	15.20	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 119)	1.10	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 90)	20.00	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 71)	2,900	sq km
Map reference
Africa
Environment
Issues	- deforestation - desertification - overgrazing - soil erosion - water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management
Agreement party	- Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Desertification - Endangered Species - Hazardous Wastes - Ozone Layer Protection
Agreement signed	- Environmental Modification - Law of the Sea
Hazzards	- frequent droughts - geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions - volcanic activity in the Great Rift Valley; Erta Ale (613 m), which has caused frequent lava flows in recent years, is the country's most active volcano; Dabbahu became active in 2005, forcing evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Alayt
Location
Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Climate
tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation
Terrain
high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 12)	105,350,000
Deathrate (World Rank: 103)	0.77	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 14)	3.65	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 11)	2.85	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 78)	-0.02	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 15)	4.99	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 212)	17.70
Female (World Rank: 212)	18.10
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 8)	22,963,500
0 14 female (World Rank: 7)	22,827,000
15 24 male (World Rank: 10)	10,516,600
15 24 female (World Rank: 10)	10,669,700
25 54 male (World Rank: 19)	15,464,200
25 54 female (World Rank: 19)	15,702,100
55 64 male (World Rank: 28)	1,998,710
55 64 female (World Rank: 29)	2,115,210
65 x male (World Rank: 33)	1,391,340
65 x female (World Rank: 35)	1,701,740
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 31)	4.96	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 193)	63	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 193)	65	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 195)	60	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 179)	0.03
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 21)	6.30
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 184)	28.00	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 185)	4.50	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 193)	57.30	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 99)	10,080,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 102)	8,143,000,000	kWh
Export (World Rank: 76)	166,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 200)	7.50	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 14)	79.50	%
Source renew (World Rank: 52)	13.40	%
Crude oil
Proved reserves (World Rank: 100)	428,000	bbl
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 93)	65,000	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 71)	64,380	bbl / day
Natural gas
Consumption (World Rank: 129)	24	m³
Carbon footprint
9300000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 91)	5	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 134)	1	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 144)	5	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 121)	-3	% of GDP
National symbol
yellow pentagram with five rays of light on a blue field
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Ethiopian
Noun
Ethiopian(s)
Background
Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front. A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea in the late 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. In November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission (EEBC) issued specific coordinates as virtually demarcating the border and pronounced its work finished. Alleging that the EEBC acted beyond its mandate in issuing the coordinates, Ethiopia has not accepted them and has not withdrawn troops from previously contested areas pronounced by the EEBC as belonging to Eritrea. In August 2012, longtime leader Prime Minister MELES Zenawi died in office and was replaced by his Deputy Prime Minister HAILEMARIAM Desalegn, marking the first peaceful transition of power in decades.
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red, with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; green represents hope and the fertility of the land, yellow symbolizes justice and harmony, while red stands for sacrifice and heroism in the defense of the land; the blue of the disk symbolizes peace and the pentagram represents the unity and equality of the nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 67)	177,400,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 5)	8.00	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 205)	1,900	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 12)	37.20	%
Source industry (World Rank: 140)	21.30	%
Source service (World Rank: 200)	41.50	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 13)	51,050,000
In poverty (World Rank: 66)	29.60	%
Products
Industries	- beverages - cement - chemicals - food processing - garments - leather - metals processing - textiles
Agriculture	- cattle - cereals - coffee - cotton - cut flowers - fish - goats - hides - khat - oilseed - sheep - sugarcane - vegetables
Exports	- by value) - coffee - edible vegetables - flowers (7%) - gold (13%) - khat (17%) - live animals (7%) - meat products (3%) - oilseeds (17%) - raw leather products (3%)
Imports	- (10%) - (13%) - (14%) - aircraft - by value) - chemicals - electrical materials - fertilizers (4%) - machinery - metal - metal products - motor vehicles - petroleum products (12%)

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 73)	1,147,000
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 209)	1.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 202)	50.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 37)	15,731,700
Population (World Rank: 196)	15.40	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 86)	17.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 69)	40.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 106)	659
Road
Total length (World Rank: 44)	110,414
Paved length (World Rank: 69)	14,354
Unpaved length (World Rank: 21)	96,060

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