Ethiopia is a country located in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Eritrea to the north, Djibouti and Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, and Sudan and South Sudan to the west. It is the second-most populous country in Africa with a population of over 116 million.

The capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa, which is also the largest city in the country. Ethiopia is a federal parliamentary republic, with the President as the head of state and the Prime Minister as the head of government. The country is known for its unique history and culture, with Christianity and Islam being the two major religions.

Ethiopia has a diverse geography, with highlands, lowlands, and many rivers. The Ethiopian Highlands, which are located in the central and northern parts of the country, are home to several mountain ranges, including the Simien Mountains and the Bale Mountains. The Blue Nile, which is one of the two major tributaries of the Nile River, originates in the highlands of Ethiopia.

The economy of Ethiopia is largely based on agriculture, with coffee being one of the country's major exports. Other important crops include sesame, teff, and cotton. Ethiopia also has a growing manufacturing sector, with textile and leather products being the main exports. The country is also home to many natural resources, including gold, platinum, and natural gas.

Despite its rich history and cultural heritage, Ethiopia has faced many challenges over the years, including famine, war, and political instability. However, the country has made significant progress in recent years, with improvements in healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

Telephone Code
251

Local Emergency Phone
Ambulance: 92; Fire: 93; Police: 91

Vaccinations
An International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever is required for travelers arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers having transited through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. See WHO recommendations. On 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Ethiopia is currently considered a high risk to travelers for polio; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine.

Climate
Tropical monsoon with wide topographically-induced variation

Currency (Code)
Birr (ETB)

Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
220 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, F, G

Major Languages
Oromo, Amharic, Somali, Tigrigna, Sidamo, Wolaytta, Gurage, Afar, Hadiyya, Gamo, Gedeo, Opuuo, Kafa, English, Arabic

Major Religions
Ethiopian Orthodox 43.8%, Muslim 31.3%, Protestant 22.8%, Catholic 0.7%, traditional .6%

Potable Water
Opt for bottled water

International Driving Permit
A temporary license from a local authority is recommended. An IDP is not recognized.

Road Driving Side
Right

Tourist Destinations
Addis Ababa (incudes Imperial Palace, St. George’s Cathedral, Holy Trinity Cathedral); Axum (Aksum); Bahir Dar; Harar Jugol; Gondar (includes Fasil Ghebbi); Simien Mountains

Major Sports
Track and Field, soccer, basketball

Cultural Practices
It is customary to bow when introduced to an elder or respected person. Elders are also usually introduced first when making new acquaintances.

Tipping Guidelines
A 10-15% tip is normal for good service at restaurants and in bars. Tip $1 (USD) per bag for bellhops who carry luggage to your room and $1-2 (USD) per day for hotel staff.

Souvenirs
Coffee, traditional clothing, shema cloth, carved-metal or wood religious crosses and other wooden items, leather goods, wickerwork, handicrafts

Traditional Cuisine
Wat — a stew that may be prepared with chicken, beef, lamb, a variety of vegetables, spice mixtures such as berbere, and niter kibbeh (seasoned clarified butter); typically served with injera (a spongy flat bread)

Geography
Area
total: 1,104,300 sq km
land: 1,096,570 sq km
water: 7,730 sq km

Climate
tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Natural resources
small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower

People and Society
Population
116,462,712 (2023 est.)

Ethnic groups
Oromo 35.8%, Amhara 24.1%, Somali 7.2%, Tigray 5.7%, Sidama 4.1%, Guragie 2.6%, Welaita 2.3%, Afar 2.2%, Silte 1.3%, Kefficho 1.2%, other 13.5% (2022 est.)

Languages
Oromo (official working language in the State of Oromiya) 33.8%, Amharic (official national language) 29.3%, Somali (official working language of the State of Sumale) 6.2%, Tigrigna (Tigrinya) (official working language of the State of Tigray) 5.9%, Sidamo 4%, Wolaytta 2.2%, Gurage 2%, Afar (official working language of the State of Afar) 1.7%, Hadiyya 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, Opuuo 1.2%, Kafa 1.1%, other 8.1%, English (major foreign language taught in schools), Arabic (2007 est.)

Religions
Ethiopian Orthodox 43.8%, Muslim 31.3%, Protestant 22.8%, Catholic 0.7%, traditional 0.6%, other 0.8% (2016 est.)

Population growth rate
2.42% (2023 est.)

Government
Government type
federal parliamentary republic

Capital
name: Addis Ababa

Economy
Economic overview
growing Horn of Africa construction- and services-based economy; port access via Djibouti and Eritrea; widespread but declining poverty; COVID-19, locust invasion, and Tigray crisis disruptions; public investment increases; second largest African labor force

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$278.945 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$2,300 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products
maize, cereals, wheat, sorghum, milk, barley, sweet potatoes, roots/tubers nes, sugar cane, millet

Industries
food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, garments, chemicals, metals processing, cement

Exports
$9.496 billion (2021 est.)

Exports - partners
China 17%, United States 16%, United Arab Emirates 8%, Saudi Arabia 6%, South Korea 5%, Germany 5% (2019)

Exports - commodities
coffee, sesame seeds, gold, cut flowers, zinc (2019)

Imports
$20.859 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners
China 27%, India 9%, United Arab Emirates 9%, France 9%, United Kingdom 7% (2019)

Imports - commodities
aircraft, gas turbines, packaged medicines, electric filament, cars (2019)