|
Ethiopia
|
|
|
|
Photo:
Rhodri Jones/Oxfam GB
|
Ethiopia, the most mountainous country in Africa, is about five
times the size of the UK. Almost three-quarters of the country
is higher than Ben Nevis. In the east, Ethiopia's low-lying Red
Sea coast is one of the hottest, driest places on earth.
Ethiopia is one of the oldest independent nations in Africa and
was only colonised for brief periods by Italy. The country has
been a crossroads of civilisations and peoples for thousands of
years. The earliest human skeleton, which is over three million
years old, was found in Ethiopia's Rift Valley. It is said that
the Queen of Sheba travelled from Ethiopia to meet King Solomon.
Ethiopia's people belong to many ethnic groups. Two-thirds are
of Amhara or Oromo descent, but there are almost 100 ethnic groups.
There were Christians in Ethiopia more than 14 centuries ago,
long before the religion arrived in northern Europe. Today 40
per cent of Ethiopians are Christians, and 40 per cent Muslims.
Traditional African religions also play an important part in people's
lives.
Nine out of ten Ethiopians live in the countryside, living from
the land. Most live in the cooler highlands, which have the best
agricultural land, and where wheat, barley, and a local grain
teff, are grown. Many farmers in the south-west produce coffee
for export. Coffee got its name from the Kaffa region of Ethiopia
where it has been grown and drunk for thousands of years.
For much of the last 30 years, Ethiopia has been gripped by a
civil war, as rebel groups in different regions have fought against
central control. War, drought and an oppressive government made
Ethiopia one of the world's poorest nations in the 1980s. This
combination of factors led to famine on several occasions. In
1983-5, millions of Ethiopians were forced to leave their homes
and flee to refugee camps. Up to 300,000 people died.
Since a democratic government was elected in 1995, Ethiopia's
economy has gradually recovered. There are hopes that a lasting
peace will allow communities to rebuild their lives.
|
Capital
|
Addis Ababa
|
|
Population
|
58.2 million
|
|
Area
|
1,104,300 sq km
|
|
Language
|
Amharic (official), Arabic, and at least 100 local languages
|
|
GNP per capita
|
$110
|
|
Life expectancy
|
43.3 years
|
|
People per doctor
|
33,333
|
|
Literacy
|
46% male, 25% female
|
|
Percentage of population with access to safe water
|
25%
|
|
Urban population
|
15.8%
|
Statistics taken from the Human Development Report 2000, published
by the United Nations Development Programme, and the World Guide
1999/2000, published by New Internationalist Publications.
For more information
about Ethiopia, see the Ethiopia
feature on Cool Planet for Children.
Brazil
|| India || Russia ||
United Kingdom
|
Cool Planet for Teachers has moved
