Ethiopia, officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea to the north and northeast, Djibouti and Somalia to the east, Sudan and South Sudan to the west, and Kenya to the south. With over 100 million inhabitants, Ethiopia is one of the most populous landlocked countries in the world, as well as the second-most populous nation on the African continent after Nigeria. It occupies a total area of 1,100,000 square kilometers (420,000 sq mi), and its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia is a region that has a long history, has some of the earliest human populations and possibly the region where people expanded and evolved out of Africa to populate the rest of the world 1.8 years ago.
The period begins with the Australopithecus, the ancient hominoids which extend to the early inhabitants of the pre-Aksumites. It is also the period with the arrival of Ge’ez and Judaism. It is believed that the Cushitic language speakers have been the original inhabitants of Ethiopia; however, they were driven out of the region in the 2nd millennium B.C. accordingly, the Ethiopian kingdom was founded (10th cent. B.C.) by Solomon’s first son, Menelik I. However, it is documented that the first kingdom was Aksum (Axum), a kingdom that probably emerged in the 2nd century A.D. The First Ethiopian Kingdom, Aksum was a very advanced civilization, for they were the first Africans to mint coins. Nevertheless, Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa and one of the most ancient nations in the world.
Zagwe dynasty, begun by King Mara Teklehaimanot, saw a succession of kings that ruled Ethiopia. Perhaps the most notable was King Lalibela, known as the surviving child of Axumite decent who found refuge in Shewa during the slaughter period of Yodit.
The era of the Zagwe dynasty was marked by isolation from the external world. The internal threat posed by the likes of Yodit also had its toll on the Zagwe dynasty. King Lalibela who often claimed to have been lead by the vision of God mobilized his people to build one of the biggest wonders of the world: the rock hewn churches of Lalibela.
Emperor Tewodros II (Kassa) from Quara was a child of a woman who used to sell local beverage: a proffesd, dmsion stigmatized in Ethiopia. His profile was nothing close to that of a king or even a lord as he was not from a royal decent.
Kassa however managed to conquer Ethiopia. In ages where nothing except military might would lead to the throne, Kassa was a bandit with a small group of followers. Profiting from the lawlessness of the Zemene Mesafint period, he managed to amass wealth with his small crew, allowing him to increase the size and strength of his band.
Tewodros was determined not to be captured by external forces. When he knew that the army was advancing to his palace and that his capture was eminent, Tewodros took his own life.
EMPEROR YOHANNES:- Successor of Emperor Tewodros, Emperor Yohannes originally from Tigray was governing an Ethiopia which caught the interest of colonial powers. His years on the throne were marked by subsequent battles, notably with the Dervishes which controlled much of the current Egypt and Sudan. His fights to maintain Ethiopia's freedom from occupation was successful but lead to his eventual death.
EMPEROR MENILIK II :- The successor of Yohannes was Menelik originally from Shewa district. Menelik was a king determined to introduce western modernization. After shifting his capital to Addis Ababa, He built the first hotel named after his wife Taytu , railway, the first car... which were completely new to Ethiopia.
EMPEROR HAILESELLASSI :- knew that factions within the army were actually rebelling against his rule. Despite receiving intelligence about a possible coup by a limited number of military officials the Emperor did not sanction immediate response.
Ethiopia is a diverse and generally structured along ethio linguistic lines. The country's Afro-Asiatic- speaking majority adhere to an amalgamation of traditions that were developed independently and through interaction with neighboring and far away civilizations, including other parts of Northeast Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, India, Italy and Malaysia. By contrast, the nation's Nilotic communities and other ethio linguistic minorities tend to practice customs more closely linked with South Sudan and/or the African Great Lakes region.
Ethiopia is a land of wonder and enchantment, a country with one of the richest histories on the African continent, a land of contrasts and surprises, of remote and wild places, home to cultured and friendly people who are descended from some of the world's oldest civilizations.
The abundance of natural beauty that blessed Ethiopia offers remarkable variety of landscapes Afro Alpine highlands soaring to around 4300 meters, chain of mountains, the splendors of the Great Rift Valley, white water rivers, and giant waterfalls, dense and lush forests. Ethiopia is the 4th largest Bio-Diversity zone in the world and has more unique species of flora and fauna and there are more than 50 National Parks, wild life sanctuaries, wild life reserves and controlled hunting areas.
The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is situated in the Northern east of Africa customary known as the horn of Africa. so called because of the horn, shaped tip of the continent and it is about twice the size of France, has an area of 1,112,000 square kilometers, about 65 percent is presently cultivated. Ethiopia Shares its boundaries with Eritrea north and north east, Djibouti Easter part, Somalia south east and south, Kenya south and Sudan in the western side.
The capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa which mean (NEW FLOWER), founded in 1886 by Empress Taytu as Addis Ababa, currently the population of Addis Ababa is estimated to be 6(six) millions, Addis Ababa also known as the capital of Africa by hosting many international organization headquarters, UN for Africa (ECA), the AU (African union) and other Diplomatic mission for Africa.
Amharic is the official language, but there are 80 others local
language which is dialectic to some 200.
There are between 45 and 86 languages spoken in Ethiopia. Amharic is the government's official language and a widely used lingua franca, but as of 2007, only 29% of the population reported speaking Amharic as their main language. Oromo is spoken by over a third of the population as their main language and is the most widely spoken primary language in Ethiopia. Speakers of certain languages are concentrated in specific regions. Tigrinya is the primary language for over 95% of the population in Tigray, and Afar is the primary language for over 89% of the population of the Afar region. English and Arabic are widely used and Italian and French are spoken.
Ethiopian Christian churches both the Ethiopian Orthodox and
Protestant churches are dominant which cover almost 62 % of the population, Islam will cover 33% mainly in the east and south.
Roughly two-thirds of the Ethiopian population identifies as Christian and one-third is Muslim. At the time of the 2007 census, 43.5% of the population identified as Ethiopian Orthodox Christian, 33.9% identified as Muslim and 18.5% identified as Protestant Christian (Pentay).
The Local currency is an Ethiopian Birr, made up of 100 Cents, Visitors may import an unlimited amount of foreign currency, but they need decoration to the customs authority upon arrival.
Ethiopia is in GMT +3 hours’ time Zone, and follows the unique Julian calendar which is seven years and eight months behind the Gorgonian calendar, consists of thirteen month, the twelve months consists of 30 days each and the last (13th Month) will have 5 or 6 days during leap year, The New Year fall on the 11th of September.
