Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Introduction

Background

Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia’s first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea late in the 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. In November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission remotely demarcated the border by geographical coordinates, but final demarcation of the boundary on the ground is currently on hold because of Ethiopian objections to an international commission’s finding requiring it to surrender territory considered sensitive to Ethiopia.

Geography

Location

Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 1,104,300 sq km
country comparison to the world: 27 land:1 million sq km
water:104,300 sq km

Area – comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries

total: 5,328 km
border countries:Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km, Somalia 1,600 km, South Sudan 837 km, Sudan 769 km

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

lowest point: Danakil Depression -125 m
highest point:Ras Dejen 4,533 m

Natural resources

small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower

Land use

arable land: 10.01%
permanent crops:0.65%
other:89.34% (2005)

Irrigated land

2,900 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources

110 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 5.56cu km/yr (6%/0%/94%)
per capita:72cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards

geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions

frequent droughts
volcanism:Ethiopia experiences volcanic activity in the Great Rift Valley

Erta Ale (elev. 613 m), which has caused frequent lava flows in recent years, is the country’s most active volcano

Dabbahu became active in 2005, causing evacuations

other historically active volcanoes include Alayta, Dalaffilla, Dallol, Dama Ali, Fentale, Kone, Manda Hararo, and Manda-Inakir

Environment – current issues

deforestation

overgrazing

soil erosion

desertification

water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management

Environment – international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Geography – note

landlocked – entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993

the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T’ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia

three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean

People and Society

Nationality

noun: Ethiopian(s)
adjective:Ethiopian

Ethnic groups

Oromo 34.5%, Amara 26.9%, Somalie 6.2%, Tigraway 6.1%, Sidama 4%, Guragie 2.5%, Welaita 2.3%, Hadiya 1.7%, Affar 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, other 11.3% (2007 Census)

Languages

Amarigna (Amharic) (official) 32.7%, Oromigna (official regional) 31.6%, Tigrigna (official regional) 6.1%, Somaligna 6%, Guaragigna 3.5%, Sidamigna 3.5%, Hadiyigna 1.7%, other 14.8%, English (official) (major foreign language taught in schools), Arabic (official) (1994 census)

Religions

Orthodox 43.5%, Muslim 33.9%, Protestant 18.6%, traditional 2.6%, Catholic 0.7%, other 0.7% (2007 Census)

Population

90,873,739 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13 note:estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS

this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Age structure

0-14 years: 46.3% (male 20,990,369/female 21,067,961)
15-64 years:51% (male 22,707,235/female 23,682,385)
65 years and over:2.7% (male 1,037,488/female 1,388,301) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 16.8 years
male:16.5 years
female:17.1 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

3.194% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8

Birth rate

42.99 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6

Death rate

11.04 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37

Net migration rate

-0.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 115 note:repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is expected to continue for several years

some Sudanese, Somali, and Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2011 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 17% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:3.8% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

ADDIS ABABA (capital) 2.863 million (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.75 male(s)/female
total population:0.97 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

470 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 29

Infant mortality rate

total: 77.12 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 17 male:88.03 deaths/1,000 live births
female:65.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 56.19 years
country comparison to the world: 195 male:53.64 years
female:58.81 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.02 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7

Health expenditures

3.6% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 170

Physicians density

0.022 physicians/1,000 population (2007)
country comparison to the world: 187

Hospital bed density

0.18 beds/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 182

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 98% of population
rural: 26% of population
total: 38% of population
unimproved:
urban: 2% of population
rural: 74% of population
total: 62% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 29% of population
rural: 8% of population
total: 12% of population
unimproved:
urban: 71% of population
rural: 92% of population
total: 88% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

HIV/AIDS – deaths

NA

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases:bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:malaria
respiratory disease:meningococcal meningitis
animal contact disease:rabies
water contact disease:schistosomiasis (2009)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

