Ethiopia

From Roach Busters

መንግሥተ፡ኢትዮጵያ Empire of Ethiopia
Flag	Coat of arms
Motto "Ityopia Tabetseh Idewiha Habe Igziabiher" (Ge'ez) "Ethiopia Stretches Her Hands Unto God"
Anthem Ityopia Hoy Dess Ibalish Beamlakish Hail Benegoosish
Capital (and largest city)	Addis Ababa 9°01′N, 38°44′E
Official languages	Amharic
Demonym	Ethiopian
Government  - Monarch  - Prime Minister	Monarchy Zera Yacob II Meles Zenawi
State religion	Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
Establishment  - Traditional date  - Kingdom of Dʿmt  - Kingdom of Aksum  - Overthrow of Zagwe kings  - Acquisition of Eritrea	c. 980 BC 8th century BC 1st century BC 1270 December 2, 1950
Area  - Total  - Water (%)	1,221,900 km² 471,776 sq mi 0.6
Population  - 2008 estimate  - Density	83,282,565 68/km² 177/sq mi
GDP (PPP)  - Total  - Per capita	2007 estimate $227.694 billion $2,734
GDP (nominal)  - Total  - Per capita	2007 estimate $303.648 billion $3,646
Gini (2005)	73 (high)
HDI (2005)	0.700 (medium)
Currency	Birr (ETB)
Time zone - Summer (DST)	EAT (UTC +3) not observed (UTC +3)
Internet TLD	.et
Calling code	+251

Ethiopia (Ge'ez: ኢትዮጵያ ʾĪtyōṗṗyā), officially the Empire of Ethiopia (Ge'ez: መንግሥተ፡ኢትዮጵያ Mangiśta Ītyōṗṗyā), is a country situated in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east, and Djibouti to the northeast.

Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in the world and Africa's most populous nation. Ethiopia has yielded some of humanity's oldest traces, making the area important in the history of human evolution. Recent studies claim that the vicinity of present-day Addis Ababa was the point from which human beings migrated around the world. Ethiopian dynastic history traditionally began with the reign of Emperor Menelik I in 1000 BC. The roots of the Ethiopian state are similarly deep, dating with unbroken continuity to at least the Aksumite Empire (which adopted the name "Ethiopia" in the 4th century) and its predecessor state, D`mt (with early 1st millennium BC roots). After a period of decentralized power in the 18th and early 19th centuries known as the Zemene Mesafint ("Era of the Judges/Princes"), the country was reunited in 1855 by Kassa Hailu, who became Emperor Tewodros II, beginning Ethiopia's modern history. Ethiopia's borders underwent significant territorial expansion to its modern borders for the rest of the century, especially by Emperor Menelik II and Ras Gobena, culminating in its victory over the Italians at the Battle of Adwa in 1896 with the military leadership of Ras Makonnen, and ensuring its sovereignty and freedom from colonization. It was brutally occupied by Mussolini's Italy from 1936 to 1941, ending with its liberation by British Empire and Ethiopian patriot forces. Having converted during the fourth century AD, it is also the second-oldest country to become officially Christian, after Armenia. It has also had a considerable Muslim minority since the earliest days of Islam. Historically a relatively isolated mountain country, Ethiopia by the mid 20th century became a crossroads of global international cooperation. It became a member of the League of Nations in 1923, signed the Declaration by United Nations in 1942, and was one of the fifty-one original members of the United Nations (UN). The headquarters of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) is in Addis Ababa, as is the headquarters of the African Union (formerly the Organisation of African Unity), of which Ethiopia was the principal founder.

Name

It is not certain how old the name Ethiopia is; its earliest attested use is in the Iliad, where it appears twice, and in the Odyssey, where it appears three times. The earliest attested use in the region is as a Christianized name for the Kingdom of Aksum in the 4th century, in stone inscriptions of King Ezana. The Ge'ez name ʾĪtyōṗṗyā and its English cognate are thought by some recent scholars to be derived from the Greek word Αἰθιοπία Aithiopia, from Αἰθίοψ Aithiops ‘an Ethiopian’, derived in turn from Greek words meaning "of burned face". However, the Book of Aksum, a Ge'ez chronicle compiled in the 15th century, states that the name is derived from "'Ityopp'is" — a son (unmentioned in the Bible) of Cush, son of Ham, who according to legend founded the city of Axum. Pliny the Elder similarly states the tradition that the nation took its name from someone named Aethiops. A third etymology, suggested by the late Ethiopian scholar and poet laureate Tsegaye Gabre-Medhin, traces the name to the "old black Egyptian [sic]" words Et (Truth or peace) Op (high or upper) and Bia (land, country), or "land of higher peace".

