Brief history
Ethiopia’s rich history dates back to biblical
times and is one of Africa's greatest cultural destinations, with no fewer than
eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the mystical rock-hewn churches of
Lalibela.
Ethiopia is home to some of the highest
(altitude) and most eye-catching places on the African continent, such as the
shar- toothed carved Simien Mountains, and some of the lowest, such as the
sulphur fumaroles and lunar-like landscape of the Danakil Depression.
Ethiopia is the only country in Africa that has
never been fully colonised (with the exception of a five-year occupation by
Mussolini's Italy) and so retains a unique culture, has its own script and
language (Amharic) and maintains a strong sense of national identity.
Ethiopia offers natural beauty, cultural
diversity and an incredibly rich history that rivals Egypt's famous past. From
the buzzing markets of Addis Ababa, the walled Muslim city of Harar, the ancient
city of Axum and the medieval castles of Gondar, the marvel that is Ethiopia is
endless.
Basic Facts about Ethiopia:
Second to Egypt, Ethiopia is one of East Africa's
most popular cultural destinations. It's a country filled with interesting
historical sites, numerous isolated tribes, diverse and interesting religious
festivals, and excellent mountainous terrain for trekking as well as other
adventure activities.
Location:
Ethiopia is located in East Africa and
is a landlocked country bordered by Somalia and Djibouti to the East, Eritrea to
the north, Sudan to the west and Kenya to the south.
Area in Square Kilometers:
1,127,127
Capital City:
Addis Ababa
Population:
Over 73 million people live in Ethiopia
Language:
Amharic is Ethiopia's official language and the most widely spoken, others
include: Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, and Arabic. English is the
major foreign language taught in schools.
Religion:
Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%,
animist 12%, and other 3%-8%.
Climate:
Ethiopia's climate is extremely varied and despite being close to the equator
doesn't follow the typical tropical climate patterns. One of the driest and
hottest places on earth is the Danakil Depression in Northern Ethiopia. Central
Ethiopia is a vast plateau known as the Ethiopian Highlands. Cool temperatures
prevail here and the higher peaks have snow in winter. Southern Ethiopia and the
surrounding lowlands enjoy a tropical climate with lots of heat and humidity.
The main rainy season is from mid-June to mid-September and some rain also falls
from February - March.
When to Go:
The best time to visit Ethiopia is October to May, during the dry season.
Currency:
the Birr. 1 Birr is divided into 100 cents. There are 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 Birr
notes. The Birr is very stable and there is no significant difference between
the official rate and black market rate.
Ethiopia's Main Attractions:
-
Lalibela - in Ethiopia's central
highlands, is now the size of a large village, but in the 12th century it
was a major holy city. Today, visitors to Lalibela come to marvel at the
unique churches built out of solid rock.
-
Addis Ababa - Ethiopia's bustling
capital is a sprawling city that takes some getting used to. Mud huts,
Italian architecture, glitzy hotels, cathedrals and marxist billboards
provide the backdrop to Africa's fourth largest city.
More about
Addis..
-
Simien Mountains - home to the rare
Gelada baboon, the Simien Mountains in northern Ethiopia are a trekkers
dream. Many summits rise above 4,000 meters, and there are plenty
spectacular waterfalls and gorges.
-
Harar - Harar is a holy center for
Muslims and is situated in Eastern Ethiopia. This walled city is a
fascinating place, filled with Islamic and Christian history.
-
Omo River Region - home to more than
50 different tribes and accessible by 4x4 or white-water raft, this is the
"other" Ethiopia, just being discovered ...
read more.
-
Gondar - Founded in 1635 Gondar is
famous for its many medieval castles and beautifully decorated churches.
Travel to Ethiopia
Ethiopia's International Airport:
Bole International Airport (Airport code: ADD) is where you are most likely to
arrive in Ethiopia. The airport lies 5 miles (8 km) southeast of the city center
(Addis Ababa). Taxis are available as well as a regular minibuses and coaches,
to and from the city center.
Getting to Ethiopia: International flights into Addis Ababa arrive from
Europe, US, Asia and the rest of Africa. There's a good regional network of
flights on Ethiopia's excellent national airline. Long-distance buses travel to
and from Kenya and Djibouti. The border crossings are not that safe in general.
More about getting to Ethiopia.
Ethiopia's Embassies/Visas: All visitors to Ethiopia are required to have
a visa unless you are a citizen of Kenya. Tourist visas are valid for 3 months
and many nationalities can get one at the airport upon arrival. See Ethiopia's
embassy/consulate web sites for more information about visas.
Ethiopia's Economy and Politics
Economy: Ethiopia's economy is
based on agriculture, accounting for 45% of GDP, and 85% of total employment.
The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought and poor cultivation
practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $350
million in 2006, but historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to
qat to supplement income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent
drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production.
History and Politics: 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. Dogged 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. The Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission in
November 2007 remotely demarcated the border by geographical coordinates, but
final demarcation of the boundary on the ground is currently on hold.
Beach Holidays
