2023 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 thus retained 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, 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 December 2000. Ethiopia subsequently rejected the 2007 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission demarcation. This intransigence resulted in more than a decade of a tense “no peace, no war” stalemate between the two countries.  In 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. 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 November 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 November 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 November 2022 with a cessation of hostilities agreement between the Tigrayan leaders and the Ethiopian Government. However, Ethiopia continues to experience ethnic-based violence as other groups - including the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and Amhara militias - seek concessions from the Ethiopian Government.

Area

land

1,096,570 sq km

note

note: area numbers are approximate since a large portion of the Ethiopia-Somalia border is undefined

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

note 1: 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 Ethiopianote 2: three major crops may have originated in Ethiopia: coffee (almost certainly), grain sorghum, and castor bean

Irrigated land

1,813 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

36.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 15.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 20% (2018 est.)

forest

12.2% (2018 est.)

other

51.5% (2018 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 kmnote – [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 droughtsvolcanism: volcanic activity in the Great Rift Valley; Erta Ale (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

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

38.91% (male 22,821,026/female 22,498,331)

15-64 years

57.55% (male 33,345,764/female 33,672,933)

65 years and over

3.54% (2023 est.) (male 1,887,831/female 2,236,827)

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

30.1 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

5% (2016 est.)

women married by age 15

14.1%

women married by age 18

40.3%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

21.1% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

37.7% (2020)

Current health expenditure

3.5% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

67.5% (2023 est.)

Death rate

6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Ethiopia is a predominantly agricultural country – nearly 80% of the population lives in rural areas – that is in the early stages of demographic transition. Infant, child, and maternal mortality have fallen sharply over the past decade, but the total fertility rate has declined more slowly and the population continues to grow. The rising age of marriage and the increasing proportion of women remaining single have contributed to fertility reduction. While the use of modern contraceptive methods among married women has increased significantly from 6 percent in 2000 to 27 percent in 2012, the overall rate is still quite low. Ethiopia’s rapid population growth is putting increasing pressure on land resources, expanding environmental degradation, and raising vulnerability to food shortages. With about 40 percent of the population below the age of 15 and a fertility rate of 4 children per woman (and even higher in rural areas), Ethiopia will have to make further progress in meeting its family planning needs if it is to achieve the age structure necessary for reaping a demographic dividend in the coming decades. Poverty, drought, political repression, and forced government resettlement have driven Ethiopia’s internal and external migration since the 1960s. Before the 1974 revolution, only small numbers of the Ethiopian elite went abroad to study and then returned home, but under the brutal Derg regime thousands fled the country, primarily as refugees. Between 1982 and 1991 there was a new wave of migration to the West for family reunification. Since the defeat of the Derg in 1991, Ethiopians have migrated to escape violence among some of the country’s myriad ethnic groups or to pursue economic opportunities. Internal and international trafficking of women and children for domestic work and prostitution is a growing problem.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.5

potential support ratio

18.1 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

75.7

youth dependency ratio

70.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 70.2% of population

improved: total

total: 76.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 29.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 23.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.5% of population

Education expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2019 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

1.93 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.3 beds/1,000 population (2016)

Infant mortality rate

female

28.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male

38.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

33.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

Oromo (official working language of Oromia Regional State) 33.8%, Amharic (official national language) 29.3%, Somali (official working language of Somali Regional State) 6.2%, Tigrigna (Tigrinya) (official working language of Tigray Regional State) 5.9%, Sidamo 4%, Wolaytta 2.2%, Gurage 2%, Afar (official working language of Afar Regional State) 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.)

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

69.4 years

male

64.9 years

total population

67.1 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

44.4% (2017)

male

57.2%

total population

51.8%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory diseases

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

5.461 million ADDIS ABABA (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

267 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

20.5 years

male

20 years

total

20.2 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.3 years (2019 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

Nationality

adjective

Ethiopian

noun

Ethiopian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

4.5% (2016)

Physicians density

0.11 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

116,462,712 (2023 est.)

