Ethiopia

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 580,120 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)

Broadcast media

6 public TV stations broadcasting nationally and 10 public radio broadcasters; 7 private radio stations and 19 community radio stations (2017)

Internet country code

.et

Internet users

total: 15,731,741 | percent of population: 15.4% (July 2016 est.)

Telephone system

general assessment: Ethio Telecom maintains a monopoly over telecommunication services; open-wire, microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; mobile broadband services via 3G and LTE networks; 2 domestic satellites provide the national trunk service; international Internet bandwidth increased 56% in 2016 to reach 35 Gb/s (2018) | domestic: fixed-line subscriptions at 1 per 100 while mobile-cellular stands at 59 per 100; the number of mobile telephones is increasing steadily (2018) | international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean) (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 1.181 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 62.617 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 59 (2017 est.)

Agriculture - products

cereals, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, vegetables, khat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish

Budget

revenues: 11.24 billion (2017 est.) | expenditures: 13.79 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA

Commercial bank prime lending rate

13.5% (31 December 2017 est.) | 12.2% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current account balance

-$6.551 billion (2017 est.) | -$6.574 billion (2016 est.)

Debt - external

$26.05 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $24.82 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

33 (2011) | 30 (2000)

Economy - overview

Ethiopia - the second most populous country in Africa - is a one-party state with a planned economy. For more than a decade before 2016, GDP grew at a rate between 8% and 11% annually – one of the fastest growing states among the 188 IMF member countries. This growth was driven by government investment in infrastructure, as well as sustained progress in the agricultural and service sectors. More than 70% of Ethiopia’s population is still employed in the agricultural sector, but services have surpassed agriculture as the principal source of GDP. Ethiopia has the lowest level of income-inequality in Africa and one of the lowest in the world, with a Gini coefficient comparable to that of the Scandinavian countries. Yet despite progress toward eliminating extreme poverty, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in the world, due both to rapid population growth and a low starting base. Changes in rainfall associated with world-wide weather patterns resulted in the worst drought in 30 years in 2015-16, creating food insecurity for millions of Ethiopians. The state is heavily engaged in the economy. Ongoing infrastructure projects include power production and distribution, roads, rails, airports and industrial parks. Key sectors are state-owned, including telecommunications, banking and insurance, and power distribution. Under Ethiopia's constitution, the state owns all land and provides long-term leases to tenants. Title rights in urban areas, particularly Addis Ababa, are poorly regulated, and subject to corruption. Ethiopia’s foreign exchange earnings are led by the services sector - primarily the state-run Ethiopian Airlines - followed by exports of several commodities. While coffee remains the largest foreign exchange earner, Ethiopia is diversifying exports, and commodities such as gold, sesame, khat, livestock and horticulture products are becoming increasingly important. Manufacturing represented less than 8% of total exports in 2016, but manufacturing exports should increase in future years due to a growing international presence. The banking, insurance, telecommunications, and micro-credit industries are restricted to domestic investors, but Ethiopia has attracted roughly $8.5 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), mostly from China, Turkey, India and the EU; US FDI is $567 million. Investment has been primarily in infrastructure, construction, agriculture/horticulture, agricultural processing, textiles, leather and leather products. To support industrialization in sectors where Ethiopia has a comparative advantage, such as textiles and garments, leather goods, and processed agricultural products, Ethiopia plans to increase installed power generation capacity by 8,320 MW, up from a capacity of 2,000 MW, by building three more major dams and expanding to other sources of renewable energy. In 2017, the government devalued the birr by 15% to increase exports and alleviate a chronic foreign currency shortage in the country.

Exchange rates

birr (ETB) per US dollar - | 25 (2017 est.) | 21.732 (2016 est.) | 21.732 (2015 est.) | 21.55 (2014 est.) | 19.8 (2013 est.)

Exports

$3.23 billion (2017 est.) | $2.814 billion (2016 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee (27%, by value), oilseeds (17%), edible vegetables including khat (17%), gold (13%), flowers (7%), live animals (7%), raw leather products (3%), meat products (3%)

Exports - partners

Sudan 23.3%, Switzerland 10.2%, China 8.1%, Somalia 6.6%, Netherlands 6.2%, US 4.7%, Germany 4.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.6%, UK 4.6% (2017)

Fiscal year

8 July - 7 July

GDP (official exchange rate)

$80.87 billion (2017 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$200.6 billion (2017 est.) | $181 billion (2016 est.) | $167.6 billion (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 69.6% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 10% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 43.5% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 8.1% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -31.2% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 34.8% (2017 est.) | industry: 21.6% (2017 est.) | services: 43.6% (2017 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,200 (2017 est.) | $2,000 (2016 est.) | $1,900 (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - real growth rate

10.9% (2017 est.) | 8% (2016 est.) | 10.4% (2015 est.)

