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የኢትዮጵያ ፌዴራላዊ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ሪፐብሊክ ye-Ītyōṗṗyā Fēdēralāwī Dīmōkrāsīyāwī Rīpeblīk Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Wodefit Gesgeshi, Widd Innat Ityopp'ya "March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia"
Capital (and largest city)		Addis Ababa 9°01′N, 38°44′E
Official languages		Amharic
Demonym		Ethiopian
Government		Federal Parliamentary republic1
-	President	Girma Wolde-Giorgis
-	Prime Minister	Meles Zenawi
Establishment		10th century BC
-	Traditional date	c.980 BC
-	Kingdom of Dʿmt	8th century BC
-	Kingdom of Aksum	1st century BC
Area
-	Total	1,104,300 km² (27th) 426,371 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0.7
Population
-	2006 estimate	75,067,000 (16th²)
-	1994 census	53,477,265
-	Density	70/km² (123rd) 181/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$69.099 billion (69th)
-	Per capita	$823 (175fth)
Gini (1999–00)		30 (medium)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0.406 (low) (169th)
Currency		Birr (ETB)
Time zone		EAT (UTC+3)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+3)
Internet TLD		.et
Calling code		+251
1	According to The Economist in its Democracy Index, Ethiopia is a "hybrid regime", with a dominant-party system led by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front.
2	Rank based on 2005 population estimate by the United Nations.

Ethiopia (IPA: /ˌiːθiːˈoʊpiə/) (Ge'ez: ኢትዮጵያ ʾĪtyōṗṗyā), officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the north-east. Image File history File links Acap. ... Ethiopia may refer to: Ethiopia, the country in the Horn of Africa Ethiopia (Mythology), the Phoenician Kingdom Category: ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... The UTF-8-encoded Japanese Wikipedia article for mojibake, as displayed in ISO-8859-1 encoding. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ethiopia. ... Flag ratio: 1:2 The Flag of Ethiopia was adopted on February 6, 1996. ... The Coat of arms of Ethiopia contains a yellow five pointed star radiating rays of light. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Wodefit Gesgeshi, Widd Innat Ityoppya (Amharic: ወደፊት ገስግሺ ውድ እናት ኢትዮጵያ, March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia) is the national anthem of Ethiopia. ... Image File history File links LocationEthiopia. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... Ethiopias population is highly diverse. ... For the long-distance runner, see Addis Abebe. ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... The Federal Republic of Germany and its sixteen Bundesländer (federal states) A federal republic is a federation of states with a republican form of government. ... Parliamentary republics around the world, shown in Orange (Parliamentary republics with a non-executive President) and Green (Parliamentary republics with an executive President linked to Parliament). ... This page contains a list of heads of state of Ethiopia since 1974. ... Girma Wolde-Giorgis (born December 1924 in Addis Ababa) is the President of Ethiopia. ... List of heads of government of Ethiopia (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office) Affiliations See also Ethiopia Rulers and Heads of State of Ethiopia List of Presidents of Ethiopia Lists of office-holders ... Meles Zenawi Asres (Geez መለስ ዜናዊ meles zÄ“nāwÄ«, b. ... Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, with one of the longest recorded histories in the world. ... Look up Circa on Wiktionary, the free dictionary The Latin word circa, literally meaning about, is often used to describe various dates (often birth and death dates) that are uncertain. ... Dmt is the Sabaean name for a kingdom on the northern Ethiopian plateau that existed from around 800 BC until it was united in the Aksum kingdom around the birth of Jesus. ... The Kingdom of Aksum (or Axum, Geez አክሱም), was an important trading nation in northeastern Africa, growing from the proto-Aksumite period ca. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different surface areas  here is a list of areas between 1 million km² and 10 million km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... Map of countries by population for the year 2007 This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Look up Per capita in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article includes two lists of countries of the world[1] sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average population for the same year. ... Graphical representation of the Gini coefficient The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth distribution. ... This page talks about Human Development Index, for other HDIs see HDI (disambiguation) World map indicating Human Development Index (2007). ... This talks about the countries in the Human Development Index, for information on the Human Development Index, please Click Here World map indicating Human Development Index (2007) (Colour-blind compliant map) For red-green color vision problems. ... For other uses, see Birr (disambiguation). ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... Time zones of Africa: Striped colours indicate countries observing daylight saving East Africa Time, or EAT, is a time zone used in eastern Africa. ... UTC redirects here. ... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... UTC redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .et is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Ethiopia. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London. ... Democracy index map. ... Political parties Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A dominant-party system, or one party dominant system, is a party system where only one political party can realistically become the government, by itself or in a coalition government. ... The Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front, or EPRDF, is the ruling political party of Ethiopia. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... The Horn of Africa. ...

Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in the world^[1] and Africa's second-most populous nation.^[2] Ethiopia has yielded some of humanity's oldest traces,^[3] making the area important in the history of human evolution. Recent studies claim that the vicinity of present-day Addis Ababa was the point from which human beings migrated around the world.^[4][5][6] Ethiopian dynastic history traditionally began with the reign of Emperor Menelik I in 1000 BC.^[7][8] The roots of the Ethiopian state are similarly deep, dating with unbroken continuity to at least the Aksumite Empire (which adopted the name "Ethiopia" in the 4th century) and its predecessor state, D`mt (with early 1st millennium BC roots).^[9][10] After a period of decentralized power in the 18th and early 19th centuries known as the Zemene Mesafint ("Era of the Judges/Princes"), the country was reunited in 1855 by Kassa Hailu, who became Emperor Tewodros II, beginning Ethiopia's modern history.^{[11][12][13][14]} Ethiopia's borders underwent significant territorial expansion to its modern borders for the rest of the century,^[15][16][17] especially by Emperor Menelik II and Ras Gobena, culminating in its victory over the Italians at the Battle of Adwa in 1896 with the military leadership of Ras Makonnen, and ensuring its sovereignty and freedom from colonization.^[18][19] It was brutally occupied by Mussolini's Italy from 1936 to 1941,^[20] ending with its liberation by British Empire and Ethiopian Patriot forces. For the history of humans on Earth, see History of the world. ... For the long-distance runner, see Addis Abebe. ... Menelik I, first Emperor of Ethiopia, is traditionally believed to be the son of King Solomon of ancient Israel and Makeda, Queen of Sheba. ... Aksum was an important participant in international trade from the 1st century CE (Periplus of the Erythraean Sea) until circa the later part of the 1st millennium when it succumbed to a long decline against pressures from the various Islamic powers leagued against it. ... Dʿmt was a kingdom on the northern Ethiopian plateau that existed during the 8th and 7th centuries BC. Few inscriptions by or about this kingdom exist, as very little archaeological work has taken place. ... Some historians date the murder of Iyasu I, and the resultant decline in the prestige of the dynasty, as the beginning of the Ethiopian Zemene Mesafint (Era of the Princes,) a time of disorder when the power of the monarchy was eclipsed by the power of local warlords. ... Tewodros II (Geez ቴዎድሮስ, also known as Theodore II) (1818 -suicide April 13, 1868) was an Emperor of Ethiopia (1855 - 1868). ... Emperor Menelik II (Geez ምኒልክ) baptized as Sahle Maryam (August 17, 1844 – December 12, 1913), was of Ethiopia from 1889 to his death. ... Combatants Ethiopia Italy Commanders Emperor Menilek II Empress Taytu Ras Alula Engida Dejazmach Balcha Aba Nefso Fitawrari Gebeyyehu Ras Gobena Ras Makonnen Ras Mengesha Atikem Ras Mengesha Yohannes Ras Mikael of Wollo Ras Wale Betul Negus Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam Oreste Baratieri Strength ~100,000 (80,000 with firearms), Unknown... Ras Makonnen ca. ... Benito Mussolini created a fascist state through the use of propaganda, total control of the media and disassembly of the working democratic government. ...

