Ethiopia | People, Flag, Religion, Capital, Map, Population, War ...

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• Introduction & Quick Facts
• Land
  • Relief
  • Drainage
  • Soils
  • Climate
  • Plant and animal life
• People
  • Ethnic groups and languages
  • Religion
  • Settlement patterns
  • Demographic trends
• Economy
  • Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
  • Resources and power
  • Manufacturing
  • Finance
  • Trade
  • Services
  • Labour and taxation
  • Transportation and telecommunications
• Government and society
  • Constitutional framework
  • Local government
  • Justice
  • Political process
  • Security
  • Health and welfare
  • Education
• Cultural life
  • Daily life and social customs
  • The arts
  • Cultural institutions
  • Sports and recreation
  • Media and publishing
• History
  • From prehistory to the Aksumite kingdom
  • The Zagwe and Solomonic dynasties
  • Challenge, revival, and decline (16th–19th century)
  • Emergence of modern Ethiopia (1855–1916)
    • Tewodros II (1855–68)
    • Yohannes IV (1872–89)
    • Menilek II (1889–1913)
    • Iyasu (1913–16)
  • The rise and reign of Haile Selassie I (1916–74)
    • Regent and heir apparent
    • Emperor
    • Conflict with Italy
    • Return to power
    • Internal conflicts and the fall of the monarchy
  • Socialist Ethiopia (1974–91)
    • Land reform and famine
    • Challenges to the regime
  • Transition (1991–95)
  • Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
    • Political and economic reforms
    • War with Eritrea
    • Dissent, protests, and increasing oppression
    • Winds of change
    • Challenges, ethnic tensions, and the Tigrayan conflict
    • 2021 elections, Tigrayan rebel advance, and expansion of fighting

References & Edit History Facts & Stats Images, Videos & Interactives For Students Ethiopia summary Quizzes The Country Quiz Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz Which Country Is Larger? Quiz Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz Related Questions

• What was Haile Selassie I known for?
• How did Haile Selassie I die?

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External Websites

• BBC News - Ethiopia country profile
• Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Ethiopia
• Michigan State University - globalEDGE - Ethiopia
• Official Tourism Site of Ethiopia
• GlobalSecurity.org - Ethiopia

Britannica Websites Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

• Ethiopia - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• Ethiopia - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: Ītyop’iya, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, YeEtiyopʾiya, YeEtyopʾiya Written by Harold G. Marcus Distinguished Professor of History and African Studies, Michigan State University, East Lansing. Author of A History of Ethiopia and others. Harold G. Marcus, Donald Edward Crummey Professor, Department of History, University of Illinois. Donald Edward Crummey•All Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Dec 1, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question

News •

Kenya, Uganda to mediate Ethiopia-Somalia dispute • Dec. 1, 2024, 1:35 AM ET (The Standard) ...(Show more) 9 killed in Ethiopia Oromia region attack • Nov. 30, 2024, 12:03 PM ET (Voice of America) Eritrean refugees describe police crackdown in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa • Nov. 29, 2024, 5:25 AM ET (BBC) Thousands attend event marking Sigd holiday in Jerusalem - Israel News • Nov. 28, 2024, 7:52 AM ET (Jerusalem Post) Horn of Africa forum opens in Djibouti amid Ethiopia-Somalia tensions • Nov. 26, 2024, 12:54 AM ET (Voice of America) Show less

Ethiopia, landlocked country on the Horn of Africa. The country lies completely within the tropical latitudes and is relatively compact, with similar north-south and east-west dimensions. The capital is Addis Ababa (“New Flower”), located almost at the centre of the country. Ethiopia is the largest and most populated country in the Horn of Africa. With the 1993 secession of Eritrea, its former province along the Red Sea, Ethiopia became landlocked.

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Ethiopia is one of the world’s oldest countries, its territorial extent having varied over the millennia of its existence. In ancient times it remained centred on Aksum, an imperial capital located in the northern part of the modern state, about 100 miles (160 km) from the Red Sea coast. The present territory was consolidated during the 19th and 20th centuries as European powers encroached into Ethiopia’s historical domain. Ethiopia became prominent in modern world affairs first in 1896, when it defeated colonial Italy in the Battle of Adwa, and again in 1935–36, when it was invaded and occupied by fascist Italy. Liberation during World War II by the Allied powers set the stage for Ethiopia to play a more prominent role in world affairs. Ethiopia was among the first independent nations to sign the Charter of the United Nations, and it gave moral and material support to the decolonization of Africa and to the growth of Pan-African cooperation. These efforts culminated in the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (since 2002, the African Union) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, both of which have their headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Quick Facts See article: flag of Ethiopia Audio File: National anthem of Ethiopia Also Known As: YeEtyopʾiya Ītyop’iya Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia YeEtiyopʾiya (Show more) Head Of Government: Prime Minister: Abiy Ahmed (Show more) Capital: Addis Ababa (Show more) Population: (2024 est.) 109,900,000 (Show more) Head Of State: President: Taye Atske Selassie (Show more) Form Of Government: federal republic with two legislative houses (House of the Federation [153]; House of Peoples’ Representatives [547]) (Show more) Official Language: none1 (Show more) Official Religion: none (Show more) Official Name: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Show more) Total Area (Sq Km): 1,120,000 (Show more) Total Area (Sq Mi): 432,432 (Show more) Monetary Unit: birr (Br) (Show more) Population Rank: (2023) 14 (Show more) Population Projection 2030: 125,234,000 (Show more) Density: Persons Per Sq Mi: (2024) 254.1 (Show more) Density: Persons Per Sq Km: (2024) 98.1 (Show more) Urban-Rural Population: Urban: (2024) 23.7% Rural: (2024) 78.3% (Show more) Life Expectancy At Birth: Male: (2022) 66.1 years Female: (2022) 70.4 years (Show more) Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate: Male: (2017) 59% Female: (2017) 44% (Show more) Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000): (2023) 142,605 (Show more) Gni Per Capita (U.S.$): (2023) 1,130 (Show more)

1. Amharic is the “working” language.

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