Formally called the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Ethiopia is country located in East Africa. Its geographical location makes it a land locked country, meaning it is surrounded by land all round and has no coastline. Ethiopia has the distinction of the being most populous land locked country in the world. Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is an important country in Africa, with several international African organizations like the African Union and the Pan African Chamber of Commerce headquartered in Addis Ababa.

The ancient Ethiopian dynasty traces its roots back up to the 2nd century BC. Scientific findings have shown Ethiopia to be one of the earliest sites in the world to be inhabited by human beings.

The Aksum Empire that ruled Ethiopia in the early third century is considered one of the greatest powers of that period along with the concurrent Roman and Persian dynasties. The Zagwe dynasty followed the Aksumites.

The years between 1755 and 1855 was marked by Ethiopia’s isolation from the rest of the world and the country was ruled by emperors who were mere puppets in the hands of war lords.

The modern era in Ethiopian history began under Haile Selass in 1930. Then came the communist Mengistu era that was marked by violence and turbulence and natural calamities like famines that decimated the population by their thousands. In 1991-92, this regime was overthrown and a constitution was framed for the country.

The first parliamentary elections in the country took place in 1995.

Ethiopia has a typical tropical monsoon climate, but there are variations across the country. The Highland regions that are mountainous experience a cooler climate as compared to the low lying grasslands and shrublands, which are hot and dry. The capital Addis Ababa and other major cities that are part of the Highlands are at elevation and experience pleasant climate all year round. Addis Ababa receives rainfall throughout the year with a brief dry spell from October to February.

The Ethiopian population is extremely diverse consisting of people of different ethnicities. The Oromos and the Amharas are the largest ethnic groups in the country accounting for about 35% and 25% of the total population. Majority of the inhabitants in Ethiopia are Christians and one third of the people are Muslims.