Ethiopia
Federal Democratic Republic of EthiopiaYeItyop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
federal republic
Ethiopia as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 98 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
18 fieldsLand useshare of 1,127,127 sq km
Natural hazards
geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts
Environment-international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection
- signed, but not ratified:
- Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography-note
landlocked-entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 27 April 1993
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1998 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 46% (male 13,468,783; female 13,398,500)
- 15-64 years:
- 51% (male 15,095,357; female 14,812,537)
- 65 years and over:
- 3% (male 734,471; female 880,703) (July 1998 est.)
Net migration rate
-1.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
note: repatriation of Ethiopians who fled to Sudan, Kenya, and Somalia for refuge from war and famine in earlier years, is expected to continue slowly in 1998;
small numbers of Sudanese and Somali refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting in their own countries, began returning to their homes in 1998
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.83 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Languages
Amharic (official), Tigrinya, Orominga, Guaraginga, Somali, Arabic, English (major foreign language taught in schools)
Government
Federal republic; President NEGASSO Gidada (since 22 August 1995); Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995)
21 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
- conventional short form:
- Ethiopia
- local long form:
- YeItyop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
- local short form:
- YeItyop'iya
- abbreviation:
- FDRE
Administrative divisions
- 9 ethnically-based administrative regions (astedader akababiwach, singular - astedader akababi) and 1 federal capital*: Addis Ababa*;
- Afar;
- Amhara;
- Benishangul/Gumaz;
- Gambela;
- Harar;
- Oromia;
- Somali;
- Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples;
- Tigray
Independence
oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President NEGASSO Gidada (since 22 August 1995)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers as provided in the December 1994 constitution;
- ministers are selected by the prime minister and approved by the Council of People's Representatives
- elections:
- president elected by the Council of People's Representatives for a six-year term;
- election last held June 1995 (next to be held NA 2001);
- prime minister designated by the party in power following legislative elections
- election results:
- NEGASSO Gidada elected president; percent of vote by the Council of People's Representatives-NA
Legislative branch
- bicameral Parliament consists of the Council of the Federation or upper chamber (117 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the Council of People's Representatives or lower chamber (548 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms);
- note-the upper chamber represents the ethnic interests of the regional governments
- elections:
- regional and national popular elections were held in May and June 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) and the Federal Parliamentary Assembly assumed legislative power on 21 August 1995
- election results:
- percent of vote-NA;
- seats-NA;
- note-EPRDF won nearly all seats
Political parties and leaders
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Oromo Liberation Front or OLF;
- All Amhara People's Organization;
- Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Coalition;
- numerous small, ethnic-based groups have formed since MENGISTU'S defeat, including several Islamic militant groups
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador BERHANE Gebre-Christos
- chancery:
- 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 234-2281, 2282
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador David H. SHINN
- embassy:
- Entoto Street, Addis Ababa
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa
- telephone:
- [251] (1) 550666
Flag description
- three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands;
- Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors
Economy
Ethiopia remains one of the poorest and least | developed countries in the world.
28 fieldsGDP-composition by sector(1995 est.)
Economy-overview
Ethiopia remains one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world. Its economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for more than half of GDP, 90% of exports, and 80% of total employment; coffee generates 60% of export earnings. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent periods of drought, poor cultivation practices, and deterioration of internal security conditions.
The manufacturing sector 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 plants and is implementing reform measures that are gradually liberalizing the economy.
A major medium-term problem is the improvement of roads, water supply, and other parts of an infrastructure badly neglected during years of civil strife.
Labor force
- total:
- NA
- by occupation:
- agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, government and services 12%, industry and construction 8% (1985)
Agriculture-products
cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, other vegetables; hides, cattle, sheep, goats
Exports
- total value:
- $418 million (f.o.b., 1996)
- commodities:
- coffee, leather products, gold (1995)
- partners:
- Germany 32%, Japan 14%, Djibouti 7%, Saudi Arabia 8%, Italy 8% (1994)
Imports
- total value:
- $1.23 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
- commodities:
- food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles and aircraft (1994)
- partners:
- Saudi Arabia 15%, Italy 11%, US 12.3%, Germany 8% (1994)
Exchange rates
birr (Br) per US$1 (end of period)-6.9530 (February 1998), 6.8080 (September 1997), 6.4260 (1996), 6.3200 (1995), 5.9500 (1994), 5.0000 (fixed rate 1992-93) note: since May 1993, the birr market rate has been determined in an interbank market supported by weekly wholesale auction; prior to that date, the official rate was pegged to US$1 = 5.000 birr
Telephone system
open wire and microwave radio relay system adequate for government use
- domestic:
- open wire and microwave radio relay
- international:
- open wire to Sudan and Djibouti;
- microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti;
- satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)
Transportation
7 fieldsMerchant marine, 13 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1997 est.)
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad)
- narrow gauge:
- 681 km 1.000-m gauge
note: in April 1998, Djibouti and Ethiopia announced plans to revitalize the century-old railroad that links their capitals
Ports and harbors
none; Ethiopia is landlocked but by agreement with Eritrea may use the ports of Assab and Massawa
Airports-with paved runways
- total:
- 10
- over 3,047 m:
- 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Military
Ground Forces, Air Force, Police | note: following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopia's naval facilities | remained in Eritrea's possession; current reorganization plans do not | include a navy
7 fieldsMilitary branches
Ground Forces, Air Force, Police note: following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopia's naval facilities remained in Eritrea's possession; current reorganization plans do not include a navy
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes-international
most of the southern half of the boundary with Somalia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Somalia over the Ogaden
Illicit drugs
- transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa;
- cultivates qat (chat) for local use and regional export EUROPA ISLAND (possession of France)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Ethiopia.” The World Factbook 1998. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/ethiopia/1998.