1996 Edition

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

Location

8 00 N, 38 00 E -- Eastern Africa, west of Somalia Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

land area

1,119,683 sq km

total area

1,127,127 sq km

Climate

tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Environment

current issues

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; famine

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

natural hazards

geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 38 00 E

Geographic note

landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 27 April 1993

International disputes

southern half of the boundary with Somalia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Somalia over the Ogaden

Irrigated land

1,620 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Djibouti 337 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 830 km, Somalia 1,626 km, Sudan 1,606 km

total

5,311 km

Land use

arable land

12%

forest and woodland

24%

meadows and pastures

41%

other

22%

permanent crops

1%

Location

Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash

Terrain

high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley

highest point

Ras Dashen Terara 4,620 m

lowest point

Denakil -125 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 46% (male 13,116,158; female 13,080,276) 15-64 years: 51% (male 14,782,995; female 14,624,779) 65 years and over: 3% (male 728,808; female 838,646) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

46.05 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

17.53 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigrean 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%

Infant mortality rate

122.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Amharic (official), Tigrinya, Orominga, Guaraginga, Somali, Arabic, English (major foreign language taught in schools)

Life expectancy at birth

female

48.02 years (1996 est.)

male

45.71 years

total population

46.85 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

25.3%

male

45.5%

total population

35.5%

Nationality

adjective

Ethiopian

noun

Ethiopian(s)

Net migration rate

-1.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 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 in 1996; entry into Ethiopia of Sudanese and Somalis fleeing the fighting in their own countries is also continuing in 1996

Population

57,171,662 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.72% (1996 est.)

Religions

Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 5%

Sex ratio

all ages

1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

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: 0.87 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

7 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

9 ethnically-based administrative regions (astedader akababiwach, singular - astedader akababi) and 1

federal capital*

Addis Ababa*; Afar; Amhara; Benshangul/Gumaz; Gambela; Harar; Oromia; Somali; Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples; Tigray

Capital

Addis Ababa

Constitution

new constitution promulgated in December 1994

Council of People's Representatives

lower chamber, having 550 members, elected by popular vote

note

both bodies have five-year terms of office; regional and national popular elections were held in May and June 1995; results - EPRDF swept nearly all seats

Data code

ET

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador BERHANE Gebre-Christos

telephone

[1] (202) 234-2281, 2282

Executive branch

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

chief of state

President NEGASSO Gidada (since NA August 1995) elected by the Council of People's Representatives following the elections of legislators in May and June 1995

head of government

Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August 1995) designated by the party in power, EPRDF, following the elections of legislators in May and June 1995

FAX

[1] (202) 328-7950

[251] (1) 552191

Federal Council

upper chamber, having NA members, represents the ethnic interests of the regional governments and is elected by the regional assemblies

Flag

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

Independence

oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are elected by the national legislature

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature

Name of country

abbreviation

FDRE

conventional long form

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

conventional short form

Ethiopia

local long form

none

local short form

Ityop'iya

National holiday

National Day, 28 May (1991) (defeat of Mengistu regime)

Other political or pressure groups

Oromo Liberation Front (OLF); All Amhara People's Organization; Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Coalition; numerous small, ethnic-based groups have formed since MENGISTU'S resignation, including several Islamic militant groups

Political parties and leaders

Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), MELES Zenawi

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

federal republic

note

on 28 May 1991 the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) toppled the authoritarian government of MENGISTU Haile-Mariam and took control in Addis Ababa; a new constitution was promulgated in December 1994 and national and regional popular elections were held in May and June 1995

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Irvin HICKS

embassy

Entoto Street, Addis Ababa

mailing address

P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa

telephone

[251] (1) 550666

Agriculture

cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, other vegetables; hides, cattle, sheep, goats

Budget

expenditures

$1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $707 million (FY93/94)

revenues

$1.2 billion

Currency

1 birr (Br) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $1.036 billion (1993)

Economic overview

Ethiopia continues to face difficult economic problems as one of the poorest and least developed countries in Africa. Its economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for about 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.

Electricity

capacity

460,000 kW

consumption per capita

23 kWh (1993)

production

1.3 billion kWh

Exchange rates

birr (Br) per US$1 - 6.3200 (December 1995), 6.3200 (1995), 5.9500 (1994), 5.0000 (fixed rate 1992-93); fixed at 2.070 before 1992; note - official rate pegged to the US$

Exports

$296 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities

coffee, leather products, gold

partners

Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, France, Italy

External debt

$3.7 billion (1993 est.)

Fiscal year

8 July - 7 July

GDP

purchasing power parity - $24.2 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

48%

industry

15%

services

37% (1993 est.)

GDP per capita

$400 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2.7% (1995 est.)

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

Imports

$972 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.)

commodities

capital goods, consumer goods, fuel

partners

US, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Japan

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing, cement

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10% (FY93/94)

Labor force

18 million

by occupation

agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, government and services 12%, industry and construction 8% (1985)

Unemployment rate

NA%

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

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $140 million, 4.1% of GDP (FY93/94)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

12,912,144

males fit for military service

6,707,180

males reach military age (18) annually

583,724 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

9.9 million (1992 est.)

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)

Telephones

100,000 (1983 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

100,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

58

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

3

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

1

with paved runways over 3 047 m

2

with paved runways under 914 m

6

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

9

with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

5

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

29 (1995 est.)

with unpaved runways over 3 047 m

2

Highways

paved

3,289 km

total

24,127 km

unpaved

20,838 km (1993 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 8, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1995 est.)

total

12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 62,627 GRT/88,908 DWT

Ports

none; Ethiopia is landlocked but by agreement with Eritrea may use the ports of Assab and Massawa

Railways

narrow gauge

681 km 1.000-m gauge

total

681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad)