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Ethiopia is situated in the North-eastern Horn of Africa, equidistant between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, bordered by Kenya, Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti. Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule and it is the oldest independent country in Africa. The truly diverse population of Ethiopia comprises a number of different ethnic groups (Oromo, Amhara and Tigray, Sidam, Shankella, Somali, Afar, and Gurage), speaking a wide range of different languages. This country is old beyond imagining and plays a formative role in the evolving history of today's world. The Blue Nile pours out of lake Tana in the Northern Highlands and travels over 400 miles, tumbling down through both tropical and mountainous landscapes before it enters Sudan and meets the White Nile at Khartoum. The first fossil skeleton of early man (Australopithecus) was found at Hadar in the Danakil region of Ethiopia.
Coffee, the most widely traded commodity next to oil, originates in this country. Coffee is still drunk with ceremonial or ritual significance in many parts of Ethiopia today. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy. Other exports include khat, gold, leather products, horticulture products, live animals, oil seeds, and a recently renewed interest in Ethiopia's cultural and natural history indicates that tourism in the country is due to grow significantly over the next few years. Addis Ababa (Addis Abeba) which means "new flower" is the capital. |
