View Intelligence Dossier Back to 2017 CSV Excel Print All Years

Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

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

Internet country code [time series]

.et

Internet users [time series]

total: 15,731,741 | percent of population: 15.4% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: Ethio Telecom maintains a monopoly over telecommunication services; open-wire, microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; 2 domestic satellites provide the national trunk service | domestic: the number of mobile telephones is increasing steadily from a small base and now stands at over 50 per 100 persons | 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 [time series]

total subscriptions: 1.147 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total: 51.224 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $11.16 billion | expenditures: $13.58 billion (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-3.3% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126

Central bank discount rate [time series]

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

12.2% (31 December 2016 est.) | 11.5% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 67

Current account balance [time series]

$-7.206 billion (2016 est.) | $-9.206 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 178

Debt - external [time series]

$24.82 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $20.41 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

33 (2011) | 30 (2000) | country comparison to the world: 108

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Ethiopia - the second most populous country in Africa - is a one-party state with a planned economy. For more than a decade before 2016, Ethiopia 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, 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. | In the fall of 2015, the government finalized and published the current 2016-20 five-year plan, known as the Growth and Transformation Plan II, which emphasizes developing manufacturing in sectors where Ethiopia has a comparative advantage, such as textiles and garments, leather goods, and processed agricultural products. To support industrialization, 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.

Exchange rates [time series]

birr (ETB) per US dollar - | 21.732 (2016 est.) | 21.732 (2015 est.) | 21.55 (2014 est.) | 19.8 (2013 est.) | 17.71 (2012 est.)

Exports [time series]

$2.814 billion (2016 est.) | $2.891 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 125

Exports - commodities [time series]

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 [time series]

US 9.7%, Saudi Arabia 9.6%, Germany 8.5%, Switzerland 7.5%, China 5.1%, UAE 4.9%, Pakistan 4.4% (2016)

Fiscal year [time series]

8 July - 7 July

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$72.52 billion (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$177.4 billion (2016 est.) | $162.3 billion (2015 est.) | $145.4 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 68

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]

agriculture: 37.2% | industry: 21.3% | services: 41.5% (2016 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$1,900 (2016 est.) | $1,800 (2015 est.) | $1,700 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 208

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

8% (2016 est.) | 10.4% (2015 est.) | 10.3% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Gross national saving [time series]

32% of GDP (2016 est.) | 31.3% of GDP (2015 est.) | 30.7% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 10

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$16.03 billion (2016 est.) | $17.51 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81

Imports - commodities [time series]

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 [time series]

China 28.8%, US 8%, India 6.7%, Kuwait 5% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

20.6% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

7.3% (2016 est.) | 10.1% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 191

Labor force [time series]

51.05 million (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 14

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$NA

Population below poverty line [time series]

29.6% (2014 est.)

Public debt [time series]

54.5% of GDP (2016 est.) | 58% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$3.022 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $3.827 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107

Stock of broad money [time series]

$28.21 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $25.24 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 78

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$36.37 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $29.35 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$14.56 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $12.34 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 73

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

15.4% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 185

Unemployment rate [time series]

17.5% (2012 est.) | 18% (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 179

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

9.3 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 125

Crude oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

428,000 bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 101

Electricity - consumption [time series]

8.143 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Electricity - exports [time series]

166 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

7.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 201

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

79.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 14

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

13.4% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 54

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 147

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

2.704 million kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 102

Electricity - production [time series]

10.08 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 100

Electricity access [time series]

population without electricity: 71,200,000 | electrification - total population: 24% | electrification - urban areas: 85% | electrification - rural areas: 10% (2013)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 179

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 74

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

65,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 95

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 153

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

64,380 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 1,104,300 sq km | land: 1 million sq km | water: 104,300 sq km | country comparison to the world: 28

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Climate [time series]

tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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 [time series]

8 00 N, 38 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

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; three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean

Irrigated land [time series]

2,900 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 5,925 km | border countries (6): Djibouti 342 km, Eritrea 1,033 km, Kenya 867 km, Somalia 1,640 km, South Sudan 1,299 km, Sudan 744 km

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Population distribution (Population - distribution) [time series]

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 [time series]

high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

9 ethnically based 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 [time series]

name: Addis Ababa | geographic coordinates: 9 02 N, 38 42 E | time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship [time series]

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 [time series]

