2020 Edition

Background

The area that is modern-day Ethiopia is rich in cultural and religious diversity with more than 80 ethnic groups. The oldest hominid yet found comes from Ethiopia, and Ethiopia was the second country to officially adopt Christianity in the 4th century A.D. A series of monarchies ruled the area that is now Ethiopia from 980 B.C. to 1855, when the Amhara kingdoms of northern Ethiopia united in an empire under Tewodros II. Many Ethiopians still speak reverently about the Battle of Adwa in 1896, when they defeated Italian forces and won their freedom from colonial rule. Emperor Haile SELASSIE became an internationally renowned figure in 1935, when he unsuccessfully appealed to the League of Nations to prevent Italy from occupying Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941. SELASSIE survived an attempted coup in 1960, annexed modern-day Eritrea in 1962, and played a leading role in establishing the Organization of African Unity in 1963. However, in 1974, a military junta called the Derg deposed him and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, drought, and massive displacement, the Derg regime was toppled in 1991 by a coalition of opposing forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). The EPRDF became an ethno-federalist political coalition that ruled Ethiopia from 1991 until its dissolution in 2019. Ethiopia adopted its constitution in 1994 and held its first multiparty elections in 1995. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Eritrea in the late 1990s ended with a peace treaty in 2000. Ethiopia subsequently rejected the 2007 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission demarcation. This resulted in more than a decade of a tense “no peace, no war” stalemate between the two countries. In 2012, longtime 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. Following a wave of popular dissent and anti-government protest that began in 2015, HAILEMARIAM resigned in 2018, and ABIY Ahmed Ali took office the same year as Ethiopia's first ethnic Oromo prime minister. In 2018, ABIY promoted a rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea that was marked with a peace agreement and a reopening of their shared border. In 2019, Ethiopia's nearly 30-year ethnic-based ruling coalition, the EPRDF, merged into a single unity party called the Prosperity Party; however, the lead coalition party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), declined to join. In 2020, a military conflict erupted between forces aligned with the TPLF and the Ethiopian military. The conflict -- which was marked by atrocities committed by all parties -- ended in 2022 with a cessation of hostilities agreement between the TPLF and the Ethiopian Government. However, Ethiopia continues to experience ethnic-based violence as other groups -- including the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and Amhara militia Fano -- seek concessions from the Ethiopian Government.

Area

land

1,096,570 sq km

total

1,104,300 sq km

water

7,730 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

highest point

Ras Dejen 4,550 m

lowest point

Danakil Depression -125 m

mean elevation

1,330 m

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 38 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

1,814 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

agricultural land

34.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 14.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 17.7% (2023 est.)

forest

23.7% (2023 est.)

other

42.2% (2023 est.)

Location

Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Major aquifers

Ogaden-Juba Basin, Sudd Basin (Umm Ruwaba Aquifer)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Tana - 3,600 sq km; Abaya Hayk - 1,160 sq km; Ch'amo Hayk - 550 sq km

salt water lake(s)

Lake Turkana (shared with Kenya) - 6,400 sq km; Abhe Bid Hayk/Abhe Bad (shared with Djibouti) - 780 sq km;

Major rivers (by length in km)

Blue Nile river source (shared with Sudan [m]) - 1,600 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

(Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

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 (613 m) 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

Population distribution

highest density is found in the highlands of the north and middle areas of the country, particularly around the centrally located capital city of Addis Ababa; the far east and southeast are sparsely populated, as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley

Age structure

0-14 years

38.7% (male 23,092,496/female 22,765,882)

15-64 years

58% (male 34,175,328/female 34,536,238)

65 years and over

3.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,794,269/female 2,186,085)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

1.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

29.08 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

5% (2016)

women married by age 15

14.1% (2016)

women married by age 18

40.3% (2016)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

21.2% (2019 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

66.3% (2019 est.)

