Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Ethiopia is Africa's oldest independent country. Apart from a five-year occupation by Mussolini's Italy, it has never been colonized.
The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, once historically known as “Abyssinia” is most unique among African countries: among the only African nation to avoid early colonial expansion. This nation is the oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world dating back to at least 980 BC, and Africa’s second-most populous nation.
Ethiopia has yielded some of humanity’s oldest traces, making the area a primary factor in the origin and development of human history. Having converted during the fourth century AD, it was the second-earliest country to officially adopt Christianity, after Armenia. Ethiopia as well has a considerable Muslim minority, dating from the earliest days of Islam.
This nation is landlocked situated in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east, and Djibouti to the northeast. This country is 1, 100, 000 sq km which is slightly less than twice the size of Texas and is possibly considered the most mountainous terrain in all of East Africa, if not the whole of the continent of Africa. Its Capital city of Addis Ababa is situated over 7500 ft. above sea level. Within Ethiopia is a massive highland complex of mountains and dissected plateaus divided by the Great Rift Valley, which runs generally southwest to northeast and is surrounded by lowlands, or semi-deserts. The great diversity of terrain determines wide variations in climate, soils, natural vegetation, and settlement patterns.
Presently about 85 million people reside within this nations sovereignty with a life expectancy of 55.41 years. There is a rich diversity of both ethnic and religious considerations. There are 9 ethnically based states and 2 self-governing administrations (Ethiopia is divided into 13 provinces, many derived from historical regions). There are 84 different indigenous languages, with English the most widely spoken foreign language and is the medium of instruction in secondary schools (Amharic is the language of primary school instruction, but has been replaced in many areas by local languages).
Ethiopia is considered a Christian nation which boasts a 2000 year courtship with biblical traditions starting with the Ethiopian Eunuch in the book of Acts 8:26-40. Ethiopia has also been known to be the land of Cush, derived from the Hebrews to refer to the nations on the eastern coast of the Red Sea. When Moses referred to the people of Cush, it was in reference of a kindred nation to the Egyptians, one belonging to the lower Nile, and the other the upper Nile. Presently the nation is about 60.8% Christian (50.6% Orthodox, 10.2% Protestant), 32.8% Muslim, 4.6% traditional, 1.8% other (1994 census).
The Ethiopian economy is predominantly Agricultural, accounting for almost half of the Gross Domestic Product, 60% of all exports, and 80% of total employment (13.2% services, and 6.6% industry). Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $350 million in 2006. The coffee bean is believed to be originated first in the heart land of this ancient nation.