Ethiopia is one of the world's oldest nations, with a history stretching back to ancient kingdoms such as Aksum. It was one of the few African countries to resist European colonization, except for a brief Italian occupation (1936–1941). The monarchy was overthrown in 1974, leading to years of dictatorship and civil war. Ethiopia has since transitioned to a federal system and has experienced economic growth, though ethnic conflicts persist.
Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti and Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, South Sudan to the west, and Sudan to the northwest. Covering an area of approximately 1.1 million square kilometers, Ethiopia has a population of over 120 million people as of 2023, making it the second-most populous country in Africa. The capital and largest city is Addis Ababa. The official language is Amharic, though numerous other languages are spoken across its diverse ethnic groups. Ethiopia operates as a federal parliamentary republic. The economy is one of the fastest-growing in the region, with key sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, and services. Ethiopia is a member of the United Nations, the African Union (with Addis Ababa serving as the AU's headquarters), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The country has a rich cultural heritage, being one of the oldest nations in the world and the origin of coffee.
