LAND AND POPULATION

Ethiopia covers an area of 1,133,380 sq km (437,600 sq mi). The heart of the country is a high tableland, known as the Ethiopian Plateau, that covers more than half the total area of the country. The plateau is split diagonally in a northeastern to southwestern direction by the Great Rift Valley. Although the average elevation of the plateau is about 1,680 m (about 5,500 ft), it is cut by many rivers and deep valleys, some of which are 600 m (2,000 ft) below the level of the plateau. The area is capped by mountains, the highest of which is Ras Dashen (4,620 m/15,157 ft). These heights and indentations occur in northern Ethiopia, in the region surrounding Lake T’ana (the lake in which the Blue Nile rises).
Occupations in agriculture support 89 percent of all Ethiopians. Most agriculture consists of subsistence farming. The population is concentrated heavily in the central plateau region, where agricultural resources are most developed. The ethnic composition is extremely diverse, as a result of racial and linguistic integration that began in ancient times.

CLIMATE

The climate of Ethiopia varies mainly according to elevation. The tropical zone below approximately 1,800 m (approximately 6,000 ft) has an average annual temperature of about 27°C (about 80°F) and receives less than about 500 mm (about 20 in) of rain annually. The subtropical zone, which includes most of the highland plateau and is between about 1,800 and 2,400 m (about 6,000 and 8,000 ft) in elevation, has an average temperature of about 22°C (about 72°F) with an annual rainfall ranging from about 500 to 1,500 mm (about 20 to 60 in). Above approximately 2,400 m (approximately 8,000 ft) is a temperate zone with an average temperature of about 16°C (about 61°F) and an annual rainfall between about 1,300 and 1,800 mm (about 50 and 70 in). The principal rainy season occurs between mid-June and September, followed by a dry season that may be interrupted in February or March by a short rainy season.

POPULATION AND POPULTION CHARACTERSTICS

The population of Ethiopia (2001 estimate) is 65,891,874 estimate, yielding an overall density of 58 persons per sq km (151 per sq mi). The Amhara, who founded the original nation, and the related Tigreans, both of which are highland peoples of partly Semitic origin, constitute about 32 percent of the total population. They occupy the northwestern Ethiopian highlands and the area north of Addis Ababa. The Oromo, a pastoral and agricultural people who live mainly in central and southwestern Ethiopia, constitute about 40 percent of the population. The Shankella, a people in the western part of the country from the border of Eritrea to Lake Turkana, constitute about 6 percent of the population. The Somali, who live in the east and southeast, notably in the Ogaden region, are about equal in number to the Shangalla. The Denakil inhabit the semi desert plains east of the highlands. The no indigenous population includes Yemenis, Indians, Armenians, and Greeks

TIME AND ELECTRIC SUPPLY

Ethiopia is in the GMT +3 hours time zone.Ethiopia follows the Julian Calander, which consists of Twelve months of 30 days each and a Threeten month of five and Six days. Ethiopia Uses 220volts 50 cycles AC.

TRANSPORTATION

The Ethiopian terrain makes land travel difficult. Because many areas are inaccessible by road and others are inadequately served by surface transportation, air transport is of great importance. A government-owned airline company, Ethiopian Airlines, handles both domestic and international air service. International airports serve Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa. The capital is connected by rail with the port of Djibouti, on an inlet of the Gulf of Aden. Ethiopia has 28,652 km (17,804 mi) of roads, of which 13 percent are paved. A highway links Addis Ababa with Nairobi, Kenya. The Voice of Ethiopia makes radio broadcasts daily in Amharic, Arabic, Somali, Afar, Oromifa, Tigrinya, English, and French.

CURRENCY

Ethiopia’s unit of currency, the birr, is issued by the National Bank of Ethiopia (8.58birr equal U.S.$1.00 2003 average). Other banks in the country include the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia and the Agricultural and Industrial Development Bank.

CUSTOMS

Duty-free immports are permitted for up to:
A-200 cigrattes
B-1 lit of alcoholic bverages.
C-1/2 lit of perfumes.Visitors may export souvenirs with a value not exeeding E.birr 500.00

VISA AND IMMIGRATION

Visas are required for all visitors, however; nationals of 33 countries are given visa on arrival.

Argentina	Greece	Poland
Australia	Ireland	Portugal
		Russia
Austria	Israel
		South Africa
Belgium	Italy
		Spain
Brazil	Japan
		Sweden
Canada	kuwait
China		Switzerland
	Luxemberg
Denmark		Taiwan
	Mexico
France
	Newzealand	UnitedKingdom
Finland
	Norway	United States
Germany

 

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

Prior to entery,vistors should be in possession of a valid health certificate for yellow fever.Vaccination against Cholera is also required for any person who has visited or transited a Cholera-infected area within six days prior to arrival in Ethiopia.

LANGUAGE

Of the 70 or more languages spoken in Ethiopia, most belong to the Semitic and Cushitic branches of the Afro-Asiatic family (see African Languages). The language of the Ethiopian church liturgy, Gecez, gave rise to the Semitic cluster of languages: Amharic, Tigrinya, and Tigre. Amharic, the country’s official language, is spoken by
more than half of the population. English and Arabic are also spoken by many people.