Having converted during the fourth century AD, it is also the second-oldest country to become officially Christian, after Armenia.^[21] Since 1974, it has been secular and has also had a considerable Muslim community since the earliest days of Islam.^[22] Historically a relatively isolated mountain country, Ethiopia by the mid 20th century became a crossroads of global international cooperation. It became a member of the League of Nations in 1923, signed the Declaration by United Nations in 1942, and was one of the fifty-one original members of the United Nations (UN). The headquarters of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) is in Addis Ababa, as is the headquarters of the African Union (formerly the Organisation of African Unity), of which Ethiopia was the principal founder. There are about forty-five Ethiopian embassies and consulates around the world. As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. ... Topics in Christianity Preaching Prayer Ecumenism Relation to other religions Movements Music Liturgy Calendar Symbols Art Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... For the political science journal, see International Organization. ... 1939–1941 semi-official emblem Anachronous world map in 1920–1945, showing the League of Nations and the world Capital Not applicable¹ Language(s) English, French and Spanish Political structure International organization Secretary-general  - 1920–1933 Sir James Eric Drummond  - 1933–1940 Joseph Avenol  - 1940–1946 Seán Lester Historical... The Declaration by United Nations was a World War II document agreed to on January 1, 1942 during the Arcadia Conference by 26 governments, several of them governments-in-exile. ... UN redirects here. ... The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA or ECA) was established in 1958 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states (the nations of the African continent). ... Anthem Let Us All Unite and Celebrate Together [1] Administrative Centre Working languages Arabic English Spanish French Portuguese Swahili Membership 53 African states Leaders  -  Chairman Jakaya Kikwete  -  Jean Ping Establishment  -  as the OAU May 25, 1963   -  as the African Union July 9, 2002  Area  -  Total 29,757,900 km² (1st1... OUA redirects here. ... Categories: | ... The term Consulate can refer to: the office or the period in office of a consul a diplomatic consulate the French Consulate which governed between 1799 and 1804 a brand of menthol cigarettes Consulate This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share...

Name

It is not certain how old the name Ethiopia is; its earliest attested use is in the Iliad , where it appears twice, and in the Odyssey, where it appears three times. The earliest attested use in the region is as a Christianized name for the Kingdom of Aksum in the 4th century, in stone inscriptions of King Ezana.^[23] The Ge'ez name ʾĪtyōṗṗyā and its English cognate are thought by some recent scholars to be derived from the Greek word Αἰθιοπία Aithiopia, from Αἰθίοψ Aithiops ‘an Ethiopian’, derived in turn from Greek words meaning "of burned face"^[24]. However, the Book of Aksum, a Ge'ez chronicle compiled in the 15th century, states that the name is derived from "'Ityopp'is" — a son (unmentioned in the Bible) of Cush, son of Ham who according to legend founded the city of Axum. Pliny the Elder^[25] similarly states the tradition that the nation took its name from someone named Aethiops. A third etymology, suggested by the late Ethiopian scholar and poet laureate Tsegaye Gabre-Medhin, traces the name to the "old black Egyptian [sic]" words Et (Truth or Peace) Op (high or upper) and Bia (land, country), or "land of higher peace". title page of the Rihel edition of ca. ... This article is about Homers epic poem. ... The Kingdom of Aksum (or Axum, Geez አክሱም), was an important trading nation in northeastern Africa, growing from the proto-Aksumite period ca. ... Ezana of Axum (Geez ዔዛና Ê¿Ä’zānā unvocalized ዐዘነ Ê¿zn. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... The Book of Aksum (Geez መጽሓፈ ፡ አክሱም maṣḥāfa aksÅ«m, Amh. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... Ityoppis is, according to the 15th century Book of Aksum, a son (unmentioned in the Bible) of Cush, son of Ham who founded the city of Axum. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For other uses, see Legend (disambiguation). ... Axum, properly Aksum, is a city in northern Ethiopia. ... Pliny the Elder: an imaginative 19th Century portrait. ... The term aethiops can refer to a number of different things: Aethiops, or æthiops or ethiops, refers to certain dark-colored compounds of metal. ... A Poet Laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and often expected to compose poems for State occasions and other government events. ... Tsegaye Gabre-Medhin (17 August 1936—25 February 2006) was Poet Laureate of Ethiopia, as well as a poet, playwright, essayist, and art director. ...

In English and generally outside of Ethiopia, the country was also once historically known as Abyssinia, derived from Habesh, an early Arabic form of the Ethiosemitic name "Ḥabaśāt" (unvocalized "ḤBŚT"), modern Habesha, the native name for the country's inhabitants (while the country was called "Ityopp'ya"). In a few languages, Ethiopia is still called by names cognate with "Abyssinia," e.g., and modern Arabic Al Habeshah, meaning land of the Habesha people. The term Habesha, strictly speaking, refers only to the Amhara and Tigray-Tigrinya people who have historically dominated the country politically, and which combined comprise about 36% of Ethiopia's population. However, in contemporary Ethiopian politics, the word Habesha is often used to describe all Ethiopians and Eritreans. Abyssinia can strictly refer to just the North-Western Ethiopian provinces of Amhara and Tigray as well as central Eritrea, while it was historically used as another name for Ethiopia.^[26] Geographical renaming is the act of changing the name of a geographical feature or area. ... Arabic redirects here. ... Ethiopian Semitic languages (sometimes Ethiopic) is a language group which together with Old South Arabian forms the Western branch of the South Semitic languages. ... The term Habesha (Geez ሐበሻ ḥabaśā, Amh. ... Amhara (Amharic: አማራ, Geez: አምሐራ) is an ethnic group in the central highlands of Ethiopia, numbering about 23 million, making up 30. ... The Tigray-Tigrinya are an ethnic group who live in Eritrea and the northern highlands of Ethiopias Tigray province. ... Map of Ethiopia highlighting the Amhara region. ... Map of Ethiopia highlighting the Tigray region. ...

