Ethiopia. English. |
| The World Factbook 2002 | ||
| Ethiopia | 
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| Introduction | Ethiopia |
| Background: |
Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, one exception being the Italian occupation of 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 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), in 1991. A constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. |
| Geography | Ethiopia |
| Location: |
Eastern Africa, west of Somalia |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
8 00 N, 38 00 E |
| Map
references: |
Africa |
| Area: |
total: 1,127,127
sq km water: 7,444 sq km land: 1,119,683 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, Sudan 1,606 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: Denakil
Depression -125 m highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m |
| Natural
resources: |
small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 9.9%
permanent crops: 0.65% other: 89.45% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
1,900 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts |
| 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban |
| 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, 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 | Ethiopia |
| Population: |
67,673,031 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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 47.2%
(male 16,098,191; female 15,879,065) 15-64 years: 50% (male 17,005,387; female 16,801,536) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 854,023; female 1,034,829) (2002 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.64% (2002 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
44.31 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
18.04 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: repatriation of Ethiopians who fled to Sudan for refuge from war and famine in earlier years is expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese and Somali refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2002 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
98.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
44.21 years female: 45.09 years (2002 est.) male: 43.36 years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
6.94 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
10.63% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
3 million (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
280,000 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun: Ethiopian(s)
adjective: Ethiopian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1% |
| Religions: |
Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 3%-8% |
| Languages: |
Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, other local languages, English (major foreign language taught in schools) |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15
and over can read and write total population: 35.5% male: 45.5% female: 25.3% (1995 est.) |
| Government | Ethiopia |
| Country
name: |
conventional long form:
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia conventional short form: Ethiopia local short form: Ityop'iya former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik abbreviation: FDRE |
| Government
type: |
federal republic |
| Capital: |
Addis Ababa |
| 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 |
| National
holiday: |
National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991) |
| Constitution: |
ratified December 1994; effective 22 August 1995 |
| Legal
system: |
currently transitional mix of national and regional courts |
| 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 NA August 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994 constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and approved by the House of People's Representatives elections: president elected by the House of People's Representatives for a six-year term; election last held 8 October 2001 (next to be held NA October 2007); 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 - 100% |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral Parliament consists
of the House of Federation or upper chamber (108 seats; members are chosen
by state assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People's
Representatives or lower chamber (548 seats; members are directly elected
by popular vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005) note: irregularities and violence at a number of polling stations necessitated the rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies; voting postponed in Somali regional state because of severe drought election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - OPDO 177, ANDM 134, TPLF 38, WGGPDO 27, EPRDF 19, SPDO 18, GNDM 15, KSPDO 10, ANDP 8, GPRDF 7, SOPDM 7, BGPDUF 6, BMPDO 5, KAT 4, other regional political groupings 22, independents 8; note - 43 seats unconfirmed |
| 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 [leader NA]; All-Amhara People's Organization or AAPO [HAILU Shawel]; Amhara National Democratic Movement or ANDM [ADDISU Legesse]; Bench Madji People's Democratic Organization or BMPDO [leader NA]; Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [leader NA]; Ethiopian Democratic Party or EDP [ADMASSU Gebeyehu]; Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] (an alliance of ANDM, OPDO, SEPDF, and TPLF); Gedeyo People's Revolutionary Democratic Fund or GPRDF [leader NA]; Gurage Nationalities' Democratic Movement orGNDM [leader NA]; Kafa Shaka People's Democratic Organization or KSPDO [leader NA]; Kembata, Alabaa and Tembaro or KAT [leader NA]; Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa Gudina]; Oromo National Congress or ONC [MERERA Gudina]; Oromo People's Democratic Organization or OPDO [JUNEDI Sado]; Sidamo People's Democratic Organization or SPDO [leader NA]; South Ethiopia People's Democratic Front or SEPDF [KASSU Yilala]; South Omo People's Democratic Movement or SOPDM [leader NA]; Tigrayan People's Liberation Front or TPLF [MELES Zenawi]; Walayta, Gamo, Gofa, Dawro, and Konta People's Democratic Organization or WGGPDO [leader NA]; dozens of small parties |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Council of Alternative Forces for Peace and Democracy in Ethiopia or CAFPDE [BEYANE Petros]; Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Coalition or SEPDC [BEYANE Petros] |
| International
organization participation: |
ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador KASSAHUN Ayele chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s): New York FAX: [1] (202) 686-9551 telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Aurelia A. BRAZEAL embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa telephone: [251] (1) 550666 FAX: [251] (1) 551328 |
