Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan, and Sudan. It is one of the oldest nations in the world and is renowned for its ancient civilizations, diverse landscapes, and as the origin of the coffee plant. Ethiopia is also notable for being one of the few African countries never colonized by a European power.
- Capital
- Addis Ababa
- Continent
- Africa
- Region
- Eastern Africa
- Area
- 1,104,300 km²
- Coordinates
- 8° N, 38° E
Country facts
- Ethiopia is widely considered the birthplace of coffee, with the arabica plant originating in its highland forests.
- The country follows its own calendar, which has 13 months and runs roughly seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar.
- The ancient Kingdom of Aksum, centered in northern Ethiopia, was one of the great civilizations of the ancient world and minted its own coins.
- Ethiopia is home to the Blue Nile, which originates at Lake Tana and provides the majority of the Nile's water flow.
- Amharic is the official language of Ethiopia and is written in the unique Ge'ez script, one of the few indigenous African writing systems still in use.
Capital facts
- Addis Ababa, whose name means 'New Flower' in Amharic, was founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II.
- The city is the headquarters of the African Union, making it a major center of continental diplomacy.
- At an elevation of about 2,300 meters above sea level, Addis Ababa is one of the highest capital cities in the world.
- The National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa houses 'Lucy,' the famous fossilized skeleton of an early human ancestor discovered in 1974.
- Merkato, located in Addis Ababa, is one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, drawing traders and shoppers from across the region.