History

Main article: History of Ethiopia

Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, with one of the longest recorded histories in the world. ...

Early history

Human settlement in Ethiopia dates back to ancient times. Fossilized remains of the earliest ancestors to the human species, discovered in Ethiopia, have been assigned dates as long ago as 5.9 million years.^[27] Together with Eritrea and the southeastern part of the Red Sea coast of Sudan (Beja lands), it is considered the most likely location of the land known to the ancient Egyptians as Punt (or "Ta Netjeru," meaning land of the Gods), whose first mention dates to the twenty-fifth century BC.^[28][29] Location of the Red Sea The Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. ... The Beja people are an ethnic group dwelling parts of North-Eastern and Eastern Africa including the area of the Horn of Africa. ... Map of Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt was the civilization of the Nile Valley between about 3000 BC and the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. As a civilization based on irrigation it is the quintessential example of an hydraulic empire. ... The Land of Punt, also called Pwenet[1] by the ancient Egyptians, at times synonymous with Ta netjer, the land of the god [2], was a fabled site in the Horn of Africa and was the source of many exotic products, such as gold, aromatic resins, African blackwood, ebony, ivory...

The ruins of the temple at Yeha dates to the 7th or 8th century BC.

Around the eighth century BC, a kingdom known as Dʿmt was established in northern Ethiopia and Eritrea, with its capital at Yeha in northern Ethiopia. Most modern historians consider this civilization to be a native African one, although Sabaean-influenced due to the latter's hegemony of the Red Sea,^[30] while others view Dʿmt as the result of a mixture of "culturally superior" Sabaeans and indigenous peoples.^[31] However, Ge'ez, the ancient Semitic language of Ethiopia, is now thought not to have derived from Sabaean (also South Semitic). There is evidence of a Semitic-speaking presence in Ethiopia and Eritrea at least as early as 2000 BC.^[32][33] Sabaean influence is now thought to have been minor, limited to a few localities, and disappearing after a few decades or a century, perhaps representing a trading or military colony in some sort of symbiosis or military alliance with the Ethiopian civilization of Dʿmt or some other proto-Aksumite state.^[34] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (900x596, 185 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Ethiopia Yeha User:JialiangGao Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (900x596, 185 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Ethiopia Yeha User:JialiangGao Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... Yeha is a town in the north of Ethiopia, located in the region of Tigray. ... Dmt is the Sabaean name for a kingdom on the northern Ethiopian plateau that existed from around 800 BC until it was united in the Aksum kingdom around the birth of Jesus. ... Yeha is a town in the north of Ethiopia, located in the region of Tigray. ... The Sabaeans were a people who lived in what is today Yemen in the final millennium BCE. They may be the same nation as the biblical Sheba. ... Location of the Red Sea The Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... The Sabey language was a language and alphabet used in Ethiopia up until the 8th Century AD. The Sabay language was replaced by the Geez language and writing system. ... Dmt is the Sabaean name for a kingdom on the northern Ethiopian plateau that existed from around 800 BC until it was united in the Aksum kingdom around the birth of Jesus. ...

After the fall of Dʿmt in the fourth century BC, the plateau came to be dominated by smaller successor kingdoms, until the rise of one of these kingdoms during the first century BC, the Aksumite Kingdom, ancestor of medieval and modern Ethiopia, which was able to reunite the area.^[35] They established bases on the northern highlands of the Ethiopian Plateau and from there expanded southward. The Persian religious figure Mani listed Aksum with Rome, Persia, and China as one of the four great powers of his time.^[36] (Redirected from 1st century BCE) (2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century - other centuries) The 1st century BC starts on January 1, 100 BC and ends on December 31, 1 BC. An alternative name for this century is the last century BC. (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st... The Kingdom of Aksum (or Axum, Geez አክሱም), was an important trading nation in northeastern Africa, growing from the proto-Aksumite period ca. ... Ethiopian Highlands with Ras Dashan in the background. ... Mani (in Persian: مانی, Syriac: ) was born of Iranian (Parthian) parentage in Babylon, Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) which was a part of Persian Empire about 210-276 CE. He was a religious preacher and the founder of Manichaeism, an ancient Persian gnostic religion that was once prolific but is now extinct. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... Persia redirects here. ...

