Facts about Ethiopia
Out of the 54 African counties to choose from, I have decided to focus my studies on the country of Ethiopia. Ethiopia has a population of about 100 million people. Ethiopia is the 2nd most populated Africa nation behind Nigeria. Ethiopia's capital and largest city is Addis Ababa which is located at 9°1′N 38°45′E. The countries official language is called Amharic. They have a Federal Parliamentary Republic for their government. Their president's name is Malatu Teshome. Ethiopia has a tropical climate, generally mild weather. The average temperatures range from about 68 to 85 degrees. The seasons are largely define by how much rainfall they get. October to February is fairly dry season. Light rain begins around March and goes until May. Heavy rain begins June to September. Ethiopia averages about 47 inches of rain each year. Ethiopia has high central plateaus that vary between 4000 to 10,000 feet above sea level. Also has mountain ranges reaching as high as 14,872 feet. Agriculture is the main source of money in the county, about 85% of the jobs/workforce. They grow coffee beans, legumes, oil seeds, cereals, potatoes, sugarcane and vegetables. Ethiopia is the second biggest maize producer in Africa. Ethiopia does export goods to other counties but it is said that about 95% of cross-boarder trading in through unofficial methods. Most of Ethiopia's health problems are from contagious diseases that stem from poor sanitation and malnutrition. Of the 100 million residents of Ethiopia, over 44 million of them do not have access to clean water. There is a large shortage of trained doctors and nurses to help the sick. The average Ethiopian lives to about 60-62 years of age. Many people in Ethiopia lack the health education needed to stay well. Many organizations such as World Health and the United Nations has launched campaigns to improve the countries health by providing information regarding AID and other contagious diseases. The lack of clean water is a huge source of frustration for these people because you need water to survive so they continue to drink and bathe in dirty water. Without clean water sources, diseases will continue to spread pretty rapidly.
Hi Paige,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading about Ethiopia and believe that this country will have so much to offer in any area you wish to focus. It will be interesting for you to learn about the changes and the complex history of Ethiopia as “Africa was the cradle-land humanity”[1](247), and Ethiopia is said to be one of the oldest countries in the world and the source of civilization.
This East African country was once a kingdom and an empire and is said to be linked culturally and ethnically to ancient Egypt. Ethiopia is also one of the oldest archeological sites in the world and archeologist have found skulls and bones dated back some 3million years belonging to a 24-year-old female they named Lucy.
According to one presentation, Africa also has a significant role in biblical history. It goes on to say that after the days of Noah people spread into the African Continent, naming them as Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia. The long history of Ethiopia, its people, complex surroundings and diverse cultures, will be an excellent research subject in learning about Africa.
Bibliography
Reader, John. Africa: a biography of the continent. New York: A.A. Knopf, 1998
[1] John Reader, Africa: a biography of the continent. New York:A.A. Knopf, 1998. p.247