Located in the northeast corner of Africa, Ethiopia's history spans 3,000 years. The capital city is Addis Ababa, the currency is the Ethiopian Birr and the official language is Amharic. The population exceeds 75 million people.

The climate is moderate, with desert conditions in the northeast and southeast. Drought is commonplace. In addition to the lowlands, the terrain is a mixture of rugged mountains throughout its central plateau. Still very dependent on foreign aid, the country does export coffee, and assorted minerals, including gold, copper and platinum.

For further information, see the article in the Columbia Encyclopedia.

Area

471,776 square miles

Population

76,511,887 people

Urban Population

17 percent

Human Development Index

ranks 169 out of 177 countries

GNP Per Capita

$ 170 U.S. dollars

Life Expectancy

49.23 years

Adult Literacy

42.7 percent

Religions

60.8% Christian 32.8% Muslim 4.6% Traditional

More Facts:  Kenya  Namibia  Sudan  Tanzania

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