In 316 AD, a Christian philosopher from Tyre, Meropius, embarked on a voyage of exploration along the coast of Africa. He was accompanied by, among others, two Syro-Greeks, Frumentius and his brother Aedesius. The vessel was stranded on the coast, and the natives killed all the travelers except the two brothers, who were taken to the court and given positions of trust by the monarch. They both practiced the Christian faith in private, and soon converted the queen and several other members of the royal court. Upon the king's death, Frumentius was appointed regent of the realm by the queen, and instructor of her young son, Prince Ezana. A few years later, upon Ezana's coming of age, Aedesius and Frumentius left the kingdom, the former returning to Tyre where he was ordained, and the latter journeying to Alexandria. Here, he consulted Athanasius, who ordained him and appointed him Bishop of Aksum. He returned to the court and baptized the King Ezana, together with many of his subjects, and in short order Christianity was proclaimed the official state religion again.^[37] For this accomplishment, he received the title "Abba Selama" ("Father of peace"). BCE redirects here. ... Frumentius (Geez ፍሬምንጦስ /freminÅ¥os/) (died ca. ... Aedesius (died 355), Neoplatonist philosopher, was born of a noble Cappadocian family. ... Topics in Christianity Preaching Prayer Ecumenism Relation to other religions Movements Music Liturgy Calendar Symbols Art Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... Ezana of Axum was ruler of the Axumite Kingdom from about 320 to 350 AD. Ezana succeeded his father Ella Amida while still a youth and his mother, Sofya served as regent. ... This article is about the city in Egypt. ... Athanasius of Alexandria (also spelled Athanasios) was a Christian bishop of Alexandria in the fourth century. ...

Bete Giyorgis from above, one of the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela.

At various times, including a fifty-year period in the sixth century, Aksum controlled most of modern-day Yemen and some of southern Saudi Arabia just across the Red Sea, as well as controlling southern Egypt, northern Sudan, northern Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, and northern Somalia.^[38] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (900x585, 183 KB) Bete Giyorgis, the Church of St. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (900x585, 183 KB) Bete Giyorgis, the Church of St. ... St. ... The Bete Giyorgis, one of the many rock-hewn churches at the holy site of Lalibela, Ethiopia Lalibela is a town in northern Ethiopia. ... Location of the Red Sea The Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. ...

The line of rulers descended from the Aksumite kings was broken several times: first by the Jewish (unknown/or pagan) Queen Gudit around 950^[39] (or possibly around 850, as in Ethiopian histories).^[40] It was then interrupted by the Zagwe dynasty; it was during this dynasty that the famous rock-hewn churches of Lalibela were carved under King Lalibela, allowed by a long period of peace and stability.^[41] Gudit (or Judith; also known as Esato) is a semi-legendary non-Christian queen (flourished c. ... The Zagwe Dynasty ruled Ethiopia from the end of the Kingdom of Axum to 1270, when Yekuno Amlak defeated and killed the last Zagwe king in battle. ... The Bete Giyorgis, one of the many rock-hewn churches at the holy site of Lalibela, Ethiopia Lalibela is a town in northern Ethiopia. ... Gebre Mesqel Lalibela (also called simply Lalibela, which means the bees recognise his sovereignty in Old Agaw) was negus of Ethiopia, and a member of the Zagwe dynasty; he is also considered a saint by the Ethiopian church. ...

Ethiopian Empire

Main article: Ethiopian Empire

Around 1270, the Solomonic dynasty came to control Ethiopia, claiming descent from the kings of Aksum. They called themselves Neguse Negest ("King of Kings," or Emperor), due to their direct descent from Solomon and the queen of Sheba.^[42] Flag Capital Addis Ababa Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1270-1285 Yekuno Amlak  - 1930-1974 Haile Selassie I History  - Overthrow of Zagwe kings 1270  - Italian occupation 1936  - Liberation 1941  - Coup detat 1974  - Monarchy abolished March 12, 1975 The Ethiopian Empire, also known as Abyssinia, existed from approximately 1270 AD (beginning of... The Solomonid dynasty is the traditional royal house of Ethiopia, claiming descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, who is said to have given birth to the traditional first king Menelik I after her Biblically-described visit to Solomon in Jerusalem. ... The Emperor (Geez ንጉሠ ነገሥት, , King of Kings) of Ethiopia was the hereditary ruler of Ethiopia until the abolition of the monarchy in 1975. ... This article is about the Biblical character . ... Sheba (from the English transcription of the Hebrew name shva and Saba, Arabic: سبأ, also Saba, Amharic: ሳባ, Tigrinya: ሳባ) was a southern kingdom mentioned in the Jewish scriptures (Old Testament) and the Quran. ...

