Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Djibouti and Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, and Sudan and South Sudan to the west. The country has a diverse landscape of high plateaus, fertile highlands, arid lowlands, and sections of the Great Rift Valley. The capital and largest city is Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia has a large, diverse population with Oromo and Amhara as the largest groups; many others include Tigray, Somali, and Sidama. Amharic is the official working language, though Oromo, Somali, and Tigrinya are widely used. The country is a federal parliamentary republic; the 1995 constitution defines ethnolinguistic regions and creates a prime minister as head of government.

Ethiopia has ancient roots with the Kingdom of Aksum and adopted Christianity in the 4th century. It was never formally colonized, though it was briefly occupied by Italy from 1936 to 1941. In the late 20th century, a Marxist government ruled until 1991, after which the country adopted a federal system. In recent years, it has faced internal conflict, including in Tigray since 2020.

Economy: Agriculture is central, with coffee among the major exports; enset and livestock are also important. The country has pursued development and infrastructure projects, including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile. Growth has been uneven and poverty remains widespread, with challenges from drought, displacement, and reliance on rainfall.

Culture and heritage: Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity predominates, along with Islam and Protestant communities. The country contains several UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as Lalibela, the Simien Mountains, and Harar Jugol. Ethiopia has a distinctive calendar and time-keeping system, and a rich literary and musical tradition.