Gross national saving

32.1% of GDP (2017 est.) | 32.7% of GDP (2016 est.) | 32.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4.1% | highest 10%: 25.6% (2005)

Imports

$15.59 billion (2017 est.) | $14.69 billion (2016 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and aircraft (14%, by value), metal and metal products, (14%), electrical materials, (13%), petroleum products (12%), motor vehicles, (10%), chemicals and fertilizers (4%)

Imports - partners

China 24.1%, Saudi Arabia 10.1%, India 6.4%, Kuwait 5.3%, France 5.2% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

10.5% (2017 est.)

Industries

food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, garments, chemicals, metals processing, cement

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.9% (2017 est.) | 7.3% (2016 est.)

Labor force

52.82 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 72.7% | industry: 7.4% | services: 19.9% (2013 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

NA

Population below poverty line

29.6% (2014 est.)

Public debt

54.2% of GDP (2017 est.) | 53.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.013 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $3.022 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of broad money

$9.042 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $8.757 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

(31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$27.66 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $25.78 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$9.042 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $8.757 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

13.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

17.5% (2012 est.) | 18% (2011 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

12.18 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

428,000 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

9.062 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

166 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

3% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

86% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

11% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

2.784 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

11.15 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

population without electricity: 58 million (2017) | electrification - total population: 42.9% (2016) | electrification - urban areas: 85.4% (2016) | electrification - rural areas: 26.5% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

74,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

69,970 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Area

total: 1,104,300 sq km | land: 1,096,570 sq km | water: 7,730 sq km | note: area numbers are approximate since a large portion of the Ethiopia-Somalia border is undefined

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Texas | Area comparison map: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Africa :: Ethiopia Print Image Description slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Climate

tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

mean elevation: 1,330 m | lowest point: Danakil Depression -125 m | highest point: Ras Dejen 4,550 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; loss of biodiversity; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management; industrial pollution and pesticides contribute to air, water, and soil pollution

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection | signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 38 00 E

Geography - note

note 1: landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; Ethiopia is, therefore, the most populous landlocked country in the world; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia note 2: three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean

Irrigated land

2,900 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 5,925 km | border countries (6): Djibouti 342 km, Eritrea 1033 km, Kenya 867 km, Somalia 1640 km, South Sudan 1299 km, Sudan 744 km

Land use

agricultural land: 36.3% (2011 est.) | arable land: 15.2% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 1.1% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 20% (2011 est.) | forest: 12.2% (2011 est.) | other: 51.5% (2011 est.)

Location

Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts volcanism: volcanic activity in the Great Rift Valley; Erta Ale (613 m), which has caused frequent lava flows in recent years, is the country's most active volcano; Dabbahu became active in 2005, forcing evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Alayta, Dalaffilla, Dallol, Dama Ali, Fentale, Kone, Manda Hararo, and Manda-Inakir

Natural resources

small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower

Population distribution

highest density is found in the highlands of the north and middle areas of the country, particularly around the centrally located capital city of Addis Ababa; the far east and southeast are sparsely populated

Terrain

high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley

Administrative divisions

9 ethnically based regional states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular - astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara), Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples), Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali), Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples)

Capital

name: Addis Ababa | geographic coordinates: 9 02 N, 38 42 E | time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | etymology: the name in Amharic means "new flower" and was bestowed on the city in 1889, three years after its founding

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Ethiopia | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years

Constitution

history: several previous; latest drafted June 1994, adopted 8 December 1994, entered into force 21 August 1995 | amendments: proposals submitted for discussion require two-thirds majority approval in either house of Parliament or majority approval of one-third of the State Councils; passage of amendments other than constitutional articles on fundamental rights and freedoms and the initiation and amendment of the constitution requires two-thirds majority vote in a joint session of Parliament and majority vote by two thirds of the State Councils; passage of amendments affecting rights and freedoms and amendment procedures requires two-thirds majority vote in each house of Parliament and majority vote by all the State Councils (2017)

