37 Excellent Ethiopia Facts That Everyone Should Definitely Know!

The African continent has been under colonial rule for decades in the past, dominated by several powerful nations.

Ethiopia is the oldest country in Africa to have an independent and rich cultural history. Ethiopia is the only one of the 54 African countries that have never been colonized.

Since its origin in 980 BC, Ethiopia was on the verge of colonization only once by Italian invasion. The east African country had been ruled for six years by Mussolini but Ethiopia never came under complete control of the ruling power so they eventually were cut loose and left the country independent. The prime minister of Ethiopia has good diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union and the European Union.

This beautiful country was once called Abyssinia and was afterward named by the founder of Aksum. Its name was allegedly derived from the Greek word Aethiopia which was used to refer to the regions located in the south of Egypt in ancient times. Ethiopia was one of the founding members of the United Nations and the country has been the base of major international organizations in Africa. It is the second most populated country with over 111 million people.

The capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa. The current Ethiopian prime minister is Abiy Ahmed and in 2018 Ethiopia got its first woman president, Sahle-Work Zewde. Another interesting thing about this populous country is the Ethiopian calendar. Unlike the rest of the world, Ethiopia has 13 months in a year which keeps the whole country seven years behind the whole world. This country has several Ethiopian Orthodox churches and they are the oldest Christian denominations.

Tourist Attractions In Ethiopia

Ethiopia is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites and has rich cultural and religious heritage sites. The landforms in Ethiopia are also a major tourist attraction.

• The uniqueness of Ethiopia's calendar has created the slogan 'Thirteen months of sunshine' for attracting tourists.
• The capital city Addis Ababa is a major tourism site for being one of the fastest-growing major cities in northern Ethiopia. It is also the trade center of the country and has the largest market as well.
• The National Museum in the capital city exhibits one of the oldest fossils of a hominid Lucy who is believed to have existed 3.2 million years ago.
• Another major attraction of Ethiopia is its mountains and plateaus. Ethiopia has almost 70% of Africa's mountains.
• The Simien Mountain National Park is the best place to visit for a view of the highland landscape.
• There are 11 churches which are cut and carved from rocks in the reign of King Lalibela who called them 'New Jerusalem'.
• He built Lalibela because during that period Muslims stopped Christians from completing their pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
• Another tourist site as well as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites is the Omo Valley. The valley is home to several ethnic groups and also a place of discovery fossils that dates back to many years ago.
• There is another attraction point that tourists can pay a visit to called Lake Tana.
• This lake has an estimated area of 1,200 sq mi (3,108 sq km) and that makes it the largest lake in the country. It is situated on the northwestern side of the country near the border of south Sudan.

Languages In Ethiopia

Africa is made up of 54 countries, most of which are located in the southern region and have a variety of languages.

• The most famous languages in Africa are the ones spoken in the continent's western regions, namely the Berber, Cushitic and Khoisan languages.
• Most countries in Africa have diversified languages but Ethiopia is above all in linguistic diversity. More than 80 different and unique local languages and dialects are known to be spoken in Ethiopia. The country's linguistic diversity is a result of the numerous communities that live in Ethiopia. Among those languages, Amharic, Oromo, and Tigrinya are the most widely spoken.
• These communities can be divided into three major groups like the Semitic, Cushitic, and Omotic speaking groups. You may know Ethiopia for its ancient and unique traditions, unique monastic life, and historical monuments. But did you know it was also the birthplace of coffee?
• The official language of Ethiopia is Amharic. Interestingly, there is also an Ethiopian minority group that speaks Nilo-Saharan languages. These agriculturalists live in the southwestern parts of the country.

Food In Ethiopia

Ethiopian food is another wonder of the country. The food tradition in Ethiopia dates back to the origin of the country.

• Coffee, which is just a morning beverage for the rest of the world, is a drink of pride in Ethiopia. Ethiopia was the first country to discover coffee and they take pride in every process of making a perfect cup of the delicious black liquid. It also contributes to their economic growth.
• The country has a vast number of coffee plantations. Coffee from Ethiopia is full of flavor and smooth. It is different from the coffee made in other parts of the world.
• Ethiopian coffee is great with a wide range of desserts like chakake and gebeta.
• Communal platters are very common in almost all cuisines in Ethiopia. The food culture in Ethiopia is rich with traditions and ancestral heritage.
• Most dishes are prepared with vegetables, grains and spices. Some of the specialty dishes include injera, doro wot, shiro, and gomen. These delicious foods are served with mitmita, a mix of spices that can include cardamom and cloves.
• They believe in eating together as a family and one of their ancient traditional foods is injera. It is a pancake flatbread made from the smallest grain in the world (teff) which is also gluten-free.
• Injera is served as the base of the communal platter and without it, any dish seems to be incomplete.
• For breakfast, nothing can be better than a freshly cooked firfir. Firfir is finely chopped injera fried with spiced butter and topped with hot spicy berbere. Organic spices are a specialty of Ethiopian people.
• One of the most popular dishes is the spicy wat. Another popular one is kitfo. Both of these dishes are made of raw beef, which is then seasoned and cooked on a hot pan.
• In addition, the country also has a special drink called tej. Tej is made from honey and has a sweet taste to it.

Ethiopian Animals

The country of Ethiopia is located in the horn of Africa that boasts a unique ecosystem and has some of the most gorgeous views in the whole continent of Africa.

• Despite being relatively small, it is home to the highest number of endemic species on the continent, with 10 species that can only be found within the country's borders.
• One of these species is the Ethiopian wolf. It is found mostly in the southeastern areas of the country and is known to be one of the most endangered animals in Africa.
• The wolf's current population is estimated at between 500 and 1,000, and it's threatened by habitat loss.
• While Ethiopia is known for its population of lions, there are six other Ethiopian animals that are only found here. The African wild dog is unique to Ethiopia, as is the African leopard.
• Additionally, two types of antelope, the lesser and greater kudu, are only found in Ethiopia. Three species of gazelle living in Ethiopia are found nowhere else in Africa. So if you're traveling to Ethiopia, visit the national parks in search of some of these rare species!

The Culture And Traditions Of Ethiopia

Ethiopia is known to be the oldest country in the African Union.

• The place is full of religious and cultural heritage and traditions. It is the most populous landlocked country and it is the second-largest country in Africa.
• Ethiopia has borders with seven countries and it also has the longest stretch of the Nile River. The country takes its name from a Greek compound word meaning 'the burnt faces'.
• It is home to roughly 80 different languages, which is the highest number in Africa.
• Ethiopia is the place where coffee was first grown.
• Ethiopians have deep religious and cultural heritage and traditions.
• Ethiopia is culturally bountiful, where the all forms of religions are found.
• Ethiopia started developing around 1896, when it became prominent in world affairs after defeating colonial Italy. With a provisional peace treaty, they became independent.
• The United Kingdom is 22.06% the size of Ethiopia.