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 [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Birru Geda (since 6 January 2011) | 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 [time series]

chief of state: President MULATU Teshome Wirtu (since 7 October 2013) | head of government: Prime Minister HAILEMARIAM Desalegn (since 21 September 2012); Deputy Prime Minister DEMEKE Mekonnen Hassen | 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: MULATU Teshome Wirtu (OPDO) elected president; Parliament vote - 659 (unanimous)

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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 [time series]

federal parliamentary republic

Independence [time series]

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 [time series]

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

International organization participation [time series]

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, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch [time series]

highest court(s): 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 [time series]

civil law system

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or Yefedereshein Mikir Bete (153 seats; members indirectly elected by state assemblies to serve 5-year terms) and the 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); note - the 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 | elections: last held on 24 May 2015 (next to be held in 2020) | election results: House of Representatives percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - EPRDF 501, SPDP 24, BGPDUP 9, ANDP 8, GPUDM 3, APDO 1, HNL 1

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

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

National symbol(s) [time series]

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 (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [Taha AHMED] | Argoba People Democratic Organization or APDO | Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Party or BGPDUP | Blue Party (Semayawi Party) [Solomon TESSEMA, spokesman] | Ethiopian Federal Democratic Unity Forum or MEDREK [Beyene PETROS] (a 4-party alliance) | Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [Hailemarian DESALEGN] (includes Amhara National Democratic Movement or ANDM; Oromo People's Democratic Organization or OPDO; Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement or SEPDM; Tigray People's Liberation Front or TPLF) | Gambella Peoples Unity Democratic Movement or GPUDM | Harari National League or HNL [Murad ABDULHADI] | Somali People's Democratic Party or SPDP

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Ginbot 7 Movement | Ogaden National Liberation Front or ONLF | Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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 has not accepted them and has not withdrawn troops from previously contested areas pronounced by the EEBC as belonging to Eritrea. 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.

Military and Security

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian Air Force (Ye Ityopya Ayer Hayl, ETAF) (2013)

Military expenditures [time series]

Military service age and obligation [time series]

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)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 43.47% (male 22,963,502/female 22,826,957) | 15-24 years: 20.11% (male 10,516,591/female 10,669,695) | 25-54 years: 29.58% (male 15,464,171/female 15,702,104) | 55-64 years: 3.91% (male 1,998,711/female 2,115,210) | 65 years and over: 2.94% (male 1,391,339/female 1,701,740) (2017 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

36.5 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 14

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

23.6% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 15

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

39.2% (2016)

Death rate [time series]

7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 102

Demographic profile [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

4.5% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 85

Ethnic groups [time series]

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 [time series]

1.1% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

20,000 (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 14

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

710,000 (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 12

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

4.9% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 145

Hospital bed density [time series]

6.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 49.6 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 56.9 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 42.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 31

Languages [time series]

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 [time series]

total population: 62.6 years | male: 60.1 years | female: 65.1 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 196

Literacy [time series]

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

Major infectious diseases [time series]

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

Major urban areas - population [time series]

ADDIS ABABA (capital) 3.238 million (2015)

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

353 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35

Median age [time series]

total: 17.9 years | male: 17.7 years | female: 18.1 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 217

Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Ethiopian(s) | adjective: Ethiopian

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

4.5% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 185

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

0.03 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population [time series]

105,350,020 | 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 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 12

Population distribution [time series]

Population growth rate [time series]

2.85% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Religions [time series]

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

Sanitation facility access [time series]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.99 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 15

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 26.7% | male: 22% | female: 30.4% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 36

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 20.4% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 4.64% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

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 [time series]

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 [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 411,896 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers); 252,385 (Somalia) (refugees and asylum seekers); 163,281 (Eritrea) (refugees and asylum seekers); 43,251 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2017) | IDPs: 258,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000; ethnic clashes; and ongoing fighting between the Ethiopian military and separatist rebel groups in the Sumale and Oromiya regions; natural disasters; intercommunal violence; most IDPs live in Sumale state) (2016)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

57 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 83

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

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

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

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

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]

ET (2016)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 8 | by type: cargo 8 (2010) | country comparison to the world: 122

National air transport system [time series]

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

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

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

Railways [time series]

total: 659 km (Ethiopian segment of the 756 km Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) | standard gauge: 659 km 1.435-m gauge | note: electric railway with redundant power supplies; under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia and managed by a Chinese contractor (2017) | country comparison to the world: 102

Roadways [time series]

total: 110,414 km | paved: 14,354 km | unpaved: 96,060 km (2015) | country comparison to the world: 44