Restored contact with Europe

In the early fifteenth century Ethiopia sought to make diplomatic contact with European kingdoms for the first time since Aksumite times. A letter from King Henry IV of England to the Emperor of Abyssinia survives.^[43] In 1428, the Emperor Yeshaq sent two emissaries to Alfons V of Aragon, who sent return emissaries that failed to complete the return trip.^[44] The first continuous relations with a European country began in 1508 with Portugal under Emperor Lebna Dengel, who had just inherited the throne from his father.^[45] Henry IV (3 April 1367 – 20 March 1413) was the King of England and France and Lord of Ireland from 1399 to 1413. ... Yeshaq I or Isaac (throne name Gabra Masqal II) was negus (1414 - 1429) of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonid dynasty. ... Alfons V of Aragon (also Alfons I of Naples) (1396 – June 27, 1458), surnamed the Magnanimous, was the King of Aragon and Naples and count of Barcelona from 1416 to 1458. ... Dawit II or David II, better known by his throne name Lebna Dengel (1501 - September 2, 1540) was negus negust (1508 - 1540) of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonid dynasty. ...

King Fasilides' Castle.

This proved to be an important development, for when the Empire was subjected to the attacks of the Adal General and Imam, Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi (called "Grañ", or "the Left-handed"), Portugal responded to Lebna Dengel's plea for help with an army of four hundred men, who helped his son Gelawdewos defeat Ahmad and re-establish his rule.^[46] However, when Emperor Susenyos converted to Roman Catholicism in 1624, years of revolt and civil unrest followed resulting in thousands of deaths.^[47] The Jesuit missionaries had offended the Orthodox faith of the local Ethiopians, and on June 25, 1632 Susenyos' son, Emperor Fasilides, declared the state religion to again be Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and expelled the Jesuit missionaries and other Europeans.^[48][49] Image File history File linksMetadata Gonder. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Gonder. ... Fasilides or Basilides (throne name `Alam Sagad), b at Magazaz, Shewa, in 1603 before 10 November, was (1632 - October 18, 1667) of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonid dynasty. ... Adal Sultanate Adal (mythology) Adal (sheep) Adal Ramones Adal (Ancient Turkish Name) Category: ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Ahmed Gurey statue in Mogadishu. ... Gelawdewos or Claudius (1522 - March 23, 1559) was negus (throne name Asnaf Sagad I) (1540 - 1559) of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonid dynasty. ... Susenyos (also Sissinios, as in Greek; throne name Malak Sagad III; 1572 - September 7, 1632) was (1607 - 1632) of Ethiopia. ... Catholic Church redirects here. ... Seal of the Society of Jesus. ... is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... See also: 1632 (novel) Events February 22 - Galileos Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems is published July 23 - 300 colonists for New France depart Dieppe November 8 - Wladyslaw IV Waza elected king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth after Zygmunt III Waza death November 16 - Battle of Lützen... Fasilides or Basilides (throne name `Alam Sagad), b at Magazaz, Shewa, in 1603 before 10 November, was (1632 - October 18, 1667) of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonid dynasty. ... Ethiopian Church in Jerusalem This Ethiopian icon shows St. ...

Zemene Mesafint

All of this contributed to Ethiopia's isolation from 1755 to 1855, called the Zemene Mesafint or "Age of Princes." The Emperors became figureheads, controlled by warlords like Ras Mikael Sehul of Tigray, and by the Oromo Yejju dynasty, which later led to 17th century Oromo rule of Gondar, changing the language of the court from Amharic to Afaan Oromo.^[50][51] Ethiopian isolationism ended following a British mission that concluded an alliance between the two nations; however, it was not until 1855 that Ethiopia was completely reunited and the power in the Emperor restored, beginning with the reign of Emperor Tewodros II. Upon his ascent, despite still large centrifugal forces, he began modernizing Ethiopia and recentralizing power in the Emperor, and Ethiopia began to take part in world affairs once again. Some historians date the murder of Iyasu I, and the resultant decline in the prestige of the dynasty, as the beginning of the Ethiopian Zemene Mesafint (Era of the Princes,) a time of disorder when the power of the monarchy was eclipsed by the power of local warlords. ... Mikael Sehul (Tigrigna Mikael the Astute; his name at birth was Blatta Mikael; c. ... Tigray was a province of Ethiopia. ... For the language, see Oromo language. ... Not to be confused with the Aramaic language. ... Tewodros II (Geez ቴዎድሮስ, also known as Theodore II) (1818 -suicide April 13, 1868) was an Emperor of Ethiopia (1855 - 1868). ...

