African Folklore: An Encyclopedia - Marshalls University

African folklore 240
ETHIOPIA (PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA)
Located in northeastern Africa, Ethiopia is a landlocked country surrounded by Sudan,
Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, and Kenya. The country’s climate ranges from temperate in
the highlands, to arid in the lowlands. Of Ethiopia’s some 66,180,000 people, 40 percent
are Oromo, 32 percent Amhara and Tigre, 9 percent Sidamo, and 19 percent consist of
various other groups. The most widely spoken languages in the country are Amharic,
Tigrinya, Oromo, Somali, Arabic, Italian, and English. Between 45 percent and 50
percent of the population is Muslim, 35 percent to 40 percent is Ethiopian Orthodox
Christian, while the remaining population practices animist and various other religious
traditions. Addis Ababa, the nation’s capital, is also its largest city, with 2,220,000
inhabitants.
Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa. The nation has one of Africa’s
oldest histories, which reaches back to the Axum empire of the first century CE. The
beginning of modern Ethiopia, however, was developed by Emperor Tewodros in 1885.
Unlike the rest of the continent’s nations, Ethiopia successfully defeated attempts made
to colonize the land. In 1936, however, Fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia and, while it did
not colonize, it ruled the land until 1941. Emperor Haile Selassie was known as Ras
Tafari before being crowned emperor; the name is still in use among the Rastafarians of
Jamaica, who consider him a sacred figure. Although widely recognized outside of Africa
as great leader, Selassie’s somewhat dictatorial rule was finally overthrown by a military
coup in 1974.
The next period of Ethiopian history was marked by the violent rule of the Dirgue, a
military council headed by Megistu Haile Miriam. He was overthrown in 1991.
In the past forty years, Ethiopia has suffered from periodic famine, drought, and
interethnic political tensions. In 1961, the Eritrean liberation movement began. This
battle lasted until 1993, when Ethiopia finally granted Eritrea its independence. In 1998,
another border dispute erupted into warfare but a ceasefire was accepted a few years
later, with UN peacekeepers as monitors. An unstable government, famine, and
continuing interethnic violence have marred the nation and the economy has
subsequently suffered.
Ethiopia’s natural resources include potash, salt, gold, copper, and platinum, while
agricultural production revolves around primarily coffee, hides and skins, and agricultural
products. Principle industries are processed foods, textiles, cement, building materials,
and hydroelectric power.
Ethiopia’s history dates back two thousand years and the nation’s cultural
achievements are likewise extensive. Addis Ababa, the nation’s capital, is the
Organization of African Unity’s headquarters. The most spectacular arts are found in the