Ethiopia Map

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The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan, and Kenya to the north, east, west, and south respectively.

Ethiopia covers a total area of 426,371 square miles. Home to over 82,101,998 people, it is the second-most populated country in Africa.

The country boasts of its own time system and calendar which is around eight years behind the Gregorian calendar.

Considered to be one of the oldest sites of human existence, the history of Ethiopia goes back to the second century BC. Originally known as Abyssinia, the Ethiopian region was part of the Aksum Empire and was believed to be one of the four great world powers of the third century. Thereafter, it became an important trade center as Hamitic peoples semitic traders from Arabia entered the region in and around the seventh century B.C.

In 341 AD, Christianity made inroads in the region. The rise of Islam in the following years along with other factors led to the fall of the ancient state of Ethiopia.

The modern era of the state of Ethiopia began with the reign of Emperor Menelik II and Ras Gobena. The regime of Haile Selassie was overthrown in 1974 with the increased intensity of the civil wars that were tearing the country apart. Since then, Ethiopia has seen a variety of governmental systems.

Today, Ethiopia has a federal parliamentary republic system of governance. The Prime Minister is the head of government; currently Meles Zenawi is the prime minister of the nation.

Having one of the lowest GDP per capita in the world, the economy of Ethiopia primarily depends on agriculture. Agriculture employs about eighty-five percent of the country's population. Ethiopia is the tenth-largest producer of livestock in the world. Food processing, textiles, beverages, and chemicals are the other major industries.

The stunning natural beauty of the landscape of Ethiopia makes the country a wonderful vacation spot. Some of the major places to visit in Ethiopia include Lalibela, Bahir Dar, Shashemene, Blue Nile Gorge, Hawassa, Omo National Park, Axum, Debere Demo, Gondar, Mago National Park, and the Neshisar National Park.

Last Updated on : 02/10/2012