| 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; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors |
| Economy | Ethiopia |
| Economy
- overview: |
Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP, 85% of exports, and 80% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices, and as many as 4.6 million people need food assistance annually. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $260 million in 2000. Other important exports include qat, live animals, hides, and gold. The war with Eritrea in 1999-2000 and recurrent drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production. In November 2001 Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under Ethiopia's land tenure system, the government 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. Despite this limitation, strong growth is expected to continue in the near term as good rainfall, the cessation of hostilities, and renewed foreign aid and debt relief push the economy forward. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $46 billion (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
7.3% (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $700 (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 52%
industry: 11% services: 37% (2000 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
64% (1996) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 34% (1995) (1995) |
| Distribution
of family income - Gini index: |
40 (1995) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
6.8% (2001 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
NA |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, government and services 12%, industry and construction 8% (1985) (1985) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
NA% |
| Budget: |
revenues: $1.8 billion
expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $600 million (2002 est.) |
| Industries: |
food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing, cement |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
6.7% (2001 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
1.63 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: 2% hydro: 98% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
1.516 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, qat; hides, cattle, sheep, goats |
| Exports: |
$442 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
coffee, qat, gold, leather products, oilseeds |
| Exports
- partners: |
Germany 18%, Japan 11%, Djibouti 11%, Saudi Arabia 8% (2000 est.) |
| Imports: |
$1.54 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles |
| Imports
- partners: |
Saudi Arabia 25%, US 9%, Italy 7%, Russia 4% (2000 est.) |
| Debt
- external: |
$5.3 billion (2001 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$308 million (FY00/01 ) |
| Currency: |
birr (ETB) |
| Currency
code: |
ETB |
| Exchange
rates: |
birr per US dollar (end
of period) - 8.455 (December 2001), 8.3140 (December 2000), 8.3140 (2000),
8.1340 (1999), 7.5030 (1998), 6.8640 (1997) note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank |
| Fiscal
year: |
8 July - 7 July |
| Communications | Ethiopia |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
231,900 (2000) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
17,800 (2000) |
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
open wire and microwave radio relay system; adequate for government use
domestic: open wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide the national trunk service international: open wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001) |
| Radios: |
15.2 million (2002) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
1 plus 24 repeaters (2002) |
| Televisions: |
682,000 (2002) |
| Internet
country code: |
.et |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2002) |
| Internet
users: |
20,000 (2002) |
| Transportation | Ethiopia |
| Railways: |
total: 681 km (Ethiopian
segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge note: in 1998, Djibouti and Ethiopia announced plans to revitalize the century-old railroad that links their capitals and since then Ethiopia has expended considerable effort to repair and maintain the lines; in 2001, Ethiopia and Sudan agreed to build a line from Ethiopia to Port Sudan (2000 est.) |
| Highways: |
total: 24,145 km
paved: 3,290 km unpaved: 20,855 km (1998) |
| Waterways: |
none |
| Ports
and harbors: |
none; Ethiopia is landlocked and was by agreement with Eritrea using the ports of Assab and Massawa; since the border dispute with Eritrea flared, Ethiopia has used the port of Djibouti for nearly all of its imports |
| Merchant
marine: |
total: 9 ships (1,000
GRT or over) totaling 81,933 GRT/101,287 DWT ships by type: cargo 5, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2002 est.) |
| Airports: |
86 (2001) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 69 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 32 under 914 m: 21 (2002) |
| Military | Ethiopia |
| Military
branches: |
Ethiopian National Defense
Force (Ground Forces, Air Force, militia, police) note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age (2002 est.) |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49: 14,925,883 (2002 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49: 7,790,977 (2002 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 703,625 (2002 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$800 million (FY00) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
12.6% (FY00) |
| Transnational Issues | Ethiopia |
| Disputes
- international: |
most of the southern half of the boundary with Somalia in the Ogaden region is a provisional administrative line; in the Ogaden, regional states have established a variety of conflicting relationships with the Somali Transitional National Government in Mogadishu, feuding factions in Puntland region, and the economically stabile break-away "Somaliland" region; Ethiopia agreeed in 2002 to demarcate its entire boundary with Sudan; Eritrea and Ethiopia have expressed general approval of the April 2002 arbitration commission ruling re-delimiting the boundary, the focus of their 1998-2000 war; United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) will monitor activities within the 25-km wide temporary security zone in Eritrea until demarcation and de-mining are complete |
| Illicit
drugs: |
transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America 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 |
Source:
The World Factbook 2002
Last Updated: 19 March 2003
2000-2007
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