Citation courtesy of the U.S. State Department (March 23, 2011)
People
Ethiopia’s population is highly diverse. Most of its people speak a Semitic or Cushitic language. The Oromo, Amhara, and Tigreans make up more than three-fourths of the population, but there are more than 77 different ethnic groups with their own distinct languages within Ethiopia. Some of these have as few as 10,000 members. In general, most of the Christians live in the highlands, while Muslims and adherents of traditional African religions tend to inhabit lowland regions.
English is the most widely spoken foreign language and is taught in all secondary schools. Amharic is the official language and was the language of primary school instruction but has been replaced in many areas by local languages such as Oromifa and Tigrinya.
Geography
Ethiopia is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered on the north and northeast by Eritrea, on the east by Djibouti and Somalia, on the south by Kenya, and on the west and southwest by Sudan. The country has a high central plateau that varies from 1,800 to 3,000 meters (6,000 ft.-10,000 ft.) above sea level, with some mountains reaching 4,620 meters (15,158 ft.). Elevation is generally highest just before the point of descent to the Great Rift Valley, which splits the plateau diagonally. A number of rivers cross the plateau–notably the Blue Nile flowing from Lake Tana. The plateau gradually slopes to the lowlands of the Sudan on the west and the Somali-inhabited plains to the southeast.
The climate is temperate on the plateau and hot in the lowlands. At Addis Ababa, which ranges from 2,200 to 2,600 meters (7,000 ft.-8,500 ft.), maximum temperature is 26o C (80o F) and minimum 4o C (40o F). The weather is usually sunny and dry with the short (belg) rains occurring February-April and the big (meher) rains beginning in mid-June and ending in mid-September.
Government
Type: Federal republic.
Constitution: Ratified 1994.
Branches: Executive–president, Council of State, Council of Ministers. Executive power resides with the prime minister. Legislative–bicameral parliament. Judicial–divided into federal and regional courts.
Administrative subdivisions: 9 regions and 2 special city administrations: Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa.
Political parties: Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), the Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) party, the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM), and other small parties.
Suffrage: Universal starting at age 18.
Central government budget (2009–2010): USD6.0 billion.
Defense: USD341 million (1.14% of GDP FY 2009–2010).
National holiday: May 28.
Economy
GDP (FY 2009–2010): USD29.9 billion.
Annual growth rate (2009–2010): 10.4%.
GDP per capita (2009–2010): USD365.
Average inflation rate (FY 2009–2010): 2.8%.
Natural resources: Potash, salt, gold, copper, platinum, natural gas (unexploited).
Agriculture (42% of GDP): Products–coffee, cereals, pulses, oilseeds, khat, meat, hides and skins. Cultivated land–17%.
Industry (13% of GDP): Types–textiles, processed foods, construction, cement, and hydroelectric power.
Services (45% of GDP).
Trade (2009–2010): Exports–USD2.0 billion. Imports–USD8.4 billion; plus remittances–official est. USD2 billion.
Fiscal year: July 8-July 7.