Country name

conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia | conventional short form: Ethiopia | local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik | local short form: Ityop'iya | former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa | abbreviation: FDRE | etymology: the country name derives from the Greek word "Aethiopia," which in classical times referred to lands south of Egypt in the Upper Nile region

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RAYNOR (since 3 October 2017) | telephone: [251] 11 130-6000 | embassy: Entoto Street, P.O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa | mailing address: P.O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa | FAX: [251] 11 124-2401

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Ato FITSUM Arega (since 9 April 2019) | chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200 | FAX: [1] (202) 587-0195 | consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Seattle | consulate(s): Houston, New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President SAHLE-WORK Zewde (since 25 October 2018) | head of government: Prime Minister ABIY Ahmed (since 2 April 2018); Deputy Prime Minister DEMEKE Mekonnen Hassen (since 29 November 2012); note - Prime Minister HAILEMARIAM Desalegn (since 21 September 2012) resigned on 15 February 2018 and continued as caretaker until the new prime minister was sworn into office on 2 April 2018 | cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the prime minister and approved by the House of People's Representatives | elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by both chambers of Parliament for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 October 2013 (next to be held in October 2019); prime minister designated by the majority party following legislative elections | election results: SAHLE-WORK Zewde elected president; Parliament vote - 659 (unanimous) | note: SAHLE-WORK Zewde is the first female elected head of state in Ethiopia; she is currently the only female president in Africa. Former President Dr. Mulatu TESHOME resigned on 25 October 2018, one year ahead of finishing his six-year term.

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red, with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; green represents hope and the fertility of the land, yellow symbolizes justice and harmony, while red stands for sacrifice and heroism in the defense of the land; the blue of the disk symbolizes peace and the pentagram represents the unity and equality of the nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia | note: Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag (adopted ca. 1895) were so often appropriated by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the Pan-African colors; the emblem in the center of the current flag was added in 1996

Government type

federal parliamentary republic

Independence

oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years (may be traced to the Aksumite Kingdom, which coalesced in the first century B.C.)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UN Security Council (temporary), UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest courts: Federal Supreme Court (consists of 11 judges); note - the House of Federation has jurisdiction for all constitutional issues | judge selection and term of office: president and vice president of Federal Supreme Court recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; other Supreme Court judges nominated by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council (a 10-member body chaired by the president of the Federal Supreme Court) and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; judges serve until retirement at age 60 | subordinate courts: federal high courts and federal courts of first instance; state court systems (mirror structure of federal system); sharia courts and customary and traditional courts

Legal system

civil law system

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Parliament consists of: House of Federation or Yefedereshein Mikir Bete (153 seats; members indirectly elected by state assemblies to serve 5-year terms) House of People's Representatives or Yehizb Tewokayoch Mekir Bete (547 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; 22 seats reserved for minorities; all members serve 5-year terms) | elections: House of Federation - last held 24 May 2015 (next to be held in 2020) House of People's Representatives - last held on 24 May 2015 (next to be held in 2020) | election results: House of Federation - percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - NA; composition - men 104, women 49, percent of women 32% House of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - EPRDF 501, SPDP 24, BGPDUP 9, ANDP 8, GPUDM 3, APDO 1, HNL 1; composition - men 335, women 212, percent of women 38.8%; note - total Parliament percent of women 37.3% | note: House of Federation is responsible for interpreting the constitution and federal-regional issues and the House of People's Representatives is responsible for passing legislation

National anthem

name: "Whedefit Gesgeshi Woud Enat Ethiopia" (March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia) | lyrics/music: DEREJE Melaku Mengesha/SOLOMON Lulu | note: adopted 1992

National holiday

Derg Downfall Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

National symbol(s)

Abyssinian lion (traditional), yellow pentagram with five rays of light on a blue field (promoted by current government); national colors: green, yellow, red