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

Population growth rate

2.4% (2023 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: 8.1% of population

improved: total

total: 17.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 52.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 91.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 82.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 47.5% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

8 years (2012)

male

8 years

total

9 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.84 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.3% (2020 est.)

male

8.8% (2020 est.)

total

5.1% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.92 children born/woman (2023 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, Somali, 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" and was bestowed on the city in 1889, three years after its founding

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

amendments

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 Greek word "Aethiopia," which in classical times referred to lands south of Egypt in the Upper Nile region

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 (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Ambassador Tracey Ann JACOBSON (since 25 February 2022)

email address and website

AddisACS@state.govhttps://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 SELESHI Bekele Awulachew (since 7 June 2022)

consulate(s)

New York

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles

email address and website

ethiopia@ethiopianembassy.orghttps://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 SAHLE-WORK Zewde (since 25 October 2018)

election results

2021: SAHLE-WORK Zewde elected president during joint session of Parliament, vote - 659 (unanimous); ABIY confirmed Prime Minister by House of Peoples' Representatives (4 October 2021)2018: SAHLE-WORK Zewde elected president during joint session of Parliament, vote - 659 (unanimous); note - snap election held on 25 October 2018 due to resignation of President MULATA Teshome

elections/appointments

president indirectly elected by both chambers of Parliament for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); election held on 21 June 2021 and 30 September 2021 (the scheduled 29 August 2020 election was postponed by Prime Minister ABIY due to the COVID-19 pandemic); prime minister designated by the majority party following legislative elections

head of government

Prime Minister ABIY Ahmed Ali (since April 2018); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs DEMEKE Mekonnen Hassen (since 29 November 2012)

note

note: SAHLE-WORK Zewde is the first female elected head of state in Ethiopia; she is currently the only female president in Africa.

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

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 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 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, ATMIS, AU, 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); note - the House of Federation has jurisdiction for all constitutional issues

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

description

bicameral Parliament consists of:House of Federation or Yefedereshein Mikir Bete (153 seats maximum; 144 seats current; members indirectly elected by state assemblies to serve 5-year terms)House of People's Representatives or Yehizb Tewokayoch Mekir Bete (547 seats maximum; 470 seats current; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; 22 seats reserved for minorities; all members serve 5-year terms)

election results

House of Federation - percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - NA; composition - men 100, women 44, percent of women 30.6%House of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - Prosperity Party 454, NAMA 5, EZEMA 4, Gedeo People's Democratic organization 2, Kucha People Democratic Party 1, independent 4; composition - men 275, women 195, percent of women  41.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 38.9%

elections

House of Federation - last held 4 October 2021 (next expected in October 2026)House of People's Representatives - last held in two parts on 21 June 2021 and 30 September 2021 (next expected in June 2026)

note

notes: 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; percent of vote percentages are calculated on the number of members actually seated versus on the constitutional maximums

National anthem

lyrics/music

DEREJE Melaku Mengesha/SOLOMON Lulu

name

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

note

note: adopted 1992

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela (c); Simien National Park (n); Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region (c); Axum (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)

total World Heritage Sites

11 (9 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 current government); national colors: green, yellow, red

Political parties and leaders

House of People's Representatives:Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice and Democracy or EZEMA [BERHANU Nega]   Gedeo People's Democratic PartyIndependent [n/a]Kucha People Democratic Party National Movement of Amhara or NAMA [BELETE Molla]Prosperity Party or PP [ABIY Ahmed Ali]

note

note: Ethiopia has over fifty national-level and regional-level political parties. The ruling party, the Prosperity Party, was created by Prime Minister ABIY in November 2019 from member parties of the former Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which included the Amhara Democratic Party (ADP), Oromo Democratic Party (ODP), Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement (SEPDM), plus other EPRDF-allied parties such as the Afar National Democratic Party (ANDP), Benishangul Gumuz People’s Democratic Party (BGPDP), Gambella People’s Democratic Movement (GPDM), Somali People’s Democratic Party (SPDP), and the Harari National League (HNL). Once the Prosperity Party was created, the various ethnically-based parties that comprised or were affiliated with the EPRDF were subsequently disbanded; in January 2021, the Ethiopian electoral board de-registered the Tigray People’s Liberation Front or TPLF; national level parties are qualified to register candidates in multiple regions across Ethiopia; regional parties can register candidates for both national and regional parliaments, but only in one region of Ethiopia

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

maize, cereals, wheat, sorghum, milk, barley, sweet potatoes, roots/tubers nes, sugar cane, millet

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

3.8% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

56.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$13.979 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$11.308 billion (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

B (2014)

Moody's rating

B2 (2020)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B (2014)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$5.025 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$2.719 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$4.507 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$26.269 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$27.27 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

growing Horn of Africa construction- and services-based economy; port access via Djibouti and Eritrea; widespread but declining poverty; COVID-19, locust invasion, and Tigray crisis disruptions; public investment increases; second largest African labor force