Yohannes IV, Emperor of Ethiopia and King of Zion, with his son, Ras Araya Selassie Yohannis.

By the 1880s, Sahle Selassie, as king of Shewa, and later as Emperor Menilik II, with the help of Ras Gobena's Shewan Oromo milita, began expanding his kingdom to the South and East, expanding into areas that hadn't been held since the invasion of Ahmed Gragn, and other areas that had never been under his rule, resulting in the borders of Ethiopia of today.^[52] Image File history File links Yohannesson. ... Image File history File links Yohannesson. ... ...

European Scramble for Africa

The 1880s were marked by the Scramble for Africa and modernization in Ethiopia, when the Italians began to vie with the British for influence in bordering regions. Asseb, a port near the southern entrance of the Red Sea, was bought in March 1870 from the local Afar sultan, vassal to the Ethiopian Emperor, by an Italian company, which by 1890 led to the Italian colony of Eritrea. Conflicts between the two countries resulted in the Battle of Adwa in 1896, whereby the Ethiopians surprised the world by defeating Italy and remaining independent, under the rule of Menelik II. Italy and Ethiopia signed a provisional treaty of peace on October 26, 1896. Cecil Rhodes: Cape-Cairo railway project. ... Asseb (or Aseb) is a port city in the Southern Red Sea Region of Eritrea on the west coast of the Red Sea. ... Afar (or Danakil) are a tribal people who reside principally in the Danakil Desert in the Afar Region of Ethiopia and in Eritrea and Djibouti. ... Combatants Ethiopia Italy Commanders Emperor Menilek II Empress Taytu Ras Alula Engida Dejazmach Balcha Aba Nefso Fitawrari Gebeyyehu Ras Gobena Ras Makonnen Ras Mengesha Atikem Ras Mengesha Yohannes Ras Mikael of Wollo Ras Wale Betul Negus Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam Oreste Baratieri Strength ~100,000 (80,000 with firearms), Unknown... Menelik II (August 17, 1844 - December 12, 1913), Conquering Lion of Judah, Elect of God, King of Kings of Ethiopia was negus negust (emperor) of Ethiopia from 1889 to his death. ... Motto: none Anthem: Wodefit Gesgeshi, Widd Innat Ityoppya (March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia) Capital Addis Ababa Largest city Addis Ababa Official language(s) Amharic Government President Prime Minister Federal republic1 Girma Wolde-Giorgis Meles Zenawi Independence Liberation Day N.A. Area  - Total    - Water (%)   1,104,300 km² (26th) 426... is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ...

Selassie years

Haile Selassie's reign as emperor of Ethiopia is the best known and perhaps most influential in all the nation's history. He is seen by Rastafarians as Jah incarnate.