34.6% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 10

Education expenditures

5.5% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 42

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:42.7%
male:50.3%
female:35.1% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 8 years
male:9 years
female:8 years (2008)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 24.9%
country comparison to the world: 30 male:19.5%
female:29.4% (2006)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
conventional short form:Ethiopia
local long form:Ityop’iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
local short form:Ityop’iya
former:Abyssinia, Italian East Africa
abbreviation:FDRE

Government type

federal republic

Capital

name: Addis Ababa
geographic coordinates:9 02 N, 38 42 E
time difference:UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

9 ethnically based states (kililoch, singular – kilil) and 2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular – astedader)

Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara), Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples), Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali), Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples)

Independence

oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world – at least 2,000 years (may be traced to the Aksumite Kingdom, which coalesced in the first century B.C.)

National holiday

National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

Constitution

ratified 8 December 1994, effective 22 August 1995

Legal system

civil law system

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration

non-party state to the ICCt

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001)
head of government:Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995)
cabinet:Council of Ministers ministers selected by the prime minister and approved by the House of People’s Representatives
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections:president elected by both chambers of Parliament for a six-year term (eligible for a second term)

election last held on 9 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2013)

prime minister designated by the party in power following legislative elections
election results:GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president

percent of vote by the House of People’s Representatives – 79%

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation (or upper chamber responsible for interpreting the constitution and federal-regional issues) (108 seats

members chosen by state assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People’s Representatives (or lower chamber responsible for passing legislation) (547 seats

members directly elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)
elections:last held on 23 May 2010 (next to be held in 2015)
election results:percent of vote – NA

seats by party – EPRDF 499, SPDP 24, BGPDP 9, ANDP 8, GPUDM 3, HNL 1, FORUM 1, APDO 1, independent 1

Judicial branch

Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People’s Representatives

for other federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People’s Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council)

Political parties and leaders

Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [Mohammed KEDIR]

Arena Tigray

Argoba People’s Democratic Organization or APDO

Benishangul Gumuz People’s Democratic Party or BGPDP [Mulualem BESSE]

Coalition for Unity and Democratic Party or CUDP

Ethiopian Federal Democratic Forum or FORUM (a UDJ-led 8-party alliance established for the 2010 parliamentary elections)

Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF

Gambella Peoples Unity Democratic Movement or GPUDM [Umod UBONG]

Gurage Nationalities’ Democratic Movement or GNDM

Harari National League or HNL [Murad ABDULHADI]

Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement or OFDM [BULCHA Demeksa]

Oromo People’s Congress or OPC [IMERERA Gudina]

Somali Democratic Alliance Forces or SODAF

Somali People’s Democratic Party or SPDP

United Ethiopian Democratic Forces or UEDF [BEYENE Petros]

Unity for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [Birtukan MEDEKSA, currently imprisoned]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Ethiopian People’s Patriotic Front or EPPF

Ogaden National Liberation Front or ONLF

Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa]

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Birru
chancery:3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:[1] (202) 364-1200
FAX:[1] (202) 587-0195
consulate(s) general:Los Angeles
consulate(s):New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald E. BOOTH
embassy:Entoto Street, Addis Ababa
mailing address:P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa
telephone:[251] 11-517-40-00
FAX:[251] 11-517-40-01

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

green represents hope and the fertility of the land, yellow symbolizes justice and harmony, while red stands for sacrifice and heroism in the defense of the land

the blue of the disk symbolizes peace and the pentagram represents the unity and equality of the nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia
note:Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag (adopted ca. 1895) were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the Pan-African colors

the emblem in the center of the current flag was added in 1996

National symbol(s)

Abyssinian lion

National anthem

name: “Whedefit Gesgeshi Woude Henate Ethiopia” (March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia)
lyrics/music:DEREJE Melaku Mengesha/SOLOMON Lulu
note:adopted 1992

Economy

Economy – overview

Ethiopia’s poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, accounting for almost 45% of GDP, and 85% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $350 million in 2006, but historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement income. Under Ethiopia’s constitution, the state owns all land and provides long-term leases to the tenants

the system continues to hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as collateral for loans. In November 2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in December 2005 the IMF forgave Ethiopia’s debt. The global economic downturn led to balance of payments pressures, partially alleviated by recent emergency funding from the IMF. While GDP growth has remained high, per capita income is among the lowest in the world.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$86.12 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76 $79.74 billion (2009 est.)
$72.48 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$29.72 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

8% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19 10% (2009 est.)
11.2% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$1,000 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211 $900 (2009 est.)
$900 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 50%
industry:11%
services:39% (2010 est.)

