2015 Edition

Background

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. A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea in the late 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Alleging that the EEBC acted beyond its mandate in issuing the coordinates, Ethiopia has not accepted them and has not withdrawn troops from previously contested areas pronounced by the EEBC as belonging to Eritrea. In August 2012, longtime leader Prime Minister MELES Zenawi died in office and was replaced by his Deputy Prime Minister HAILEMARIAM Desalegn, marking the first peaceful transition of power in decades.

Area

land

1 million sq km

total

1,104,300 sq km

water

104,300 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Climate

tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Ras Dejen 4,533 m

lowest point

Danakil Depression -125 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

80.5 cu m/yr (2005)

total

5.56 cu km/yr (13%/1%/86%)

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 38 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; Ethiopia is, therefore, the most populous landlocked country in the world; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean

Irrigated land

2,896 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries (6)

Djibouti 342 km, Eritrea 1,033 km, Kenya 867 km, Somalia 1,640 km, South Sudan 1,299 km, Sudan 744 km

total

5,925 km

Land use

arable land 15.2%; permanent crops 1.1%; permanent pasture 20%

agricultural land

36.3%

forest

12.2%

other

51.5% (2011 est.)

Location

Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

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

volcanism

volcanic activity in the Great Rift Valley; Erta Ale (elev. 613 m), which has caused frequent lava flows in recent years, is the country's most active volcano; Dabbahu became active in 2005, forcing evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Alayta, Dalaffilla, Dallol, Dama Ali, Fentale, Kone, Manda Hararo, and Manda-Inakir

Natural resources

small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower

Terrain

high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley

Total renewable water resources

122 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

43.94% (male 21,900,571/female 21,809,643)

15-24 years

19.98% (male 9,865,976/female 10,009,596)

25-54 years

29.31% (male 14,487,280/female 14,667,179)

55-64 years

3.88% (male 1,882,315/female 1,981,762)

65 years and over

2.88% (male 1,289,336/female 1,572,161) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

37.27 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

percentage

53% (2005 est.)

total number

10,693,164

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

25.2% (2014)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

28.6% (2010/11)

Death rate

8.19 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.3%

potential support ratio

15.8% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

81.6%

youth dependency ratio

75.2%

Drinking water source

urban: 93.1% of population

rural: 48.6% of population

total: 57.3% of population

urban: 6.9% of population

rural: 51.4% of population

total: 42.7% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2010)

Ethnic groups

Oromo 34.4%, Amhara (Amara) 27%, Somali (Somalie) 6.2%, Tigray (Tigrinya) 6.1%, Sidama 4%, Gurage 2.5%, Welaita 2.3%, Hadiya 1.7%, Afar (Affar) 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, Silte 1.3%, Kefficho 1.2%, other 10.5% (2007 est.)

Health expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.15% (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

23,400 (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

730,300 (2014 est.)

Hospital bed density

6.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

45.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

61.08 deaths/1,000 live births

total

53.37 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Oromo (official working language in the State of Oromiya) 33.8%, Amharic (official national language) 29.3%, Somali (official working language of the State of Sumale) 6.2%, Tigrigna (Tigrinya) (official working language of the State of Tigray) 5.9%, Sidamo 4%, Wolaytta 2.2%, Gurage 2%, Afar (official working language of the State of Afar) 1.7%, Hadiyya 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, Opuuo 1.2%, Kafa 1.1%, other 8.1%, English (major foreign language taught in schools), Arabic (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

63.93 years (2015 est.)

male

59.11 years

total population

61.48 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

41.1% (2015 est.)

male

57.2%

total population

49.1%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory disease

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact disease

schistosomiasis (2013)

Major urban areas - population

ADDIS ABABA (capital) 3.238 million (2015)

Median age

female

17.8 years (2015 est.)

male

17.5 years

total

17.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Ethiopian

noun

Ethiopian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note

repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese, Somali, and Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

3.3% (2014)

Physicians density

0.03 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

99,465,819

note

estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

2.89% (2015 est.)

Religions

Ethiopian Orthodox 43.5%, Muslim 33.9%, Protestant 18.5%, traditional 2.7%, Catholic 0.7%, other 0.6% (2007 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 27.2% of population

rural: 28.2% of population

total: 28% of population

urban: 72.8% of population

rural: 71.8% of population

total: 72% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

6 years (2005)

male

8 years

total

7 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.99 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.82 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.15 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

29.4% (2006 est.)

male

19.5%

total

24.9%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.89% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

19.5% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

9 ethnically based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular - astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara), Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples), Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali), Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples)

Capital

geographic coordinates

9 02 N, 38 42 E

name

Addis Ababa

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

several previous; latest drafted June 1994, adopted 8 December 1994, entered into force 21 August 1995 (2013)

Country name

abbreviation

FDRE

conventional long form

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

conventional short form

Ethiopia

former

Abyssinia, Italian East Africa

local long form

Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik

local short form

Ityop'iya

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Patricia Marie HASLACH (since 25 September 2013)

embassy

Entoto Street, Addis Ababa

FAX

124-2401

mailing address

P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa

telephone

130-6000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador GIRMA Birru (since 6 January 2011)

consulate(s)