The early twentieth century was marked by the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie I, who came to power after Iyasu V was deposed. It was he who undertook the modernization of Ethiopia, from 1916, when he was made a Ras and Regent (Inderase) for Zewditu I and became the de facto ruler of the Ethiopian Empire. Following Zewditu's death he was made Emperor on 2 November 1930. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 482 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (585 × 728 pixel, file size: 79 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 482 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (585 × 728 pixel, file size: 79 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Haile Selassie I KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO (Geez: , Power of the Trinity; July 23, 1892 – August 27, 1975) was de jure Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974 and de facto from 1916 to 1936 and 1941 to 1974. ... Rasta hairstyle Rastafarianism is a religious movement that believes in the divinity of ex Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie. ... Jah (IPA: ) is a name for God, most commonly used in the Rastafari movement. ... Haile Selassie I KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO (Geez: , Power of the Trinity; July 23, 1892 – August 27, 1975) was de jure Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974 and de facto from 1916 to 1936 and 1941 to 1974. ... Iyasu V (Geez ኢያሱ), also known as Lij Iyasu (Geez ልጅ ኢያሱ; 4 February 1887 - 25 November 1935) was the designated but uncrowned monarch of Ethiopia (1913 - 1916). ... Zewditu (also spelled Zawditu or Zauditu; Geez ዘውዲቱ; April 29, 1876 - April 2, 1930) was Empress of Ethiopia from 1916 to 1930. ... is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Being born from parents of the three main Ethiopian ethnicities of Oromo, Amhara and Gurage, and after having played a leading role in the formation of the African Union, Haile Selassie was known as a uniting figure both inside Ethiopia and around Africa. For the language, see Oromo language. ... Amhara (አማራ) may refer to: Amhara, an ethnic group of Ethiopia. ... Gurage is an ethnic group in Ethiopia. ... Anthem Let Us All Unite and Celebrate Together [1] Administrative Centre Working languages Arabic English Spanish French Portuguese Swahili Membership 53 African states Leaders  -  Chairman Jakaya Kikwete  -  Jean Ping Establishment  -  as the OAU May 25, 1963   -  as the African Union July 9, 2002  Area  -  Total 29,757,900 km² (1st1... Haile Selassie Haile Selassie (Power of Trinity) (July 23, 1892 – August 27, 1975) was the last Emperor (1930–1936; 1941–1974) of Ethiopia, and is a religious symbol in the Rastafarian movement. ...

The independence of Ethiopia was interrupted by the Second Italo-Abyssinian War and Italian occupation (1936–1941).^[53] Some of Ethiopia's infrastructure (roads most importantly) was built by the fascist Italian occupation troops (not by corvee) between 1937 and 1940. Following the entry of Italy into World War II, the British Empire forces together with patriot Ethiopian fighters liberated Ethiopia in the course of the East African Campaign (World War II) in 1941, which was followed by sovereignty on January 31, 1941 and British recognition of full sovereignty (i.e. without any special British privileges) with the signing of the Anglo-Ethiopian Agreement in December 1944.^[54] During 1942 and 1943 there was an Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia. On August 26, 1942 Haile Selassie I issued a proclamation outlawing slavery.^[55][56] Combatants Kingdom of Italy Ethiopian Empire Commanders Benito Mussolini Emilio De Bono Pietro Badoglio Rodolfo Graziani Haile Selassie Ras Imru Strength 800,000 combatants (only ~330,000 mobilized) ~250,000 combatants Casualties 10,000 killed1 (est. ... Corvée, or corvée labor, is a term used in feudal societies. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For a comprehensive list of the territories that formed the British Empire, see Evolution of the British Empire. ... Combatants United Kingdom Anglo-Egyptian Sudan British Somaliland British East Africa British India Gold Coast Nigeria N. Rhodesia S. Rhodesia Union of S. Africa Belgium Belgian Congo Free France Ethiopian irregulars Italy Italian East Africa German Motorized Company Commanders Archibald Wavell William Platt Alan Cunningham Duke of Aosta Guglielmo Nasi... Sovereignty is the exclusive right to have control over an area of governance, people, or oneself. ... is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Italian Propaganda Poster (1942): We will return! (to the italian African colonies) When the italian army surrendered in Gondar in november 1941, many Italians decided to start a guerrilla warfare in the mountains and deserts of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia. ... is the 238th day of the year (239th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Haile Selassie I KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO (Geez: , Power of the Trinity; July 23, 1892 – August 27, 1975) was de jure Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974 and de facto from 1916 to 1936 and 1941 to 1974. ... Slave redirects here. ...

In 1952 Haile Selassie orchestrated the federation with Eritrea which he dissolved in 1962. This annexation sparked the Eritrean War of Independence. Although Haile Selassie was seen as a national and African hero, opinion within Ethiopia turned against him due to the worldwide oil crisis of 1973, food shortages, uncertainty regarding the succession, border wars, and discontent in the middle class created through modernization.^[57] Combatants ELF EPLF Ethiopia Cuba Soviet Union Commanders Isaias Afewerki Haile Selassie Mengistu Haile Mariam Casualties 65,000 (offical state figure) Up to 500,000 The Eritrean War of Independence started on 1 September 1961 when Hamid Idris Awate and his companions fired the first shots against the occupying Ethiopian...

Haile Selassie's reign came to an end in 1974, when a Soviet backed Marxist-Leninist military junta, the "Derg" led by Mengistu Haile Mariam, deposed him, and established a one-party communist state. Soviet redirects here. ... Vladimi