Fast Facts:
- Capital: Addis Ababa
- Historical name: Abyssinia
- Government: Federal Parliamentary Republic
- Population: 75, 067,000
- Currency: Birr (ETB)
- Exchange Rate: 9.0900
- Official Language: Amharic
- The coffee bean was first harvested in Ethiopia before spreading across the globe
- Coffee is Ethiopia's number on export
Background and History
Many scientists believe that Ethiopia is the cradle of human civilization, as the earliest known fossils of modern day homo sapiens have been found in the country. The Ethiopian state claims a continuous lineage stretching back to the first millennia B.C., and is the oldest nation to adopt Christianity on Earth, after Armenia. Historically known as Abyssinia, in the 20th century, Ethiopia was invaded by Fascist Italy in 1936. From 1930 to 1974 the nation was ruled by Haile Selassie, who is revered as a prophet by adherents to Rastafarianism. In 1991, after decades of strife, Eritrea declared its independence from Ethiopia. Ethiopia's population is approximately 62% Christian and 32% Muslim.
Ethiopian Political Issues
Ethiopia Maps and Geography

Sports
Official Site: Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America (ESFNA)
Official Site: Ethiopian Soccer Page
Wikipedia: Ethiopia Sports
Wikipedia: Track & Field Athlete of the Year
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