Death rate

5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.9 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

17.1 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

71.7 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

65.8 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 42.2% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 51.5% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 83.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 57.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 48.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 16.8% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

2.3% of GDP (2024 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

16.7% national budget (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups

Oromo 35.8%, Amhara 24.1%, Somali 7.2%, Tigray 5.7%, Sidama 4.1%, Guragie 2.6%, Welaita 2.3%, Afar 2.2%, Silte 1.3%, Kefficho 1.2%, other 13.5% (2022 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.86 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

3.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

5.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.3 beds/1,000 population (2016 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

27.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male

37.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

31.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Oromo (official regional working language) 33.8%, Amharic (official national language) 29.3%, Somali (official regional working language) 6.2%, Tigrigna (Tigrinya) (official regional working language) 5.9%, Sidamo 4%, Wolaytta 2.2%, Gurage 2%, Afar (official regional working language) 1.7%, Hadiyya 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, Opuuo 1.2%, Kafa 1.1%, other 8.1%, English (2007 est.)

major-language sample(s)

Kitaaba Addunyaa Waan Qabataamaatiif - Kan Madda Odeeffannoo bu’uraawaatiif baay’ee barbaachisaa ta’e. (Oromo) የአለም እውነታ መጽሐፍ፣ ለመሠረታዊ መረጃ እጅግ አስፈላጊ የሆነ ምንጭ። (Amharic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

70 years

male

65.4 years

total population

67.7 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

50% (2022 est.)

male

71% (2022 est.)

total population

60.5% (2022 est.)

Major urban areas - population

5.461 million ADDIS ABABA (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

195 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

20.7 years

male

20.2 years

total

20.6 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.3 years (2019 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Ethiopian

noun

Ethiopian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

4.5% (2016)

Physician density

0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

female

60,911,226

male

60,461,406

total

121,372,632 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

2.34% (2025 est.)

Religions

Ethiopian Orthodox 43.8%, Muslim 31.3%, Protestant 22.8%, Catholic 0.7%, traditional 0.6%, other 0.8% (2016 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 8.2% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 17.8% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 50.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 91.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 82.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 49.2% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.99 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 (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.4% (2025 est.)

male

7.7% (2025 est.)

total

4.5% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.77 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.4% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

23.2% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

12 ethnically based regional states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2 chartered cities* (astedader akabibiwach, singular - astedader akabibi); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara), Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela), Hareri Hizb (Harari), Oromia, Sidama, Sumale, Tigray, YeDebub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples), YeDebub M'irab Ityop'iya Hizboch (Southwest Ethiopia Peoples), Southern Ethiopia Peoples

Capital

etymology

the name in Amharic means "new flower;" Empress TAITU gave the name to the new capital city in 1887

geographic coordinates

9 02 N, 38 42 E

name

Addis Ababa

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Ethiopia

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

4 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposals submitted for discussion require two-thirds majority approval in either house of Parliament or majority approval of one-third of the State Councils; passage of amendments other than constitutional articles on fundamental rights and freedoms and the initiation and amendment of the constitution requires two-thirds majority vote in a joint session of Parliament and majority vote by two thirds of the State Councils; passage of amendments affecting rights and freedoms and amendment procedures requires two-thirds majority vote in each house of Parliament and majority vote by all the State Councils

history

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

Country name

abbreviation

FDRE

conventional long form

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

conventional short form

Ethiopia

etymology

the country name derives from the ancient Greek word used to describe the inhabitants, aithiops, meaning "burnt appearance"

former

Abyssinia, Italian East Africa

local long form

YeItyop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik

local short form

Ityop'iya

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Ervin MASSINGA (since 4 October 2023)

email address and website

AddisACS@state.gov https://et.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Entoto Street, P.O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa

FAX

[251] 111-24-24-01

mailing address

2030 Addis Ababa Place, Washington DC 20521-2030

telephone

[251] 111-30-60-00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador BINALF Andualem Ashenef (since 25 February 2025)

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, St. Paul (MN)

email address and website

ethiopia@ethiopianembassy.org https://ethiopianembassy.org/

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 TAYE Atske Selassie (since 7 October 2024)

election results

2021: SAHLE-WORK Zewde reelected president during joint session of Parliament, vote - 659 (unanimous); ABIY confirmed Prime Minister by House of Peoples' Representatives (4 October 2021)

election/appointment process

president indirectly elected by both chambers of Parliament for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister designated by the majority party following legislative elections

head of government

Prime Minister ABIY Ahmed Ali (since April 2018)

most recent election date

21 June 2021 and 30 September 2021 (scheduled 29 August 2020 election was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic)

