Major Facts of Ethiopia

Total area coverage : 1,127,127 sq km – (the third largest in Africa) Land - 1,119,683 sq km Water - 7,444 sq km
Area comparative : France & Spain combined
Location : Eastern Africa, at the horn
Border countries : Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia & Sudan
Geographic coordinates : 800N, 3800E
Capital : Addis Ababa/ new flower in Amharic/ (The third highest city in the world)
Population : 72 million
Population Growth Rate : 2.7 %
Official Language : Amharic with Amharic script of writing (English French & Italy & Arabic is also widely spoken)
Costal Line and Maritime Climates : (land locked after Eritrean independence 1991 access through Djibouti
International Airports : Addis Ababa, Dredawa and Bahirdar
Domestic Commercial Airports : Arbaminch, Bahirdar, Gonder, Lalibela, Mekelle, Axum.
Climate : Tropical monsoon, with wide topographic narration
Governing system : Democracy, federal republic
Economic growth (GDP) : average 5.3 % in 1993 -2001/02)
Currency and regulation : Birr with exchange rate 8.59 = 1US$ (Birr note are available in 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100.cents up to 100.
Inflation Rate : around 5%
Natural Resources : Hydropower, gold and small reserves of platinum, copper, potash, natural gas.
Dating System : Julian calendar, having 12 month of 30 days and 13th month 5 or 6 days and New Year depending leap New Year falls on September first and the calendar is 7 years behind Gregorian calendar.
Time : GMT + 3 Working Hours : Monday to Friday: 8h 30 to 12h30 – 13h30 to 17h30.
People : 83 different ethic groups different and culture and more about 200 dialects
Economic Activity : Agriculture accounted 45%of GDP and more than 80%of the exports and employed 85% of the population. About 65% of the land is arable, with 15 % presently cultivated with major exports coffee (originates from keffa which the name coffee originally drive from) oil seed, pulses, flowers, vegetables, sugar, chat, food stuffs for animals and hides & skins.

Ethiopia at a Glance

Ethiopia is becoming a fashion East African travel destination for its unique offer of multi experiences with in a single trip. It is a country more than 3000years old rich history, home of the oldest hominid ever discovered in the entire world, a home of more than 83 tribes with adorable and complex multi cultures, diversity of flora and fauna inhabiting so many mammals and bird including 7 endemic mammals and 16 birds. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. It is a nation with a fusion of religion and culture and place where hospitality and harmony prevails. It is the only African nation that was not colonized, the owner of an ancient written language and recently the host nation for the headquarters of the African Union and the economic commission for Africa (UNCA). It is a relatively safe nation and remarkable travel destination. There are not too many developing countries that can boast a safety record that matches that of Ethiopia . Ethiopians are known as hospitable people with virtues and morals which are practical in daily activities. This practice is truly based on the content of character, but nonetheless the environment is a great influential factor. Ethiopia is looked as a country where the old way of life still prevails. Ethiopia might seem a modern Tower of Babel ! Its ethnic groups speak more than eighty distinct languages and two-hundred regional dialects.

Topography

Terrain characteristics, high plateau with central mountain ranges bisected by the great rift valley- lowest point: Danakil depression -125m below sea level/ highest point Mount Rasdashen point mount 4620mitters above sea level. Ethiopia has an elevated central plateau varying in highest between 2000 and 3000 meters. In the northern country there are some 25 mountain chains whose peak rises over 4000 meters. The Great African Rift valley system, the only geographical feature can be seen from the moon bisects Ethiopia in to two geographical zones.

Palo-archeological history

Fossil remains discovered at a site on the Lower Awash in NE, Ethiopia in 1974 have been identified as the earliest example of an upright walking hominid. Dated at 3.5 million years old, these remains constitute our oldest known ancestors, and many now consider this region of Ethiopia to be the true cradle of mankind.

The people, religion and culture

Ethiopia is home to 83 ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language. According to 1994 census, the most predominant are the Oromo 35%, Amhara 35%, Tigrians 6.5%, and Somali 6%. These groups make up more than three fourths of the population.

Major languages are Amharic, Oromo, Tigrigna and Somali. Amharic is the official language and medium of teaching in primary schools. This, however, has replaced with local languages. English is the most popular foreign language and is taught in all secondary schools and tertiary level of education. In addition, Arabic and Italian are used in commerce.
Religion
Ethiopia has a long history of religion that started with the introduction of Christianity in the forth century A.D by Missionaries from Egypt and Syria . Currently there are three major religions including Ethiopian orthodox Christians (45%), Sunni Muslim 45%, Protestant 5% and indigenous beliefs 5%.
Culture
Ethiopia is known for the multi cultural people having distinctive religion, beliefs and cultural values. Ethiopian arts, literature, painting and music rich in multi ethnic group, the coffee ceremony and distinct cuisine rich in exclusive local spice provide full of Ethiopian images and flavor and reflects the characteristic Ethiopian identity through the cultural activities food, coffee, folkloric presentation and exhibits.
Language
Ethiopia offers visitors a doorway in to its cultures through its tradition of incorporating language into visual arts. This tradition spans centuries: from the religious and spiritual traditions that use texts to underscore iconic images, to contemporary fine art in which language symbols become monumental images canvas.
Among the many countries of Africa, Ethiopia is unique in having the continents only ancient written language: like the western languages from left to right.

The Sabena's, speaking a Semitic language related to Phoenician and Hebrew, with an alphabet almost devoid of vowels; found among the Axumite s a local language with an organized written system.
Over time, Axum indigenous language absorbed elements of Sabean and evolved in to Geez and the Ethiopia script, with a syllable of 228symbols.
Geez is steel refereed to us the “Latin” of Ethiopia and. The Amharic /Ethiopic script of today evolved out of Geez in the Lasta-Lalibela and Gonder Provinces in the north around the 11th –12th centuries. At that time, influenced by Christian illuminated manuscripts, monks added significant rounded embellishment to the earlier, more geometric, language characters.