COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE ETHIOPIA Fasil Ghebbi , Gondar Flickr / Emily & Michael Dziedzic DLIFLC DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE | ETHIOPIA TABLE OF CONTENT Geography Introduction ................................................................................................................... 5 Geographic Divisions .................................................................................................. 6 Topographical Features .............................................................................................. 7 Great Rift Valley ...................................................................................................7 Mountains..............................................................................................................7 Danakil Depression .............................................................................................8 Climate ........................................................................................................................... 8 Rivers / Bodies of Water ............................................................................................. 9 Lakes .....................................................................................................................9 Rivers ..................................................................................................................10 Major Cities and Populations ....................................................................................11 Addis Ababa ..................................................................................................... 11 Dire Dawa ........................................................................................................... 12 Mekele ................................................................................................................. 12 Adama (Nazret) ..................................................................................................13 Bahir Dar ............................................................................................................13 Gonder ................................................................................................................. 14 Environmental Concerns / Issues ............................................................................14 Natural Hazards ..........................................................................................................15 Endnotes for Chapter 1: Geography ........................................................................17 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 24 History Introduction ................................................................................................................. 25 History .......................................................................................................................... 26 Prehistoric Period .............................................................................................26 Early Kingdoms ..................................................................................................27 The Early Solomonic Dynasties (13th–17th Centuries) ...............................28 The Rise and Decline of Gonder (1635–1855) .............................................29 The Modern Dynasties (1885–1930) ..............................................................29 Haile Selassie (1930–74) .................................................................................30 End of the Dynasties .........................................................................................31 Derg Era (1977–91) ...........................................................................................32 Post-Revolutionary Ethiopia (1991–2005) .....................................................33 Ethiopia (Since 2005)........................................................................................34 Endnotes for Chapter 2: History .............................................................................. 36 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 43 2 COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE | ETHIOPIA Economy Introduction ................................................................................................................. 44 Agriculture ................................................................................................................... 45 Industry and Manufacturing ..................................................................................... 46 Energy and Mineral Resources ................................................................................47 Energy .................................................................................................................47 Minerals ...............................................................................................................48 Trade and Investment .............................................................................................. 48 Trade ....................................................................................................................48 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) ......................................................................49 Tourism ........................................................................................................................ 49 Banking and Currency .............................................................................................. 50 Standard of Living .......................................................................................................51 Economic Outlook ......................................................................................................51 Endnotes for Chapter 3: Economy .......................................................................... 53 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 59 Society Introduction ................................................................................................................. 60 Ethnic Groups and Languages .................................................................................61 The Oromo ..........................................................................................................62 The Amhara (Amara) ........................................................................................62 The Somali (Somalie)........................................................................................63 The Tigray (Tigraway) .......................................................................................63 The Afar ...............................................................................................................63 Religion ........................................................................................................................ 64 Christianity ..........................................................................................................65 Islam ....................................................................................................................66 Care and Treatment of the Quran ...................................................................66 Other Religions ..................................................................................................67 Cuisine ......................................................................................................................... 67 Traditional Dress ....................................................................................................... 68 Gender Issues ............................................................................................................ 69 Arts ............................................................................................................................... 70 Painting ..............................................................................................................70 Music.................................................................................................................... 71 Sports and Recreation ...............................................................................................71 Endnotes for Chapter 4: Society ............................................................................. 73 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 80 3 COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE | ETHIOPIA Security Introduction ..................................................................................................................81 U.S.–Ethiopian Relations ......................................................................................... 82 Relations with Neighboring Countries .................................................................... 83 Djibouti .................................................................................................................83 Eritrea ..................................................................................................................84 Kenya ...................................................................................................................84 Somalia ...............................................................................................................85