Exchange rates

Currency

birr (ETB) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

23.866 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

27.429 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

29.07 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

34.927 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

43.734 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$7.588 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$7.715 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$9.496 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

coffee, gold, sesame seeds, vegetables, cut flowers, aircraft parts (2021)

Exports - partners

China 17%, United States 16%, United Arab Emirates 8%, Saudi Arabia 6%, South Korea 5%, Germany 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

8 July - 7 July

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

8.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption

10% (2017 est.)

household consumption

69.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-31.2% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

43.5% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.1% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

34.8% (2017 est.)

industry

21.6% (2017 est.)

services

43.6% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$92.154 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015

35 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25.6% (2005)

lowest 10%

4.1%

Imports

Imports 2019

$19.227 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$17.17 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$20.859 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

aircraft, gas turbines, packaged medicines, electric filament, cars (2019)

Imports - partners

China 27%, India 9%, United Arab Emirates 9%, France 9%, United Kingdom 7% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

7.26% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

15.81% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

20.36% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

26.84% (2021 est.)

Labor force

56.664 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

23.5% (2015 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2017

30.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

Public debt 2018

32.53% of GDP (2018 est.)

Public debt 2019

31.45% of GDP (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$248.972 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$264.059 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$278.945 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

8.36% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

6.06% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

5.64% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$2,200 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$2,300 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$2,300 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2018

$3.987 billion (31 December 2018 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$2.993 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$3.046 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

6.2% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

2.33% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

3.24% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

3.69% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

7.2%

male

4.4%

total

5.7% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.474 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

15.324 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

16.798 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

689,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

528,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

9,778,100,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

1 billion kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

4.856 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

3.374 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

42.7% (2021)

electrification - total population

54.1% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

94.3% (2019)

population without electricity

59 million (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

95.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

3.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

3.219 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

24.919 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

400,000 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

107,900 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

69,970 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

0.2 (2020 est.)

total

212,000 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

6 public TV stations broadcasting nationally and 10 public radio broadcasters; 7 private radio stations and 19 community radio stations (2017)

Internet country code

.et

Internet users

percent of population

17% (2021 est.)

total

20.4 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line subscriptions less than 1 per 100 while mobile-cellular stands at a little over 54 per 100 people (2021)

general assessment

Ethio telecom is the major provider, but no longer has a complete monopoly on all telecom services; the World Bank in early 2021 provided a $200 million loan to help develop the country’s digital transformation, while the government has embarked on its 2020-2030 program as well as its Digital Ethiopia 2025 strategy, both aimed at making better use of digital technologies to promote socioeconomic development (2023)

international

country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; 2 domestic satellites provide the national trunk service; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean) (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2021 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

890,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

54 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

65 million (2021 est.)

Airports

57 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

17

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

40

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

ET

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 10, oil tanker 2

total

12 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

2,089,280,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

11,501,244 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

75

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Ports and terminals

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

Railways

note

note: electric railway with redundant power supplies; under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia and managed by a Chinese contractor

standard gauge

659 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge

total

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

Roadways

total

120,171 km (2018)

Military - note

the ENDF has traditionally been one of sub-Saharan Africa’s largest, most experienced, and best equipped militaries, but it suffered heavy casualties and equipment losses during the 2020-2022 Tigray conflict; the Ground Forces are estimated to have more than 20 infantry divisions, including several that are mechanized, along with at least one division of commandos/special forces; the Air Force has combat squadrons of multipurpose fighter aircraft, attack helicopters, and armed unmanned aerial vehicles; ENDF operations are often supported by sizeable regional state paramilitary units the 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), several insurgent groups and ethnic militias (including the ethnonationalist Amhara Fano), and the al-Shabaab terrorist group (see Appendix T); the ENDF is currently conducting counterinsurgency operations against anti-government militants in several states, including in Oromya (Oromia) against the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), an insurgent group that claims to be fighting for greater autonomy for the Oromo, Ethiopia's largest ethnic group; in 2022, militants from the Somalia-based al-Shabaab terrorist group launched an incursion into Ethiopia's Somali (Sumale) regional state, attacking villages and security forces; the Ethiopian Government claimed that regional security forces killed hundreds of al-Shabaab fighters and subsequently deployed additional ENDF troops into Somalia’s Gedo region to prevent further incursions (2023)