Labor force

37.9 million (2007)
country comparison to the world: 17

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 85%
industry:5%
services:10% (2009 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Population below poverty line

38.7% (FY05/06 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%:25.6% (2005)

Distribution of family income – Gini index

30 (2000)
country comparison to the world: 119 40 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed)

24.6% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65

Budget

revenues: $4.587 billion
expenditures:$5.017 billion (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65

Public debt

48.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54 40.9% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188 8.5% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate

14.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68 14.183% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$4.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96 $5.094 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$7.589 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111 $8.852 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$7.988 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101 $9.524 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Agriculture – products

cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, potatoes, qat, cut flowers

hides, cattle, sheep, goats

fish

Industries

food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals, metals processing, cement

Industrial production growth rate

9.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31

Electricity – production

3.715 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122

Electricity – consumption

3.357 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169

Oil – consumption

47,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100

Oil – exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170

Oil – imports

33,480 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99

Oil – proved reserves

430,000 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99

Natural gas – production

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180

Natural gas – consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118

Natural gas – proved reserves

24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73

Current account balance

-$1.905 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156 -$2.191 billion (2009 est.)

Exports

$1.716 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138 $1.538 billion (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds

Exports – partners

China 13.9%, Germany 10.5%, Belgium 7.5%, Saudi Arabia 7.1%, US 6.8%, Sudan 4.6% (2010)

Imports

$6.992 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105 $6.819 billion (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

Imports – partners

China 15.1%, US 9.5%, Saudi Arabia 8.8% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.808 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121 $1.781 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$5.593 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107 $5.025 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates

birr (ETB) per US dollar -
14.4 (2010)
11.78 (2009)
9.57 (2008)
8.96 (2007)
8.69 (2006)

Transportation

Airports

61 (2010)
country comparison to the world:79

Airports – with paved runways

total: 17
over 3,047 m:3
2,438 to 3,047 m:8
1,524 to 2,437 m:4
914 to 1,523 m:1
under 914 m:1 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 44
2,438 to 3,047 m:3
1,524 to 2,437 m:12
914 to 1,523 m:22
under 914 m:7 (2010)

Railways

total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the 781 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad)
country comparison to the world: 102 narrow gauge:681 km 1.000-m gauge
note:railway is under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but is largely inoperable (2008)

Roadways

total: 36,469 km
country comparison to the world: 95 paved:6,980 km
unpaved:29,489 km (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 9
country comparison to the world: 120 by type:cargo 8, roll on/roll off 1 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Ethiopia is landlocked and uses ports of Djibouti in Djibouti and Berbera in Somalia

Military

Military branches

Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian Air Force (ETAF) (2011)
note:Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy

following the secession of Eritrea (1993), Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service

no compulsory military service, but the military can conduct callups when necessary and compliance is compulsory (2011)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 19,067,499
females age 16-49:19,726,816 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 11,868,084
females age 16-49:12,889,260 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 967,411
female:981,714 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

1.2% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 118

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission’s (EEBC) delimitation decision, but neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement

the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia’s Ogaden and southern Somalia’s Oromo region

Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007

“Somaliland” secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia

civil unrest in eastern Sudan has hampered efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 66,980 (Sudan)

16,576 (Somalia)

13,078 (Eritrea)
IDPs:200,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000, ethnic clashes in Gambela, and ongoing Ethiopian military counterinsurgency in Somali region

most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela Provinces) (2007)

Illicit drugs

transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe, as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa

cultivates qat (khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia (legal in all three countries)

the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country’s utility as a money laundering center