NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Tigray Region

Tigray is the northern-most of the nine ethnic regions (kililoch) of Ethiopia inhabited mostly by Tigray people. It was formerly known as Region 1. Its capital is Mek'ele. Other major towns and cities in Tigray include Abiy Adi, Adigrat, Adwa, Aksum, Himora, Inda Selassie, Korem, Maychew, Wukro and Zalambessa. The region borders Eritrea to the north (independent from Ethiopia since 1993), Sudan to the west, the Ethiopian region of Afar to the east and the Ethiopian region of Amhara to the south. Covering 50,286 km², its population (as of 1999) is 3,593,000. Image File history File links Map of Ethiopia showing Tigray state. ... Ethiopia is divided into 9 ethnically-based administrative regions (kililoch; singular - kilil): Afar Amhara Benishangul-Gumaz Gambela Hariai Oromia Somali Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region Tigray Additionally, there are two chartered cities (astedader akababiwach, singular - astedader akabibi): Addis Ababa Dire Dawa These administrative regions replaced the older system of... Ethiopia is divided into 9 ethnically-based administrative regions (kililoch; singular - kilil) and two chartered cities (astedader akababiwach, singular - astedader akabibi), indicated by asterisks: Addis Ababa* Afar Amhara Benishangul-Gumaz Dire Dawa* Gambela Harari Oromia Somali Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region Tigray These administrative regions replaced the older system... MekelÄ“ is capital of the Tigray region of Ethiopia and home to the headquarters of the UNMEE. It is located some 650 km north of the capital, Addis Ababa. ... Adigrat is a town in the Tigray region (or kilil) of Ethiopia that As of 1994, it had a population of around 37,417 people. ... Adowa, also known as Aduwa, Adwa or Adua, is a town in Ethiopia. ... Axum, also Aksum, is a city in northern Ethiopia, located at the base of the Adoua mountains. ... Shire, also known as Inda Selassie, is a town in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, lying west of Aksum. ... Maychew (also transliterated Mai Ceu, Maichew, and Mai Cio) is a town in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. ... Cite error 4; Invalid call; no input specified 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Map of Ethiopia highlighting the Afar region. ... Amhara (áŠ áˆ›áˆ«) may refer to: Amhara, an ethnic group of Ethiopia. ...

The predominent language of this kilil is Tigrigna, which is related to Ge'ez. A canyon west of Adigrat in northern Tigray, Ethiopia Source: self-made Date: Sept. ... A canyon west of Adigrat in northern Tigray, Ethiopia Source: self-made Date: Sept. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 722 KB)A misty morning near Endaselassie in western Tigray, Ethiopia Source: self-made Date: Sept. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 722 KB)A misty morning near Endaselassie in western Tigray, Ethiopia Source: self-made Date: Sept. ... Shire, also known as Inda Selassie, is a town in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, lying west of Aksum. ... Tigrigna (or ትግሪኛ) is a Semitic language spoken in Eritrea, where it is the official language, and in parts of Ethiopia and Israel. ... Geez (also spelt Giiz, translitered GÉ™â€˜É™z, and pronounced ) is an ancient language that developed in the Ethiopian Highlands of the Horn of Africa as the language of the peasantry. ...

Semien Mountains National Park is located in Tigray and includes the highest point in Ethiopia, Ras Dashan. Semien Mountains National Park is one of the National Parks of Ethiopia. ... Ras Dashan is the highest mountain in Ethiopia reaching an elevation of 4,623 metres (15,158 ft). ...

A distinctive feature of Tigray are its rock-hewn churches. Similar in design to those of Lalibela, these churches are found in four or five clusters -- Gheralta, Takatisfi, Atsbi and Tembien -- with Wukro sometimes included. Some of the churches are considered earlier than those of Lalibela, perhaps dating from the eighth century. Mostly monolithic, with designs partly inspired by classical architecture, they are often located at the top of cliffs or steep hills, for security. For example, Tigray's ancient Debre Damo monastery is accessible only by climbing a rope 25 meters up a sheer cliff. Lalibela is a city in the Amhara ethnic division, or kilil, of Ethiopia. ... (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... From the point of view of modern times, the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean sometimes seem to blend smoothly into one melange we call the Classical. ... Cliffs on the banks of the River Severn, near Bristol, England In geography, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. ... Debre Damo is the name of a mountain and a monastery in northern Ethiopia, lying west of Adigrat in the region of Tigray. ...

