Fast Facts - (Courtesy of NationalGeographic.com)
- Population:
- 77,431,000
- Capital:
- Addis Ababa; 2,723,000
- Area:
- 1,133,380 square kilometers (437,600 square miles)
- Language:
- Amharic, Tigrinya, Orominga, Guaraginga, Somali, Arabic
- Religion:
- Muslim, Ethiopian Orthodox, animist
- Currency:
- Birr
- Life Expectancy:
- 42
- GDP per Capita:
- U.S. $700
- Literacy Percent:
- 43
Ethiopia and Abyssinia are mentioned numerous times in the Bible, Qur’an and Hadith. It’s culture and traditions date back over 3,000 years. The skeleton of Lucy, a woman that lived 3.2 million years ago, was found in a remote corner of Ethiopia Ethiopia is slightly less than twice the size of Texas, with its highest point being 4,533 m (14,868 ft.). You will see beautiful contrasting scenery with lush green plains and arid mountains. Ancient architectural marvels remain such as the Church of St. George, which is referred to as the 8th Wonder of the World. It is widely believed that coffee originated in Ethiopia, and coffee beans are the country’s largest export. During your stay in Ethiopia you will participate in an authentic Coffee Ceremony and experience many unique and impressive sights and sounds. The modern political capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa, with a population of more than two million people. Addis Ababa, nestled in the foothills of the Entoto Mountains, enjoys a moderate climate year round.
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| A herder sitting in a tree outside the limits of Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa |
Ethiopia has 77 indigenous languages. Amharic is the official language, and English is the most widely spoken foreign language. English is spoken in secondary schools and universities. According to the national census conducted in 2007, over 37 million people or 43.5% were reported to be Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, over 29 million or 33.9% were reported to be Muslim, just under 15,7 million, or 18.6%, were Protestant, and just under two million or 2.6% adhered to traditional beliefs. Ethiopian cuisine consists of spicy vegetable and meat dishes, served with injera, a large sourdough flatbread, made out of fermented teff flour. Ethiopians eat with their right hands, using pieces of injera to pick up bites of food.