Political parties and leaders

Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [Taha AHMED] Argoba People Democratic Organization or APDO Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Party or BGPDUP Ethiopian Federal Democratic Unity Forum or MEDREK or FORUM [Beyene PETROS] (includes ESD-SCUP, OFC, SLM, and UTDS) Ethiopia Citizens for Social Justice (ECSJ) Party; formed in May 2019 from 7 other parties, including Patriotic Genbot 7, Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP), All Ethiopian Democratic Party (AEDP), Semayawi Party, New Generation Party, Gambella Regional Movement (GRM), Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) Party [Berhanu Negu] Ethiopian Prosperity Party (EPP); created in November 2019 from member parties of the former Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF, which included the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM), Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO), Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement (SEPDM), and Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), plus other ERPRF allies [ABIY Ahmed]; note: the TPLF [Meles ZENAWI] has refused to join the EPP as of late November 2019 Ethiopian Social Democracy-Southern Coalition Unity Party or ESD-SCUP Gambella Peoples Unity Democratic Movement or GPUDM Harari National League or HNL [Murad ABDULHADI] Oromo Fderalist Congress or OFC Sidama Liberaton Movement or SLM Somali People's Democratic Party or SPDP Union of Tigraians for Democracy & Sovergnty or UTDS (2019)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front. A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea in the late 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. In November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission (EEBC) issued specific coordinates as virtually demarcating the border and pronounced its work finished. Alleging that the EEBC acted beyond its mandate in issuing the coordinates, Ethiopia did not accept them and maintained troops in previously contested areas pronounced by the EEBC as belonging to Eritrea. This intransigence resulted in years of heightened tension between the two countries. In August 2012, longtime leader Prime Minister MELES Zenawi died in office and was replaced by his Deputy Prime Minister HAILEMARIAM Desalegn, marking the first peaceful transition of power in decades. Following a wave of popular dissent and anti-government protest that began in 2015, HAILEMARIAM resigned in February 2018 and ABIY Ahmed Ali took office in April 2018 as Ethiopia's first ethnic Oromo prime minister. In June 2018, ABIY announced Ethiopia would accept the border ruling of 2000, prompting rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea that was marked with a peace agreement in July 2018 and a reopening of the border in September 2018.

Military and security forces

Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian Air Force (Ye Ityopya Ayer Hayl, ETAF); note - as of December 2018, a committee was tasked to reestablish a naval force and a special operations command (2019)

Military expenditures

0.64% of GDP (2018) | 0.68% of GDP (2017) | 0.67% of GDP (2016) | 0.71% of GDP (2015) | 0.77% of GDP (2014)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no compulsory military service, but the military can conduct callups when necessary and compliance is compulsory (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 43.21% (male 23,494,593 /female 23,336,508) | 15-24 years: 20.18% (male 10,857,968 /female 11,011,100) | 25-54 years: 29.73% (male 15,978,384 /female 16,247,086) | 55-64 years: 3.92% (male 2,059,129 /female 2,185,814) | 65 years and over: 2.97% (male 1,445,547 /female 1,770,262) (2018 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Africa :: Ethiopia Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Ethiopia. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate

36 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

23.6% (2016)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

40.1% (2018)

Current Health Expenditure

4% (2016)

Death rate

7.5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic profile

Ethiopia is a predominantly agricultural country – more than 80% of the population lives in rural areas – that is in the early stages of demographic transition. Infant, child, and maternal mortality have fallen sharply over the past decade, but the total fertility rate has declined more slowly and the population continues to grow. The rising age of marriage and the increasing proportion of women remaining single have contributed to fertility reduction. While the use of modern contraceptive methods among married women has increased significantly from 6 percent in 2000 to 27 percent in 2012, the overall rate is still quite low. Ethiopia’s rapid population growth is putting increasing pressure on land resources, expanding environmental degradation, and raising vulnerability to food shortages. With more than 40 percent of the population below the age of 15 and a fertility rate of over 5 children per woman (and even higher in rural areas), Ethiopia will have to make further progress in meeting its family planning needs if it is to achieve the age structure necessary for reaping a demographic dividend in the coming decades. Poverty, drought, political repression, and forced government resettlement have driven Ethiopia’s internal and external migration since the 1960s. Before the 1974 revolution, only small numbers of the Ethiopian elite went abroad to study and then returned home, but under the brutal Derg regime thousands fled the country, primarily as refugees. Between 1982 and 1991 there was a new wave of migration to the West for family reunification. Since the defeat of the Derg in 1991, Ethiopians have migrated to escape violence among some of the country’s myriad ethnic groups or to pursue economic opportunities. Internal and international trafficking of women and children for domestic work and prostitution is a growing problem.