Military and security forces

Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian Air Force (Ye Ityopya Ayer Hayl, ETAF) (2023)

note

note 1: national and regional police forces are responsible for law enforcement and maintenance of order, with the ENDF sometimes providing internal security support; the Ethiopian Federal Police (EFP) report to the Prime Minister’s Officenote 2: the regional governments control regional security forces, including "special" paramilitary forces, which generally operate independently from the federal government and in some cases operate as regional defense forces maintaining national borders; local militias also operate across the country in loose and varying coordination with these regional security and police forces, the ENDF, and the EFP; in April 2023, the federal government ordered the integration of these regional special forces into the EFP or ENDFnote 3: in 2020 the Ethiopian Government announced it had re-established a navy, which had been disbanded in 1996; in March 2019, Ethiopia signed a defense cooperation agreement with France which stipulated that France would support the establishment of an Ethiopian navy, which would reportedly be based out of Djibouti; in 2018, Ethiopia established a Republican Guard military unit responsible to the Prime Minister for protecting senior officials

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; prior to the 2020-2022 Tigray conflict, approximately 150,000 active-duty troops (2023)

Military deployments

approximately 5-8,000 in Somalia (up to 4,000 for ATMIS; the remainder under a bilateral agreement with the Somali Government; note - foreign troop contingents in Somalia under ATMIS are drawing down towards a final withdrawal in December 2024); 1,450 South Sudan (UNMISS) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the ENDF's inventory is comprised mostly of Russian and Soviet-era equipment; in recent years, the ENDF has received arms from a variety of countries, including China, Israel, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates; Ethiopia has a modest industrial defense base centered on small arms and production of armored vehicles (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

0.6% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

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 service age and obligation

18-22 years of age for voluntary military service (although the military may, when necessary, recruit a person more than 22 years old); no compulsory military service, but the military can conduct callups when necessary and compliance is compulsory (2023)

Disputes - international

Ethiopia-Eritrea: 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 StatementEthiopia-Somalia: the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden (populated largely by ethnic Somalis) and southern Somalia's Oromo region; the Somalia-based terrorist group al-Shabaab has conducted cross-border assaults into Ethiopia as recently as 2022 Ethiopia-South Sudan: while border clashes continue in the al-Fashqa (Fashaga) area, the US views the 1902 boundary treaty between Ethiopia and Sudan as being in forceEthiopia-Sudan: Ethiopia's construction of a large dam (the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam) on the Blue Nile in northern Ethiopia since 2011 has become a focal point of relations with Egypt and Sudan; Egypt has described the giant hydroelectric project as an existential threat because of its potential to control the flow of the river that is a key source of water for the country; Ethiopia completed filling the dam in 2023

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

4.385 million (includes conflict- and climate-induced IDPs, excluding unverified estimates from the Amhara region; border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000; ethnic clashes; and ongoing fighting between the Ethiopian military and separatist rebel groups in the Somali and Oromia regions; natural disasters; intercommunal violence; most IDPs live in Sumale state) (2023)

refugees (country of origin)

418,749 (South Sudan), 309,581 (Somalia), 167,391 (Eritrea), 25,463 (Sudan) (refugees since 15 April 2023) (2023)

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) (2023)

Space program overview

has a small space program with a focus on acquiring and operating satellites, as well as research and astronomy; jointly builds satellites with foreign partners and operates and exploits remote sensing (RS) satellites; developing the ability to manufacture satellites and their associated payloads; involved in astronomy and in the construction of space observatories; cooperates on space-related issues 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 (2023)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S

Terrorist group(s)

al-Shabaab; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

14.87 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

114.21 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

21.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Environment - current 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

Environment - international 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

Food insecurity

widespread lack of access

due to conflict in Tigray Region, drought conditions in southeastern areas, high food prices - according to the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan, about 20.1 million people are estimated to be in need of emergency food assistance; the difficult food security situation is mainly the result of the lingering impact of the conflict in northern areas, episodes of intercommunal violence across the country, and the drought in southern areas that are affecting food availability and access; food insecurity is exacerbated by severe macroeconomic challenges including insufficient foreign currency reserves and the continuous depreciation of the national currency, which constrains imports of key commodities including fertilizers, as well as a very high inflation, with the year‑on‑year inflation rate estimated at 30.8 percent in May 2023 (2023)

Land use

agricultural land

36.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 15.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 20% (2018 est.)

forest

12.2% (2018 est.)

other

51.5% (2018 est.)

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 kmnote – [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)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

5.81% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

122 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

9.69 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

810 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

23.2% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

6,532,787 tons (2015 est.)