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red, with a light blue disk centered on the three bands; on the disk is a yellow pentagram with single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points meaning: green stands for hope and the land's fertility, yellow for justice and harmony, and red for sacrifice and heroism; the blue of the disk symbolizes peace, and the pentagram represents the Ethiopian people's unity and equality history: the emblem in the center of the current flag was added in 1996

Government type

federal parliamentary 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 appeared 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, ATMIS, AU, BRICS, COMESA, EITI, 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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (accession candidate)

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Federal Supreme Court (consists of 11 judges)

judge selection and term of office

president and vice president of Federal Supreme Court recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; other Supreme Court judges nominated by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council (a 10-member body chaired by the president of the Federal Supreme Court) 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

legislative structure

bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

House of Peoples' Representatives (Yehizb Tewokayoch Mekir Bete)

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

June 2026

most recent election date

6/21/2021 to 9/30/2021

number of seats

547 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Prosperity Party (448); Other (22)

percentage of women in chamber

41.9%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

House of the Federation (Yefedereshein Mekir Bete)

expected date of next election

October 2026

most recent election date

10/4/2021

number of seats

153 (all indirectly elected)

percentage of women in chamber

29.7%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1992

lyrics/music

DEREJE Melaku Mengesha/SOLOMON Lulu

title

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

National coat of arms

adopted in 1996, the coat of arms features the national symbol, a pentagram; the blue circle symbolizes peace, and the pentagram represents the unity and equality of the Ethiopian people

National color(s)

green, yellow, red

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela (c); Simien National Park (n); Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region (c); Aksum (c); Lower Valley of the Awash (c); Lower Valley of the Omo (c); Tiya (c); Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town (c); Konso Cultural Landscape (c); Gedeo Cultural Landscape (c); Bale Mountains National Park (n); Melka Kunture and Balchit: Archaeological and Palaeontological Sites in the Highland Area of Ethiopia (c)

total World Heritage Sites

12 (10 cultural, 2 natural)

National holiday

Derg Downfall 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 government)

Political parties

Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice and Democracy or EZEMA    Gedeo People's Democratic Party Independent Kucha People Democratic Party  National Movement of Amhara or NAMA Prosperity Party or PP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

maize, cereals, wheat, milk, sorghum, barley, taro, beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

3.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

37.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$12.49 billion (2023 est.)

revenues

$8.808 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$4.507 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$5.16 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$4.788 billion (2023 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$25.426 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

low-income, fast-growing Horn of Africa economy; widespread poverty and food insecurity worsened by conflict and environmental factors; landlocked with tensions over seaport access; development aid supporting reforms to boost private-sector growth and financial stability; challenge of creating jobs for growing labor force

Exchange rates

Currency

birr (ETB) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

29.07 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

34.927 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

43.734 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

51.756 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

54.601 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$9.496 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$10.971 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$10.865 billion (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, garments, dried legumes, cut flowers, oil seeds (2023)

Exports - partners

USA 12%, China 10%, UAE 8%, Saudi Arabia 8%, Netherlands 5% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

5.6% (2024 est.)

government consumption

5.5% (2024 est.)

household consumption

80.2% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-11.8% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20.5% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

34.9% (2024 est.)

industry

25.4% (2024 est.)

services

37.6% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$126.773 billion (2022 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

31.1 (2021 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

24.8% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

3.5% (2021 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$20.859 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$24.187 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$22.951 billion (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, fertilizers, plastics, raw sugar, cars (2023)

Imports - partners

China 26%, Djibouti 16%, India 7%, Kuwait 7%, Saudi Arabia 6% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

9.2% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

33.9% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

30.2% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

21% (2024 est.)

