Facts About EthiopiaIntroductionHistorical perspective: on 28 May 1991 the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) toppled the authoritarian government of MENGISTU Haile-Mariam and took control in Addis Ababa; a new constitution was promulgated in December 1994 and national and regional popular elections were held in May and June 1995 GeographyLocation: Eastern Africa, west of Somalia Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 38 00 E Map references: Africa Area: Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas Land boundaries: Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation Terrain: high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley Elevation extremes: Natural resources: small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash Land use: Irrigated land: 1,900 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts Environment - current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification Environment - international agreements: Geography - note: landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 27 April 1993 PeoplePopulation: 58,732,577 (July 1997 est.) Age structure: Population growth rate: 2.67% (1997 est.) Birth rate: 45.59 births/1,000 population (1997 est.) Death rate: 17.56 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) Net migration rate: -1.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) Sex ratio: Infant mortality rate: 121.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.) Life expectancy at birth: Total fertility rate: 6.94 children born/woman (1997 est.) Nationality: Ethnic groups: Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigrean 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1% Religions: Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 3%-8% Languages: Amharic (official), Tigrinya, Orominga, Guaraginga, Somali, Arabic, English (major foreign language taught in schools) Literacy: GovernmentCountry name: Data code: ET Government type: federal republic National capital: Addis Ababa Administrative divisions: 9 ethnically-based administrative regions (astedader akababiwach, singular - astedader akababi) and 1 federal capital*: Addis Ababa*; Afar; Amhara; Benshangul/Gumaz; Gambela; Harar; Oromia; Somali; Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples; Tigray Independence: oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years National holiday: National Day, 28 May (1991) (defeat of Mengistu regime) Constitution: new constitution promulgated in December 1994 Legal system: NA Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Council of the
Federation or upper chamber (117 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve
five-year terms) and the Council of People's Representatives or lower chamber (548 seats;
members are directly elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve
five-year terms); note - the upper chamber represents the ethnic interests of the regional
governments Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are elected by the national legislature Political parties and leaders: Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] Political pressure groups and leaders: Oromo Liberation Front or OLF; All Amhara People's Organization; Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Coalition; numerous small, ethnic-based groups have formed since MENGISTU'S resignation, including several Islamic militant groups International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: Diplomatic representation from the US: 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; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors EconomyEconomy - overview: Ethiopia continues to face difficult economic problems as one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world. Its economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for more than half of GDP, 90% of exports, and 80% of total employment; coffee generates 60% of export earnings. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent periods of drought, poor cultivation practices, and deterioration of internal security conditions. The manufacturing sector is heavily dependent on inputs from the agricultural sector. Over 90% of large-scale industry, but less than 10% of agriculture, is state-run. The government is considering selling off a portion of state-owned plants and is implementing reform measures that are gradually liberalizing the economy. A major medium-term problem is the improvement of roads, water supply, and other parts of an infrastructure badly neglected during years of civil strife. GDP: purchasing power parity - $24.8 billion (1995 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 7.7% (1995 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $430 (1995 est.) GDP - composition by sector: Inflation rate - consumer price index: 10% (1995 est.) Labor force: Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: Industries: food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing, cement Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - capacity: 630,000 kW (1991) Electricity - production: 1.27 billion kWh (1994) Electricity - consumption per capita: 23 kWh (1994 est.) Agriculture - products: cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, other vegetables; hides, cattle, sheep, goats Exports: Imports: Debt - external: $4.3 billion (1995 est.) Economic aid: Currency: 1 birr (Br) = 100 cents Exchange rates: birr (Br) per US$1 (end of period) - 6.4260 (December
1996), 6.4260 (1996), 6.3200 (1995), 5.9500 (1994), 5.0000 (fixed rate 1992-93); fixed at
2.070 before 1992 Fiscal year: 8 July - 7 July CommunicationsTelephones: 100,000 (1983 est.) Telephone system: open wire and microwave radio relay system adequate for
government use Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 0, shortwave 0 Radios: 9.9 million (1992 est.) Television broadcast stations: 1 Televisions: 100,000 (1993 est.) TransportationRailways: Highways: Ports and harbors: none; Ethiopia is landlocked but by agreement with Eritrea may use the ports of Assab and Massawa Merchant marine: Airports: 59 (1996 est.) Airports - with paved runways: Airports - with unpaved runways: MilitaryMilitary branches: Ground Forces, Air Force, Police Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age Military manpower - availability: Military manpower - fit for military service: Military manpower - reaching military age annually: Military expenditures - dollar figure: $110 million (1996) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA% Transnational IssuesDisputes - international: most of the southern half of the boundary with Somalia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Somalia over the Ogaden Illicit drugs: transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (chat) for local use and regional export. |
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