Houston, New York

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, Seattle

FAX

[1] (202) 587-0195

telephone

[1] (202) 364-1200

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers selected by the prime minister and approved by the House of People's Representatives

chief of state

President MULATU Teshome Wirtu (since 7 October 2013)

election results

MULATU Teshome Wirtu (OPDO) elected president by acclamation

elections/appointments

president indirectly elected by both chambers of Parliament for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 October 2013 (next to be held in October 2019); prime minister designated by the majority party following legislative elections

head of government

Prime Minister HAILEMARIAM Desalegn (since 21 September 2012); Deputy Prime Ministers ASTER Mamo, DEBRETSION Gebre-Michael, DEMEKE Mekonnen Hassen; note - prior to his approval as prime minister, HAILEMARIAM had been acting prime minister due to the death of former Prime Minister MELES

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; green represents hope and the fertility of the land, yellow symbolizes justice and harmony, while red stands for sacrifice and heroism in the defense of the land; the blue of the disk symbolizes peace and the pentagram represents the unity and equality of the nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia

note

Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag (adopted ca. 1895) were so often appropriated by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the Pan-African colors; the emblem in the center of the current flag was added in 1996

Government type

federal republic

Independence

oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years (may be traced to the Aksumite Kingdom, which coalesced in the first century B.C.)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Federal Supreme Court or Supreme Imperial Court (consists of 11 judges); note - the Federal Supreme Court has jurisdiction for all constitutional issues

judge selection and term of office

president and vice president of Federal Supreme Court nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; other Supreme Court judges nominated by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; judges serve until retirement at age 60

subordinate courts

federal high courts and federal courts of first instance; state court systems (mirror structure of federal system); sharia courts and customary and traditional courts

Legal system

civil law system

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or Yefedereshein Mikir Bete (108 seats; members indirectly elected by state assemblies to serve 5-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives or Yehizb Tewokayoch Mekir Bete (547 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms); note - the House of Federation is responsible for interpreting the constitution and federal-regional issues and the House of People's Representatives is responsible for passing legislation

election results

percent of vote - NA; seats by party - EPRDF 547

elections

last held on 24 May 2015 (next to be held in 2020)

National anthem

lyrics/music

DEREJE Melaku Mengesha/SOLOMON Lulu

name

"Whedefit Gesgeshi Woud Enat Ethiopia" (March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia)

note

adopted 1992

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

Abyssinian lion (traditional), yellow pentagram with five rays of light on a blue field (promoted by current government); national colors: green, yellow, red

Political parties and leaders

Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [Mohammed KEDIR]

All Ethiopian Unity Organization or AEUO [Hailu SHAWEL]

Arena Tigray [GEBRU Asrat]

Argoba People's Democratic Organization or APDO [Abdulkader MOHAMMED]

Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Party or BGPDP [Mulualem BESSE]

Blue Party (Semayawi Party) [Yanatan TESFAYE, spokesman]

Coalition for Unity and Democratic Party or CUDP [AYELE Chamiso]

Ethiopian Democratic Party or EDP [MUSHE Semu]

Ethiopian Federal Democratic Forum or FORUM [Dr. Moga FRISSA] (a UDJ-led 6-party alliance established for the 2010 parliamentary elections)

Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF (including the following organizations: Amhara National Democratic Movement or ANDM; Oromo People's Democratic Organization or OPDO; Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement or SEPDM; and Tigray People's Liberation Front or TPLF)

Gambella Peoples Unity Democratic Movement or GPUDM

Gurage Peoples Democratic Front [GIRMA Bogale]

Harari National League or HNL [YASIN Husein]

Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement or OFDM

Oromo People's Congress or OPC [IMERERA Gudina]

Somali Democratic Alliance Forces or SODAF [BUH Hussien]

Somali People's Democratic Party or SPDP [Abdulfetah Sheck ABDULAHI]

South Ethiopian People's Democratic Union or SEPDU [TILAHUN Endeshaw]

United Ethiopian Democratic Forces or UEDF [BEYENE Petros]

Unity for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [Dr. NEGASSO Gidada]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front or EPPF

Ogaden National Liberation Front or ONLF

Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

cereals, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, vegetables, khat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish

Budget

expenditures

$9.025 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$7.582 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.9% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate

11% (31 December 2014 est.)

12% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$4.704 billion (2014 est.)