Labor force

54.47 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

23.5% (2015 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2019

31.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$332.97 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$354.926 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$380.895 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

6.6% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

7.3% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$2,700 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$2,800 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$2,900 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

0.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.33% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$1.192 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$2.028 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$3.784 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

3.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

3.5% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

3.4% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

7.2% (2024 est.)

male

4% (2024 est.)

total

5.4% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

1.653 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

1,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

1.153 million metric tons (2023 est.)

production

456,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

12.298 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

1.762 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

5.69 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

4.194 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

43%

electrification - total population

55% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

94%

Electricity generation sources

geothermal

0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

96.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

3.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

2.366 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

proven reserves

24.919 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

428,000 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

102,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

total

566,000 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

10 public/state broadcasters; 9 public/state radio stations; 13 commercial FM radio stations; 18 commercial TV stations; 45 community radio stations; 5 community TV stations (2023)

Internet country code

.et

Internet users

percent of population

17% (2021 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2024 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

766,000 (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

65 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

85.9 million (2024 est.)

Airports

58 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

ET

Heliports

1 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 10, oil tanker 2

total

12 (2023)

Railways

standard gauge

659 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge

total

659 km (2017) (Ethiopian segment of the 756 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad)

Military - note

the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) is focused on both external threats emanating from its neighbors and internal threats from multiple internal armed groups; since 1998, the ENDF has engaged in several conventional and counterinsurgency operations, including border wars with Eritrea (1998-2000) and Somalia (2006-2008) and internal conflicts with the Tigray regional state (2020-2022), multiple insurgent groups and ethnic militias, and the al-Shabaab terrorist group; as of 2025, the ENDF was actively conducting counterinsurgency operations against anti-government militants in several states, including the Amhara militia Fano and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), as well as al-Shabaab in Somalia (2025)

Military and security forces

Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF; aka Federal Defense Force of Ethiopia, FDRE): Army, Air Force, Naval Force, Defense Cyber Main Directorate (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

available information varies widely; estimated 150-300,000 active-duty Defense Force (2025)

Military deployments

1,500 South Sudan (UNMISS); estimated to have as many as 10,000 troops Somalia (approximately 2,500 under the AU; the remainder under a bilateral agreement with the Somali Government) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the ENDF's inventory has traditionally been comprised of Russian, Soviet, and Eastern Bloc armaments; it suffered considerable equipment losses during the 2020-2022 Tigray conflict; in more recent years, Ethiopia has diversified its arms sources to include such suppliers as China, Türkiye, Ukraine, and the UAE; Ethiopia's defense industry produces small arms, as well as armored vehicles under license (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

0.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

0.7% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-22 years of age for voluntary military service; 24-month service obligation; no compulsory military service, but the military can conduct callups when necessary and compliance is compulsory (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

3,134,600 (2024 est.)

refugees

1,071,881 (2024 est.)

Key space-program milestones

2015 - established Entoto Observatory and Space Science Research Center 2019 - first remote sensing (RS) satellite (Ethiopia RS Satellite or ETRSS-1) built and launched by China 2020 - second RS satellite (ET-SMART-RSS) built with assistance from and launched by China; began construction of satellite manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing facility 2021 - established a multi-mission ground control station for RS satellites 2024 - declared second satellite ground station operational 2025 - announced plans to launch third RS satellite (ETRSS-02) in partnership with China in 2026

Space agency/agencies

Ethiopian Space Science and Geospatial Institute (ESSGI; formed in 2022 from the joining of the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute or ESSTI and the Ethiopian Geospatial Information Institute or EGII) (2025)

Space program overview

focuses on acquiring and operating satellites, as well as conducting research; jointly builds satellites with foreign partners, and operates and exploits remote sensing (RS) satellites; developing the ability to manufacture satellites and their payloads; involved in astronomy and the construction of space observatories; works with a variety of countries, including China, France, India, Russia, and multiple African countries, particularly Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda; shares RS data with neighboring countries (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

al-Shabaab

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

3.427 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

15.092 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

18.519 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; loss of biodiversity; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management; industrial pollution and pesticides contribute to air, water, and soil pollution

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Methane emissions

agriculture

1,948.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

1,108.5 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

143.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

356.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

23.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

122 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

9.687 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

51.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

810 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

6.533 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

12.8% (2022 est.)