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 82.1 (2015 est.) | youth dependency ratio: 75.8 (2015 est.) | elderly dependency ratio: 6.3 (2015 est.) | potential support ratio: 15.8 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 93.1% of population | rural: 48.6% of population | total: 57.3% of population | unimproved: urban: 6.9% of population | rural: 51.4% of population | total: 42.7% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2015)

Ethnic groups

Oromo 34.4%, Amhara (Amara) 27%, Somali (Somalie) 6.2%, Tigray (Tigrinya) 6.1%, Sidama 4%, Gurage 2.5%, Welaita 2.3%, Hadiya 1.7%, Afar (Affar) 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, Silte 1.3%, Kefficho 1.2%, other 8.8% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

11,000 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

690,000 (2018 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.3 beds/1,000 population (2015)

Infant mortality rate

total: 48.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | male: 55.3 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 41 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Oromo (official working language in the State of Oromiya) 33.8%, Amharic (official national language) 29.3%, Somali (official working language of the State of Sumale) 6.2%, Tigrigna (Tigrinya) (official working language of the State of Tigray) 5.9%, Sidamo 4%, Wolaytta 2.2%, Gurage 2%, Afar (official working language of the State of Afar) 1.7%, Hadiyya 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, Opuuo 1.2%, Kafa 1.1%, other 8.1%, English (major foreign language taught in schools), Arabic (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 63 years (2018) | male: 60.5 years | female: 65.5 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 49.1% | male: 57.2% | female: 41.1% (2015)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high (2016) | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016) | vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever (2016) | water contact diseases: schistosomiasis (2016) | animal contact diseases: rabies (2016) | respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis (2016)

Major urban areas - population

4.592 million ADDIS ABABA (capital) (2019)

Maternal mortality rate

401 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

total: 18 years (2018 est.) | male: 17.8 years | female: 18.2 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

20 years (2016 est.) | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

noun: Ethiopian(s) | adjective: Ethiopian

Net migration rate

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

4.5% (2016)

Physicians density

0.1 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

108,386,391 (July 2018 est.) | note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Population distribution

highest density is found in the highlands of the north and middle areas of the country, particularly around the centrally located capital city of Addis Ababa; the far east and southeast are sparsely populated

Population growth rate

2.83% (2018 est.)

Religions

Ethiopian Orthodox 43.5%, Muslim 33.9%, Protestant 18.5%, traditional 2.7%, Catholic 0.7%, other 0.6% (2007 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 27.2% of population (2015 est.) | rural: 28.2% of population (2015 est.) | total: 28% of population (2015 est.) | unimproved: urban: 72.8% of population (2015 est.) | rural: 71.8% of population (2015 est.) | total: 72% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 8 years | male: 9 years | female: 8 years (2012)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female | total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.91 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 25.2% | male: 17.1% | female: 30.9% (2016 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 21.2% of total population (2019) | rate of urbanization: 4.63% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Terrorist groups - foreign based

al-Shabaab: aim(s): punish Ethiopia for participating in the African Union Mission in Somalia; compel Ethiopia to withdraw troops from Somalia area(s) of operation: aspires to conduct attacks in Addis Ababa; no permanent presence (April 2018)

Terrorist groups - home based

al-Shabaab: aim(s): punish Ethiopia for participating in the African Union Mission in Somalia; compel Ethiopia to withdraw troops from Somalia area(s) of operation: aspires to conduct attacks in Addis Ababa; no permanent presence (2018)

Disputes - international

Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; civil unrest in eastern Sudan has hampered efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia

Illicit drugs

transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe, as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia (legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money laundering center

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 320,957 (South Sudan), 188,911 (Somalia), 146,690 (Eritrea), 51,855 (Sudan) (2019) | IDPs: 2,164,201 (includes conflict- and climate-induced IDPs, excluding unverified estimates from the Amhara region; border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000; ethnic clashes; and ongoing fighting between the Ethiopian military and separatist rebel groups in the Somali and Oromia regions; natural disasters; intercommunal violence; most IDPs live in Sumale state) (2019)

Airports

57 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 17 (2017) | over 3,047 m: 3 (2017) | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 (2017) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017) | under 914 m: 2 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 40 (2013) | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2013) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 (2013) | 914 to 1,523 m: 20 (2013) | under 914 m: 8 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

ET (2016)

Merchant marine

total: 11 | by type: general cargo 9, oil tanker 2 (2018)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 75 (2015) | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 7,074,779 (2015) | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,228,738,320 mt-km (2015)

Ports and terminals

Ethiopia is landlocked and uses the ports of Djibouti in Djibouti and Berbera in Somalia

Railways

total: 659 km (Ethiopian segment of the 756 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) (2017) | standard gauge: 659 km 1.435-m gauge (2017) | note: electric railway with redundant power supplies; under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia and managed by a Chinese contractor

Roadways

total: 120,171 km (2018)