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The Land & The People * Ethiopia is a colourful, multi-ethnic country, home to approximately 83 million inhabitants who belong to a multitude of different tribes and cultures. Among these different ethnic groups are the people of the Omo Valley, the Somali of the wide plateaus of the Ogaden, the Amhara from Addis Ababa, and the nomadic Afar from the Danakil Depression. The state language is Amharic spoken by the Amhara, however there are also around 70 other languages spoken across the country.
Ethiopia has been a federal state since 1994, composed of three city-states and eight regions with Oromia being the largest region in terms of area and population. The regional boundaries were determined taking into account linguistic and ethnic considerations.
But regardless of where one lives or which tribe they belong to, overall the people are deeply rooted in their faith and heritage. Life revolves around family and religion, particularly in the rural areas. In the larger cities, a new generation is developing, embracing Western-influences, however family traditions still remain strong.
History * The national pride is drawn from the Ethiopians of the highlands and their long and great history, beginning with the Axumite Empire that existed before the birth of Christ. The Axumites and the empire established contact with the great ancient civilizations of Greece and, over the Blue Nile, to ancient Egypt. Thus the name Ethiopia was given to the land, from the ancient Greek name for the inhabitants of the country: ‘aitho ops’ meaning burnt or sun-burned face.
Ethiopia was the original connection between Africa to the Old World, which is reflected in its art and architecture. Many Jewish elements in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church also suggest a strong influence of Judaism from the early civilizations of the Middle East. From these various influences, a unique culture developed in Ethiopia, distinct from other African countries. The centuries of life spent in relative isolation in the Ethiopian highlands allowed this region to maintain a culture very close to its roots even in the present day.
The recent history of Ethiopia is varied. Under the reign of Menelik II in 1896, the country celebrated a glorious victory against the invading colonial power Italy. Ethiopia was the only African country that was never officially colonized. The anniversary of the great battle of Adua on March 1st is still celebrated as a national holiday today. Forty years later, the Italians marched in once again, this time from their colony of Eritrea, and successfully occupied the country until 1941.
The next great era was marked by the Emperor Haile Selassie, who ruled Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974, and was the last Emperor of Ethiopia. In 1963 under Haile Selassie, Addis Ababa became the seat of the newly established African Union.
However, the 1970’s and 80’s held Ethiopia under a dark cloud. In 1973 the country experienced the first of a series of famines, which plagued the northern regions of the country. The imperial family under the aging Haile Selassie responded poorly if at all and resistance formed within the military. In February 1974, a council of the armed forces known as the Derg took power. In 1975 the Derg officially abolished the monarchy. Land reform was initiated and an end was put to feudalism. In the fall of that year the Emperor died, however likely not from natural causes.
In 1977, in the wake of the Ogaden War, the military finally took all power. The first man of the state was now Colonel Mengistu Haile, who declared a state of socialism in Ethiopia. A harsh regime ruled the country and kept the population under brutal control. As early as the mid-1970’s the first resistance took shape starting with Eritrea and Tigray. In 1977, Eritrea began its rebellion and the Tigraian People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) demanded democracy.
The next famine broke out in 1979 in northern Ethiopia, followed by the three worst famines in the mid-1980’s in the provinces of Tigray, Wollo and the northeast. In three consecutive years, the rains failed to come. The relief efforts were also slow – first the West refused to help a socialist country, then Mengistu was not willing to distribute aid to the rebel provinces. One million people died and overnight, Ethiopia became the focus of the world’s attention.
Starting in the north, resistance to the regime increased. Many resistance movements united under the EPRDM (Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Movement) putting Mengistu on the defensive. The rebels gained on land. In May 1991, Mengistu fled to Zimbabwe and seven days later the EPRDM occupied Addis Ababa. A transitional government was set up under Meles Zenawi. The first elections were held in 1994 and parliamentary and regional elections were held one year later.
After popular vote, Eritrea was declared an independent state in 1993. Many friendship and cooperative treaties governing the relations between the two regions were formed and were important for Ethiopia in order to access the Eritrean ports. Nevertheless, the two countries are increasingly alienated. In 1997, Eritrea ceased using the Birr currency and introduced it’s own currency. Ethiopia saw this as provocation. One year later, the conflict culminated in an open battle over the demarcation in the area around the town of Badme. The conflict lasted until the year 2000 and took the lives of several thousands and still the border between the two countries remains closed.
After the last election in 2010, the EPRDM with the Prime Minister Meles Zenawi († 2012) is still in government. The country is making huge efforts economically and many funds are channelled into large projects for business development, education and infrastructure. The construction sector is also booming as Addis Ababa grows both upwards and outwards.
Nevertheless, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in the world. In many areas, the basics are lacking. Temporary power outages are also common even in the big cities and some communities are still struggling to secure a water supply. The long period of unrest and war tore a gap in the continued education of the youth, leaving a lack of skilled workers, particularly in the trades.
Despite all this, the face of Ethiopia is changing continuously and at a fast pace.
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