Ethiopia is a landlocked country located in northeastern Africa, a country with a history of 3,000 years of civilization and a population of 120 million. It has a land area of about 1.1 million square kilometers, which is the size of two Gansu provinces on the mainland.
1. The political capital of Africa
Did you know that there is also a coalition organization in Africa - the African Union, or African Union for short, is made up of 55 African countries and is the largest regional organization in the world.
The African Union, formerly known as the Organization of African Unity, was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Addis Ababa is also home to the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, hence the nickname "Political Capital of Africa".
2. The second largest ancient country on the African continent
Ethiopia is the second oldest country on the African continent with a history of 3,500 years.
As early as the 8th century BC, the Semitic people from the southern Arabian Peninsula founded the Numitic dynasty here.
Founded in the 12th century, the Ethiopian Empire was the oldest dynasty in Africa until it was overthrown in 1974.
3. People with tanned faces
The word Ethiopian is derived from the Greek word meaning "tanned face".
It was the longest independent island in Africa during the colonial period, and was honorably called "an island in the sea of colonialism".
4. Italy with no home
At the end of the European colonial movement, the backward and awakened Italy set its sights on the last remaining land in Africa, and the British disdained the barren country - Ethiopia.
Italy did not hesitate to mobilize the whole country, waging two wars to attack a nearly primitive kingdom, and finally conquered it in 1936.
The ecstatic Italians were about to plunder the wealth here, only to find that the land was nothing, and they had to build it themselves.
With the defeat of Italy by the Allies in 1941, the colonizers withdrew from the area. However, many facilities built in Italy, such as hospitals and railways, are still in use today.
5. Secessed Eritrea
Eritrea was once a province of Ethiopia, but Eritrea became independent in 1993, and Ethiopia has since become a landlocked country.
6. The roof of Africa
Two-thirds of Ethiopia's territory is a plateau region, and the Great Rift Valley runs through the entire territory, with an average altitude of 3,000 meters, known as the "roof of Africa".
7. African countries with cool climates
As a country built on a plateau, Ethiopia has an average annual temperature of only 16 degrees Celsius, making it the coolest country in Africa.
8. The second most populous country in Africa
With a population of more than 120 million and more than 80 ethnic groups, Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa, after Egypt.
9. The country with the fastest economic growth in recent years
Ethiopia is one of the least developed countries in the world due to frequent civil strife and natural disasters, but its economic growth rate in 2023 is 30%, ranking first in the world.
10. The world's second largest coffee exporter
Ethiopia is the number one coffee exporter in Africa and the second largest in the world (after Brazil), accounting for 20% of the world's total.
11. Africa's largest livestock country
Ethiopia has a well-developed livestock industry, and the suitable climate and pastures on the plateau make it a paradise for cattle and sheep.
Egypt has the largest livestock population in Africa all year round, and is also the eighth largest livestock country in the world.
12. Black is a taboo color
In Ethiopia, black symbolizes foreboding and death, and people here are almost always brightly dressed, and it is difficult to see black objects on the streets except people.