Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Anthony Pratt, Sarah Erkson, and Annie Kennedy

General Facts

•Population = 85,237,338 •Life expectancy at birth = ~55 years old

•Literacy Rate– Male: 50.3% – Female: 35.1%

HistoryHistory• Oldest Human Settlement• Lucy(Australopithecus) was

discovered 1974 in Awash Valley, Ethiopia– Estimated to live 3.2

million years ago– Human evolution

History (continued)History (continued)

• Zemene Mesafint– 1755 - 1855– Complete isolation and emperors

started to act like figureheads – Modernization and recentralizing

power to the Emperor– Ethiopia began to take part in world

affairs again

• "Age of Princes“• THEN connected with

Europe

• Slightly less than twice the size of Texas• Landlocked (no coastlines)• Located in the north eastern part of Africa, also called the “Horn

of Africa”• Total area: 1,127,127km , 7,444 of that being water bodies.

• A Blend of massive highlands, highly rugged terrain , and valleys divided the by Great Rift Valley

• Bordering Countries: Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, Eritrea, and Djibouti

• Climate: Mostly tropical monsoon, moderate temperate, with the average temperature rarely exceeding 68 F.

Natural Resources: small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower

Current Environmental Issues: Deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion, water shortages, intensive farming and poor management.

• A large split in the landscape from two tectonic plates separating

• Large complex divergent plate boundary on the Eastern side of Africa. Total distance of 3,000 km.

• Remarkable region of volcanic lakes, with a famous collection of birds.

Blue Nile Falls, Tis Iset Ethiopia

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/africa/ethiopia/map_of_ethiopia.jpg

Economy

•GDP(official exchange rate)- 25.08 billion (2008 est.)

•GDP per capita- $800 (2008 est.)

Natural Resources/Industry• Natural resources- small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, natural gas, hydropower.

• Industries- food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals, cement.

Poverty in Ethiopia• http://indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?

c=et&v=69

• http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/01259/statistics_on_ethiopian_poverty.htm

Ethiopia’s TradeEthiopia’s Trade•Imports- food and live animals, petroleum, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles.

•Exports- coffee, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds.

Trade Relations• Imports Exports

• Saudi Arabia 17% -Germany 8.2%

• China 15.9% -Saudi Arabia 7%

• India 7.8% -U.S 6.9%

• Italy 5.1% -China 6.5%

-Italy 6.5%

• The two major religions are Christianity and Islam.The two major religions are Christianity and Islam.

• Most Muslims are Sunnis, the largest sect of Islam.Most Muslims are Sunnis, the largest sect of Islam.

• Christianity is more predominant in the north Christianity is more predominant in the north where 62% of the people are Christian.where 62% of the people are Christian.

• Ethiopia is well known for its distinctive Christian Ethiopia is well known for its distinctive Christian traditiontradition

• Muslim is more predominant in the South at about Muslim is more predominant in the South at about 34%34%

• They do not eat meat and dairy products on fasting days, Wednesdays and Fridays.

• Church is held daily in all Tewahedo Churches from early morning to three o’clock PM.

• Only one meal can be eaten each day of fasting, usually occurring after three o’clock

• Christmas falls on December 29,and New Years fall on September 11(the first month of the year is September and the last is Pagumiene which comes after August.

Government• 1970’s – illegal political groups formed

• Groups hold elections 1970-present

• Federal Parliamentary Republic

– Prime Minister

– Executive Power

Ethnic Groups• Oromo (Galla) 40%

– Southern half of nation• Amhara and Tigrean 32%

– Political• Sidamo 9%

– Southern foothills and savanna• Shankella 6%

– Western frontier

Ethiopian MusicEthiopian Music

• Modal System • Pentatonic• Long intervals

between notes• Some well known

musicians include Teddy Afro, Gigi, Mahmoud Ahmed, etc.

Current Events

• June 2, 2008• UNICEF estimates 1260,000

children are in need of care for sever malnutrition.

• Harvest fails increased amount of malnutrition in children

• The World Food Program estimates that 147 million dollars will be necessary to feed the kids in Ethiopia.

Current Affairs in Ethiopia• Recently, 35 Ethiopians were arrested for allegedly

plotting to overthrow the Ethiopian government.

• The government claims that these people were all part of an opposition group called Ginbot Seven.

• This opposition group was founded by the exiled mayor of Addis Abba, Berhanu Nega.

• After the most recent Ethiopian election (2005), Nega was tried for treason and sentenced to life in prison before being pardoned and released.

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8035430.stm

CONNECTIONSCONNECTIONS

• Gender Roles Kite Runner & A Thousand Splendid Suns

• Government Issues Taliban like groups

• Strict Religious Rules Iraq & Middle East

Bibliography

• "Country Profile:Ethiopia." BBC News 04 15 2009 Web.3 Jun 2009. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1072164.stm>.

• "Ethiopia." CIA-The World Factbook. Web.3 Jun 2009. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/et.html>.

• "Ethiopia."The Volume Library. 3rd. 2001. Print.

• "Ethiopia." Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations. 12th ed. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2007. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/>.

• "Ethiopian Treasures." 06 01 2009 Web.3 Jun 2009. <http://www.ethiopiantreasures.toucansurf.com/pages/calendar.htm>.