Country Profile

National name: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

President: Dr. Mulatu Teshome

Prime Minister: Hailemariam Desalegn

 Land area: 432,310 sq mi (1,119,683 sq km); total area: 435,186 sq mi (1,127,127 sq km).

Population (World Source: Population Review.): Ethiopian estimated population 2017 (104,292,446). Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the continent of Africa and the second-most populous country of Africa after Nigeria.

Capital and largest city: Addis Ababa, founded in 1886; with an estimated population of five million.

Monetary unit: Birr (1USD=27.30 Birr)

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.) (SOURCE: 2017 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES)   The national language, Amharic-Africa’s only written language with its own unique script-is widely spoken throughout the country and is predominant in Addis Ababa.

Ethnicity/race:  Oromo 34.4%, Amhara (Amara) 27%, Somali (Somalie) 6.2%, Tigray (Tigrinya) 6.1%, Sidama 4%, Gurage 2.5%, Welaita 2.3%, Hadiya 1.7%, Afar (Affar) 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, Silte 1.3%, Kefficho 1.2%, other 8.8% (2007 est.) (SOURCE: 2017 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES) Religions: Islam, Ethiopian Orthodox, Protestant, etc.

Literacy rate: 49.1% (2016 UNESCO)

Economic summary: Despite its wealth in culture, Ethiopia, unfortunately, does not enjoy the same fate economically. With a significantly agriculture-based economy, it is not surprising that in today's technologically thriving world, Ethiopia has one of the lowest incomes per capita.

Agriculture: cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, potatoes, Chat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish. Industries: food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals, metals processing, cement. Natural resources: small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower. Exports: coffee, Chat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds. Imports: food, petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles. Major trading partners: Djibouti, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, U.S., UK, Italy, India, China and others.

*Source: Peace Corps Ethiopia*