The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1999 to 2025 Africa

Background Ethiopia, in 27 editions.

The entry for Ethiopia published Background in 27 editions of 36, from 1999 to 2025. The text changed in 19 editions. Each is shown as published. Background in every entry.

editions changed the text
19
the first edition with it
1999
the latest edition with it
2025

Published as “Background” (1999 to 2025).

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2012 edition

Changed since 2011

Open the 2012 entry

Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995.

A border war with Eritrea late in the 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. In November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission(EEBC) issued specific coordinates as virtually demarcating the border and pronounced its work finished. Alleging that the EEBC acted beyond its mandate in issuing the coordinates, Ethiopia has not accepted them and has not withdrawn troops from previously contested areas pronounced by the EEBC as belonging to Eritrea.

Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea late in the 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. In November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission remotely demarcated Commission(EEBC) issued specific coordinates as virtually demarcating the border by geographical coordinates, but final demarcation of and pronounced its work finished. Alleging that the boundary on EEBC acted beyond its mandate in issuing the ground is currently on hold because of Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender territory considered sensitive coordinates, Ethiopia has not accepted them and has not withdrawn troops from previously contested areas pronounced by the EEBC as belonging to Ethiopia. Eritrea.

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Central Intelligence Agency. “Ethiopia: Background.” The World Factbook, 1999–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/ethiopia/background.

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