Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa, a rugged land of high plateaus and deep valleys that has long stood apart from its neighbours. One of the oldest nations on Earth, it boasts a history of ancient kingdoms, a distinctive form of early Christianity, and the rare distinction of never having been colonised by a European power. It is the second most populous country in Africa and the seat of the African Union.

Ethiopia's recorded greatness begins with the Kingdom of Aksum, which from the early centuries AD was a major trading power and one of the first states anywhere to adopt Christianity. Later the Zagwe dynasty carved the famous rock churches of Lalibela, and the long-lived Solomonic dynasty ruled an empire in the highlands. Through the era when Europe partitioned Africa, Ethiopia defended its independence, decisively defeating an invading Italian army in 1896.

The Kingdom of Aksum at its height, an ancient power that minted its own coins and adopted Christianity early. Credit: Aldan-2 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
The Kingdom of Aksum at its height, an ancient power that minted its own coins and adopted Christianity early. Credit: Aldan-2 (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Ethiopian tradition holds that its royal line descended from a son of the biblical King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Menelik, who was said to have brought the Ark of the Covenant to Ethiopia. This sacred genealogy gave the emperors profound legitimacy and remains central to Ethiopian identity and the Orthodox faith. As literal history the descent is legend rather than documented fact, though the dynasty that claimed it ruled in reality for centuries.

Ethiopia is dominated by a vast, high plateau split by the Great Rift Valley, with mountains rising above four thousand metres and lowland deserts at its edges, including the searing Danakil Depression, one of the hottest places on Earth. The highlands enjoy a temperate climate despite the tropical latitude, and they give rise to the Blue Nile, which begins at Lake Tana and provides most of the water of the Nile downstream in Egypt.

Flag of Ethiopia.
Flag of Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian flag has three horizontal bands of green, yellow, and red, with a blue disc bearing a golden star at its centre. These three colours, flown by Ethiopia as it stood independent through the colonial era, became the inspiration for the pan-African colours adopted by many newly free African nations. The central star is said to represent the unity and bright future of the country's diverse peoples.

Ethiopia has one of the oldest Christian traditions in the world, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which has shaped the country's calendar, art, and identity for some seventeen centuries and built the remarkable rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. Islam is also ancient here, having arrived in the lifetime of the Prophet, and Muslims form a large share of the population. Traditional beliefs persist as well, making Ethiopia a land of deep and varied faith.

A rock-hewn church at Lalibela, carved from solid stone during the Zagwe dynasty. Credit: Jens Klinzing (CC BY-SA 3.0).
A rock-hewn church at Lalibela, carved from solid stone during the Zagwe dynasty. Credit: Jens Klinzing (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Ethiopian cuisine is distinctive and communal. Its foundation is injera, a large, spongy sourdough flatbread made from a tiny native grain called teff, which serves as both plate and utensil. Onto it are spooned an array of spicy stews known as wat, rich with the signature spice blend berbere, including meat and an abundance of lentils and vegetables eaten during frequent fasting periods. Ethiopia is also the original homeland of coffee, central to its hospitality.

Agriculture is the backbone of Ethiopia's economy and the livelihood of most of its people. The country is the birthplace of the coffee plant, and coffee remains its leading export. Farmers grow teff for injera along with other cereals, pulses, and oilseeds, mostly on rain-fed smallholdings in the highlands, and they keep one of the largest livestock populations in Africa. Dependence on seasonal rains leaves the country vulnerable to drought.

Ethiopia's defeat of Italy at the Battle of Adwa in 1896 was a landmark, the rare victory of an African state over a European army, and it made Ethiopia a symbol of independence and African pride. The country was briefly occupied by Italy in the 1930s but never formally colonised. In the twentieth century it endured the overthrow of its last emperor, Haile Selassie, a harsh communist regime, and devastating famine.

Emperor Tewodros II, a nineteenth-century ruler who sought to reunify and modernise Ethiopia. Credit: Uncredited derivative work: Vob08 (talk) (Public domain).
Emperor Tewodros II, a nineteenth-century ruler who sought to reunify and modernise Ethiopia. Credit: Uncredited derivative work: Vob08 (talk) (Public domain).

Ethiopia has a population of more than 120 million people, the second largest in Africa, and it is growing quickly. The country is strikingly diverse, home to dozens of ethnic groups, the largest being the Oromo and the Amhara, speaking more than eighty languages. This diversity is a source of cultural richness but also of political tension. Most Ethiopians live in the highlands, and the capital, Addis Ababa, is a major diplomatic centre for the whole continent.