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The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Ityop'iya, Amharic ኢትዮጵያ) is a country situated in an area known as the Horn Of Africa.Africa. It has one of the most extensive known histories as an independent nation in the continent. Uniquely amongst African countries, the Ethiopian monarchy maintained independance during the scramble for africa. The only time that an international force has occupied Ethioia was between 1936-1941 when the Italian army invaded the country, even then much of the country never gave way to the occupying power and groups of rebels (known as Patriots) continued to fight a guerilla war against the Italians. The Italians were ousted in 1941 with the help of the British Army. Ethiopia is a ecologically diverse country with land below sea level and above 10,000, Lake Tana in the north is the source of the Blue Nile. It is also has a large number of endemic species, notably the Gelada Baboon and the Abyssinian Wolf (or Simien Fox). Ehtiopia is home to many different groups of people (the Amahara (from whom the national language Amharic comes), Oromo and Tigrinyan groups being three og the most numerous). Ethiopia is the oldest secular state in the world. Christianity was officially adopted by Emperor Ezana centuries ago; however the eastern lowlands and some regions of the highlands still remain Muslim.
History Main article: History of Ethiopia
In 1974 a pro-Soviet Marxist-Leninist military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile Selassie, who had ruled since 1930, and established a one-party socialist state. The ensuing regime suffered several bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problem. It was eventually defeated in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces under the name Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). In 1994 a constitution was adopted leading to Ethiopia's first multiparty elections in the following year. A border war with Eritrea (a nation which separated from Ethiopia in 1992) erupted in May 1998. This has hurt the nation's economy but since strengthened the ruling coalition.
Politics Main article: Politics of Ethiopia
Regions Main article: Regions of Ethiopia
Ethiopia is divided into 9 ethnically-based administrative regions (astedader akababiwach, singular - astedader akabibi) and 2 chartered cities*:
Addis Ababa*; Afar; Amhara, Benishangul/Gumaz; Dire Dawa*; Gambela; Harar; Oromia; Somali; Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region; Tigray; Shewa; Gojjam
Geography Main article: Geography of Ethiopia
Economy Main article: Economy of Ethiopia
Demographics Main article: Demographics of Ethiopia
Culture Main article: Culture of Ethiopia Holidays | Date | English name | Local name | Remarks | | January 7 | Orthodox Christmas Day | Genna; | | | January 19 | Feast of Epiphany | Timket | | | February 2 | Feast of the Sacrifice | Eid-ul-Adha | | | March 2 | Battle of Adowa | | | | April 12 | Orthodox Easter Monday | | | | April 25 | Coptic Good Friday | | | | May 2 | Mulud | Mulud | | | May 5 | Patriots' Day | | | | May 28 | End of Military Regime | | | | September 11 | Ethiopian New Year/Coptic New Year | Inqutatash; | | | September 27 | Finding of the True Cross | Mesqel | | | November 14 | End of Ramadan | Eid-al-Fitr | |
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