Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Eritrea to the north, Djibouti and Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, South Sudan to the west, and Sudan to the northwest. Addis Ababa, in the central highlands, is the capital and largest city. Covering about 1.1 million square kilometres, Ethiopia is one of Africa’s most mountainous countries. Much of its territory consists of the Ethiopian Highlands, deeply cut by valleys and rivers.

The Great Rift Valley crosses the country from northeast to southwest and contains several lakes and volcanic landscapes. Ras Dashen is the country’s highest point, reaching about 4,550 metres above sea level. The Blue Nile, known locally as the Abay, rises in Ethiopia and flows into Sudan, where it joins the White Nile. Differences in altitude create strong contrasts in climate and vegetation, from relatively cool highlands to hot, dry lowlands.

Ethiopia contains diverse natural environments, including mountains, grasslands, forests, lakes and dry regions. Rainfall varies greatly from one area to another and is influenced particularly by altitude and seasonal patterns. The highlands are home to a large share of the population and agricultural activity, while lower and drier areas support pastoral communities and wildlife adapted to arid conditions. Ethiopia also has a long history and great cultural and linguistic diversity.

It is one of the few African countries that was not fully colonized by a European power, although Italy occupied the country from 1936 to 1941. Ethiopia uses a calendar different from the Gregorian calendar, and its currency is the birr. Amharic is the working language of the federal government, alongside many other languages spoken throughout the country. Its mountains, high plateaus, rivers, lakes and drylands make Ethiopia one of Africa’s most geographically diverse countries.