-$2.783 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$17.02 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$14.49 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

33 (2011)

30 (2000)

Economy - overview

Ethiopia's economy is based on agriculture, but the government is pushing to diversify into manufacturing, textiles, and energy generation. Coffee is a major export crop. The agricultural sector suffers from poor cultivation practices and frequent drought, but recent joint efforts by the Government of Ethiopia and donors have strengthened Ethiopia's agricultural resilience, contributing to a reduction in the number of Ethiopians threatened with starvation. The banking, insurance, telecommunications, and micro-credit industries are restricted to domestic investors, but Ethiopia has attracted significant foreign investment in textiles, leather, commercial agriculture and manufacturing. Under Ethiopia's constitution, the state owns all land and provides long-term leases to the tenants; land use certificates are now being issued in some areas so that tenants have more recognizable rights to continued occupancy and hence make more concerted efforts to improve their leaseholds. While GDP growth has remained high, per capita income is among the lowest in the world. Ethiopia's economy continues on its state-led Growth and Transformation Plan and is scheduled to issue another development plan in 2015. Ethiopia has achieved high single-digit growth rates through government-led infrastructure expansion and commercial agriculture development. Ethiopia in late 2014 issued its first sovereign bond, generating $1 billion in revenue for a 10 year note.

Exchange rates

birr (ETB) per US dollar -

21.13 (2014 est.)

21.1 (2013 est.)

17.71 (2012 est.)

16.899 (2011 est.)

14.41 (2010 est.)

Exports

$4.14 billion (2014 est.)

$3.532 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, khat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds

Exports - partners

China 17.1%, Germany 7.6%, US 7.2%, Belgium 6.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.7% (2014)

Fiscal year

8 July - 7 July

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

12.8%

government consumption

8%

household consumption

83.7%

imports of goods and services

-41.3%

investment in fixed capital

36.8%

investment in inventories

0%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

47.7%

industry

10.4%

services

41.9% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,600 (2014 est.)

$1,400 (2013 est.)

$1,300 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

10.3% (2014 est.)

9.8% (2013 est.)

8.7% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$52.34 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$144.6 billion (2014 est.)

$131 billion (2013 est.)

$119.3 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

25.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

28.3% of GDP (2013 est.)

30.7% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25.6% (2005)

lowest 10%

4.1%

Imports

$12.08 billion (2014 est.)

$11.19 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

Imports - partners

China 19.2%, US 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.7%, India 5% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

7.5% (2014 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.4% (2014 est.)

8.1% (2013 est.)

Labor force

47.32 million (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

85%

industry

5%

services

10% (2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

39% (2012 est.)

Public debt

55.1% of GDP (2014 est.)

50.2% of GDP (2013 est.)

note

official data cover central government debt, including debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury and treasury debt owned by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.785 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$3.556 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$19.23 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$17.43 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$20.27 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$18.15 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$11.31 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$10.24 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

17.5% (2012 est.)

18% (2011 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

8.213 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - production

100 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

430,000 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

4.591 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

9.6% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

88.7% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

1.8% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

2.127 million kW (2011 est.)

Electricity - production

5.107 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

56,940 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

42,500 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Broadcast media

1 public TV station broadcasting nationally and 1 public radio broadcaster with stations in each of the 13 administrative districts; a few commercial radio stations and roughly a dozen community radio stations (2009)

Internet country code

.et

Internet users

percent of population

1.7% (2014 est.)

total

1.6 million

Radio broadcast stations

AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)

Telephone system

domestic

the number of fixed lines and mobile telephones is increasing from a small base; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 15 per 100 persons

general assessment

inadequate telephone system with the Ethio Telecom maintaining a monopoly over telecommunication services; open-wire, microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; 2 domestic satellites provide the national trunk service

international

country code - 251; 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) (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

820,000

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

32 (2014 est.)

total

30.5 million

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus 24 repeaters) (2001)

Airports

57 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

4

2,438 to 3,047 m

8

over 3,047 m

3

total

17

under 914 m

2 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

8 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

9

2,438 to 3,047 m

3

914 to 1,523 m

20

total

40

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 8 (2010)

total

8

Ports and terminals

Ethiopia is landlocked and uses the ports of Djibouti in Djibouti and Berbera in Somalia

Railways

narrow gauge

681 km 1.000-m gauge

note

railway is under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2015)

total

681 km (Ethiopian segment of the 781 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad)

Roadways

paved

6,064 km

total

44,359 km

unpaved

38,295 km (2007)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

19,726,816 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

19,067,499

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

12,889,260 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

11,868,084

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

981,714 (2010 est.)

male

967,411

Military branches

Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian Air Force (Ye Ityopya Ayer Hayl, ETAF) (2013)

Military expenditures

0.91% of GDP (2012)

1.1% of GDP (2011)

0.91% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no compulsory military service, but the military can conduct callups when necessary and compliance is compulsory (2012)

Disputes - international

Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; civil unrest in eastern Sudan has hampered efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia

Illicit drugs

transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe, as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia (legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money laundering center

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

413,400 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000; ethnic clashes; and ongoing fighting between the Ethiopian military and separatist rebel groups in the Sumale and Oromiya regions; natural disasters; intercommunal violence; most IDPs live in Sumale state) (2015)

refugees (country of origin)

287,939 (South Sudan); 247,706 (Somalia); 139,039 (Eritrea); 36,863 (Sudan); 10,687 (Yemen) (2015)