Ethiopia Country Profile

Official name: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Form of state: Federal Republic

Capital city: Addis Ababa

Area: 1,127,127 sq km

Border Countries: Djibouti, Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia.

Population of Ethiopia: 82,237,338. Population growth is at the rate 3.208%

Currency: Ethiopian Birr, exchange rate 26.50 birr to £1

Languages: Amarigna 32.7%, Tigrigna 6.1%, Somaligna 6%, Oromigna 31,6%, Guaragigna 3.5%, Sidamigna 3.5%, Hadiyigna 1.7%, other 14.8%. English is the major foreign language.

Ethnic Groups: Oromo 32.1%, Tigraway 6.2%, Somalie 5.9%, Guragie 4.3%, Amara 30.1%, Sidama 3.5%, Welaita 2.4%, other 15,4% from the census in 1994.

Ethiopian Climate: Tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Ethiopian Environment: Deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; overgrazing; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and lack of proper management.

Membership of international groupings/organizations: United Nations, African Union (AU), Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

International environment: party to those bodies – Bio Diversity; Desertification; Ozone Layer Protection; Law of the Sea; Climate Change - Kyoto; Endangered Species; Ship Pollution, Hazardous Wastes.

Terrain: High plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley.

Natural Resources: Small reserves of gold, cooper, potash, natural gas, platinum, hydropower.

Irrigated Land: 2,900 sq km.

HIV/AIDS: Living with AIDS: 980,000, died: 67,000

Religions: Christian 32.7% - Orthodox 50.6% and Protestant 10.2%. Muslim 32.8%, traditional 4.6%, other 1.8%

Ethiopian Refugees: 66,980 in Sudan; 16,576 in Somalia; 13,078 in Eritrea.

Literacy rate: male 50.3% and female 35.1%

Political structure:

Legal system: The federal constitution was promulgated by the transitional authorities in December 1994. Representatives were elected to the institutions of the new Republic in May 1995. It formally came into operation in August 1995.

National legislature: The 548-member Council peoples’ Representatives is the federal assembly. Nine regional State Councils have limited powers, including that of appointing the supervisory Federal Council.

National elections: June 1994 (Constituent Assembly); May 1995 (Federal and Regional); next election 2005 (federal and regional)

Political parties: 1. Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF),

2. Afar National Democratic Party (ANDP) led by Mohammed Kedir; Benishangul Gumuz

3. People's Democratic Unity Front (BGPDUF) led by Mulualem Besse;

4. Coalition for Unity and Democratic Party (CUDP);

5. Gurage Nationalities' Democratic Movement (GNDM);

6. Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM);

7. Oromo People's Congress (OPC);

8. Somali People's Democratic Party (SPDP)

9. United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF),

10. The Oromo Liberation Front (OLF),

11. Amhara National Democratic Movenment (ANDM, formerly the Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement),

Political pressure groups:

1. Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front (EPPF);

2. Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF);

3. Oromo Liberation Front (OLF)