Terrain

Ethiopia is one of the highest lying countries in tropical Africa. Fifty percent of the country lies above 1,200m and further 25% is above 1,800m. Inland, the country is dominated by the Ethiopian Highlands, divided from north-east to south-west by the Ethiopian Rift, which constitutes part of the East African rift system and is characterized by young volcanoes and a lack of drainage. The highest peak is Ras Dashen (4,620m) which is in the north, as is Lake Tana, the source of which is the Blue Nile.

The north-eastern parts of the plateau are characterised by steep slopes which drop 1,220m or more to the lowlands and the Danakil Desert. Along the western edge of the plateau the highlands gradually merge into Sudan's desert areas. Along the southern and southwestern edges, the plateau descends to Lake Turkana (formerly Lake Rudolf) in neighbouring Kenya. Ethiopia has had no direct access to the coast since Eritrea declared independence in 1993.

Climate

Ethiopia's climate depends to a large extent on altitude. There is more annual rainfall in the lower areas of the south than in the higher northern and eastern areas of the plateau. The main rainy season is between mid-June and September, followed by a dry season that may be interrupted in February or March by a short rainy season. The hot tropical zone below 1,800m has an average annual temperature of around 27° C. The subtropical zone, which includes most of the plateau and is between 1,800 and 2,500m above sea level, has an average temperature of 22° C.

Fauna/Flora

Ethiopia's vegetation reflects the great differences in the country's altitude. The lower areas of the tropical zone have sparse vegetation consisting of desert shrubs, thorn bushes, and coarse savannah grasses. The valleys and gorges are however densely covered in vegetation. The temperate zone is largely covered in grassland. Alpine vegetation is found on the highest areas of slopes, which turns into a desert-like rocky plateau above 3,900m.

Africa's largest species of wildlife are found in most parts of the country. These include the giraffe, leopard, hippopotamus, lion, elephant, antelope, rhinoceros, lynx, jackal, hyena, and numerous species of monkey. The great variety of flora and fauna has already dramatically decreased because of the influence of humans.

History/Politics

Excavations of the oldest human fossils in the world proved the existence of settlements in the Ethiopian desert dating back to six million years ago. In the 2nd century BC the Semites founded the kingdom of Aksum, ruled by the dynasty of the Solomonids, who believed they were the direct descendents of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

Trade relations with the Islamic kingdoms of Arabia and India ceased when the country's ruling classes converted to the Christian faith in the 4th century AD. In addition to this, domestic problems led to the development of a feudalised system reminiscent of that in Europe.

When the country fell apart, the area of present-day Eritrea and the southern coastal regions of Somalia went to Italy in 1906 in exchange for trade favours for Abyssinia. In 1936 Musolini took advantage of the internal disputes to attack Ethiopia, which he occupied until 1941.

After the fall of Mussolini, the British took control of Ethiopia. The country became independent in 1948 and Emperor Haile Salassie annexed Eritrea in 1962, which led to decades of war. In 1974 Haile Selassie was deposed in a military coup, the monarchy was abolished and Mengistu Haile Mariam came to power in 1977. Guerrilla warfare broke out in 1986, which caused Mengistu to flee the country in 1991.

Eritrea's independence was officially recognised in 1993. Ethiopia's parliament elected president Negasso Gidada and appointed 17 governmental members (with careful consideration to the country's ethnic balance) in August 1995. There were border conflicts between Ethiopia and Eritrea in 1998 and another war took place in 1999. With the intervention of a United Nations peace mission, a ceasefire was signed by both countries, as was a peace treaty soon afterwards. Girma Wolde-Giorgis became president of Ethiopia in October 2001.

The United Nations extended the mandate of the peace mission until March 2003, which allowed the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague to demarcate the 1,000 km border between Ethiopia and Eritrea in 2002. However, the peace process came to a standstill in 2004. The Ethiopian government now has to face up to the reality of serious famine problems as a result of drought. This was why it asked for international aid in May 2005.

Economy

Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world. Almost half of its gross domestic product comes from agriculture, and around three quarters of the country's workforce are employed in this sector. Most Ethiopians are however subsistence farmers. About 13% of the country is used for farming and the most important crops are barley, maize, sorghum and sugar cane.

The country's livestock includes cattle, sheep and goats. The most important export products are coffee and hides. Frequent periods of drought limit agricultural productivity, which affects the manufacturing sector, which is heavily dependent on inputs from the agricultural sector. Over 90% of large-scale industry, but less than 10% of agriculture, is state-run. The government is considering selling off a portion of state-owned industrial plants and is implementing reforms that should gradually free up the economy. The inflation rate was 14.6% in 2003.

Culture

Ethiopia has a rich literary tradition, including translations from ancient Greek, Arabic and other languages into the church language Ge'ez and into the modern Amharic language. Most of these writings had a religious or mythological character, whereas secular literature mainly dealt with historical topics. Ethiopia also has fine examples of art and architecture when it comes to the country's longstanding Christian tradition, such as the rock churches of Lalibela or the churches and monasteries of Lake Tana.

Church buildings and frescoes mainly show Byzantine and Coptic influences. The monolithic stelae of Aksum and the palaces and castles of Gonder are some of Ethiopia's most impressive monuments. The work of Ethiopian silversmiths, which demonstrates a wealth of ideas and great skill, has gained international recognition.