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Ethiopia (pronounced /ˌiːθiˈoʊpiə/) (Ge'ez: ኢትዮጵያ ʾĪtyōṗṗyā), a landlocked state in the Horn of Africa, is one of the most ancient countries in the world. Officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, it is the second most populous nation in Africa with over 80.2 million people and the tenth largest by area. The capital is Addis Ababa. Ethiopia is bordered by Djibouti and Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, Eritrea to the north and Sudan to the west.

Though most African countries are far less than a century old, Ethiopia has been an independent country since ancient times. A monarchical state for most of its history, the Ethiopian dynasty traces its roots to the 10th century BC. Besides being an ancient country, Ethiopia is one of the oldest sites of human existence known to scientists today—having yielded some of humanity's oldest traces, it might be the place where Homo sapiens first set out for the Middle East and points beyond. When Africa was divided up by European powers at the Berlin Conference, Ethiopia was one of only two countries that retained its independence. It was one of only three African members of the League of Nations, and after a brief period of Italian occupation, Ethiopia became a charter member of the United Nations. When other African nations received their independence following World War II, many of them adopted the colors of Ethiopia's flag, and Addis Ababa became the location of several international organizations focused on Africa.

The Modern Ethiopian state, and its current borders, are a result of significant territorial reduction in the north and expansion in the south, toward its present borders, owing to several migrations and commercial integration as well as conquests, particularly by Emperor Menelik II and Ras Gobena. In 1974, the dynasty led by Haile Selassie was overthrown as civil wars intensified. Since then, Ethiopia has been a secular state with a variety of governmental systems. Today, Addis Ababa is still the site of the headquarters of the African Union and UNECA. The country has one of the most powerful militaries in Africa. Ethiopia is the only African country with its own alphabet. Ethiopia also has its own time system and unique calendar, seven to eight years behind the Gregorian Calendar. It has the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa.

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The insurgency in Ogaden, waged by the separatist Ogaden National Liberation Front rebel group in Ethiopia's Somali region, began in 1995 and is ongoing. "The group's aims have varied over time from increased autonomy in Ethiopia to outright independence to joining a 'Greater Somalia'."^[1] "[T]"he long-running conflict has been largely invisible [to the outside world] as Addis Ababa has restricted access to the region."^[1]

The low-level guerrilla campaign was continuing, generally neglected by foreign media, until several high-profile ONLF attacks in the region in 2007, including the attack on the Chinese oil site at Abole and the attacks on Jigjiga and Dhagahbur. In response, Ethiopia launched a military crackdown in June 2007 in order to root out the rebels. The offensive was accompanied by high criticism and allegations of serious human rights abuses. The offensive was also allegedly linked to Ethiopia's involvement in Somalia. "One motive for Ethiopia's ouster of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) in December 2006 may have been to cut the links between the ONLF, the ruling Islamic Courts and Eritrea, including arms and logistical supply lines from Eritrea and Somalia to the ONLF in Ethiopia's eastern region."^[2] (Read more...)

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Credit: MauritsV

Lake Ziway, Ethiopia.

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• ...that the Muslim state of Ifat was completely annexed by Ethiopia in 1415?
  
• ...that Ethiopian Abebe Aregai saved his resistance from defeat by repeatedly misleading the Italian occupiers into thinking he was about to join their side?
• ... that the three drunken Wierix brothers of Antwerp influenced Ethiopian iconography?

  ...Archive/Nominations

  More...

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Wikinews Ethiopia portal

• Hailemariam Desalegn sworn in as Ethiopia's prime minister
• Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi dies at 57
• Jailed Swedish journalists tried as terrorists
• Haile Gebrselassie announces retirement from athletics
• BBC: Ethiopian famine aid 'siphoned off' to buy weapons according to rebels, report
• UK loses appeal to conceal Binyam Mohamed torture
• "Black box" found near crash site of Ethiopian Airlines flight
• Gaddafi loses African Union chair
• Officials say crashed Ethiopian plane didn't follow suggested tower directions
• Ethiopian airliner crashes into Mediterranean Sea

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WikiProject Ethiopia

WikiProject Africa

edit Zar'a Ya`qob or Zera Yacob (Ge'ez ዘርአ:ያዕቆብ zar'ā yāʿiqōb "Seed of Jacob," modern zer'a yā'iqōb) (1399–1468) was nəgusä nägäst (19 or 20 June 1434–1468) of Ethiopia (throne name Kwestantinos I Ge'ez ቈስታንቲኖስ qʷastāntīnōs or Constantine I), and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. Born at Tilq in the province of Fatagar (now part of the Oromia Region, near the Awash River), Zara Yaqob was the youngest son of Dawit I and his youngest queen, Igzi Kebra.

The British expert on Ethiopia, Edward Ullendorff, stated that Zara Yaqob "was unquestionably the greatest ruler Ethiopia had seen since Ezana, during the heyday of Aksumite power, and none of his successors on the throne – excepted only the emperors Menelik II and Haile Selassie – can be compared to him."

Paul B. Henze repeats the tradition that the jealousy of his older brother Tewodros I forced the courtiers to take Zara Yaqob to Tigray where he was brought up in secret, and educated in Axum and at the monastery of Dabra Abbay. While admitting that this tradition "is invaluable as providing a religious background for Zar'a-Ya'iqob's career", Taddesse Tamrat dismisses this story as "very improbable in its details." The professor notes that Zara Yaqob wrote in his Mashafa Berhan that "he was brought down from the royal prison of Mount Gishan only on the eve of his accession to the throne." (Read more...)

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