History

Proto-Tigrayans were the main ethnicity of kingdom of Axum in the first millennium CE. Their language, in form of Ge'ez, remained the language of later Ethiopian imperial court as well as the christian tewahedo church. The Axumite Kingdom, also known as the Aksum Kingdom, was an important trading nation in northeastern Africa, growing from circa the 5th century BC to become an important trading nation by the 1st century AD. It converted to Christianity in 325 or 328 (various sources). ... The Geez language (or Giiz language) is an ancient language that developed in the Ethiopian Highlands of the Horn of Africa as the language of the peasantry. ... Tewahedo Church may refer to any of the following: The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

As one of the ethnicities and provinces of the feudal era, Tigray (which also encompassed highlands of today Eritrea) contained a number of hereditary lordships, such as Simien, Tembien, Agame and Endarta. The lord to hold sway over others in Tigray frequently changed among dynasties of these princelings, depending on success in local wars and also on imperial favor. From early stages, a position called Bahr Negus had overlordship of much of the Eritrean coast and of Tigrayans, also of highlanders. Another position, Tigray Mekonnen, became important in Eritrean and Tigrayan highlands and ultimately gained the overlordship earlier held by Bahr Negus. At the time those positions existed simultaneously, their frontier seems to have been the Mareb River. Before the 19th century, both titles had sunken to practically nominal, and the lord who in his turn dominated the region, used (and received from Emperor) the title of either Ras or Negus. Princes of Tigray alternated with others, chiefly those of Begemder, as warlords to rule in reality the Ethiopian monarchy during the era of the princes. The Agame (fruitful) district is located in northern Ethiopia. ... The Mareb River (or Gash River), is the most northerly of the highland rivers of Ethiopia which flow to the northwest, and forms part of the border with Eritrea. ... Ethiopian aristocratic and religious titles used in Ethiopia until the end of the Monarchy in 1974. ... Negus is the Amharic word for king. The term negus negust means king of kings, or Emperor. ... Begemder was a province in the north-eastern part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Gondar. ...

In the mid-1800's, the lords of Tembien managed to create an overlordship of Tigray to their dynasty. One of its members, Ras Kassai Mercha, ascended the imperial throne in 1872 under the name Yohannes IV (reigned 1872-89). As result of his tragic death, Shewans obtained control over the monarchy and various Tigrayans started the path towards separationism from Ethiopian central authority. ... Shewa (also spelled Shoa) is a historical region of Ethiopia. ...

In 1998, war erupted between Eritrea and Ethiopia over a portion of territory that had been administered at part of Tigray, which included the town of Badme. Following a 2002 United Nations decision, much of this land was awarded to Eritrea. 1998 (MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... The Eritrean-Ethiopian War took place from May 1998 to June 2000 between Ethiopia and Eritrea. ... Badme is a town on the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea. ... 2002 (MMII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Main article: League of Nations The term United Nations was coined by Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II, to refer to the Allies. ...

Presidents of the Executive Committee

The Tigrayan Peoples Liberation Front, or TPLF, is the core group of the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), the political party that is leading Ethiopia as of 2005. ...

External links

Category: Regions of Ethiopia Image File history File links Flag_of_Ethiopia. ... Map of Ethiopia highlighting the Afar region. ... Map of Ethiopia highlighting the Amhara region. ... Map of Ethiopia highlighting the Benishangul-Gumaz region . ... Map of Ethiopia highlighting the Gambela region. ... Map of Ethiopia highlighting the Harari region (in red). ... Oromo flag The land of the Oromo Nation is known as Oromia (sometimes spelled Oromiya). ... Map of Ethiopia highlighting the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples region. ... Addis Ababa as seen from space. ... Dire Dawa is a chartered city (astedader akabibi) in eastern Ethiopia. ... Arsi was a province of Ethiopia. ... Bale is the name of two polities located in the southeastern part of modern Ethiopia The kingdom of Bale The earlier Bale was a Muslim tributary kingdom, between Ifat and Hadiya. ... Gamu-Gofa was a province in the south-western part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Chenchen. ... Gojjam, or Gojam, was a province in the north-eastern part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Debra Markos. ... Begemder was a province in the north-eastern part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Gondar. ... Hararghe, sometimes spelled Harerge, was a province in the eastern part of Ethiopia, with its capital in Harar. ... Illubabor was a province in the south-western part of Ethiopia, along the border with Sudan. ... Kaffa was a province on the southwestern side of Ethiopia; its capital city was Jimma. ... Shewa (also spelled Shoa) is a historical region of Ethiopia. ... Sidamo was a province in the southern part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Irgalem, and later at Awasa. ... Tigray is the northern-most of the nine ethnic divisions (kililoch) of Ethiopia. ... Wollo was a province in the north-eastern part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Dessye. ...