In English and generally outside of Ethiopia, the country was also once historically known as Abyssinia, derived from Habesh, an early Arabic form of the Ethiosemitic name "Ḥabaśāt" (unvocalized "ḤBŚT"), modern Habesha, the native name for the country's inhabitants (while the country was called "Ityopp'ya"). In a few languages, Ethiopia is still called by names cognate with "Abyssinia," e.g., and modern Arabic Al Habeshah, meaning land of the Habesha people. The term Habesha, strictly speaking, refers only to the Amhara and Tigray-Tigrinya people who have historically dominated the country politically, and which combined comprise about 36% of Ethiopia's population. However, in contemporary Ethiopian politics, the word Habesha is often used to describe all Ethiopians and Eritreans. Abyssinia can strictly refer to just the North-Western Ethiopian provinces of Amhara and Tigray as well as central Eritrea, while it was historically used as another name for Ethiopia.

Politics

Ethiopia is a hereditary absolute monarchy which has been ruled by the Solomonic dynasty since 1270. Democracy and liberalism are alien and unwelcome concepts to Ethiopian society, which is intensely parochial and reactionary. The vastly de-centralized nation is among the few that has retained feudalism, and the social system functions through intertwined networks of patronage. Contacts and favor with the landed elite and the Church rather than ability determine success in virtually all occupations. Ethiopian society is one in which a person cannot advance without friends, family, or other kinship networks. Such a system does not lend itself easily to reform, which is exactly how the nobility want it.

The head of state and head of government of Ethiopia is the Emperor. He is said to be a direct descendant of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. As the defender of the Ethiopian Orthodox faith and very embodiment of the Ethiopian nation, his power is absolute, his authority is unquestioned, and he rules in an enlightened, absolutist fashion, as both a benevolent father and an austere autocrat. He is revered for his strength, wisdom, justness, virtue, and piety, and commands great respect and absolute devotion from his people.

All authority - social, political, or otherwise - emanates from the throne, underpinned by the aristocracy, the armed forces, and the Church, each of which is subordinate to, and beholden to, the Emperor. The well-being (indeed, the survival) of each depends largely on the Emperor's favor.

Ethiopia has no written constitution; instead, it is governed by a legal code known as Fetha Negest (Ge'ez: ፍትሐ ነገሥት fitḥa nagaśt, "Law of the Kings"), based on traditional customary and natural laws and the Divine Right of Kings. Believing that his rule is ordained by God Himself, the Emperor can and does rule as he pleases, but is generally content to leave almost all matters of governance as local and de-centralized as possible. Ethiopia has never had a parliament or any other kind of legislature; all legislative functions have always been exercised by the Emperor. There is, however, an indirectly elected advisory body, known as the senate, whose membership is comprised of trusted members of the aristocracy. The senate has no power; its sole function is to advise the Emperor on both domestic and foreign matters, and he is free to use or dispense with the advice as he chooses. Although the Emperor appoints all justices, there is no court at the national level, and courts enjoy near-total autonomy. Most courts are either operated by local governments or are fully private. "Public" courts and law enforcement are funded by a very small poll tax, which is uniform. Clergy and royalty are exempt from taxation. Those who cannot afford to pay the tax are forced into indentured servitude until the amount is paid off.

Provincial governments, provided revenue from the national government through the poll tax, enjoy sovereignty in all matters except foreign affairs and (during times of war only) defense. Provincial legislatures are indirectly elected and operate under a unanimity principle (i.e., all legislation requires unanimous approval to pass). Legislatures rarely convene, and even more rarely pass laws. Occasionally, they will introduce a temporary provincial poll tax if revenues are needed, but only law enforcement and courts are funded; everything else is fully private (however, there are plenty of private defense agencies and courts which can and do compete with, and usually outperform, their public counterparts). Local governments have the most "power" in the country, but even they do very little except convene to address the grievances of their constituents. Feudalist lords have the power to introduce local laws, but rarely if ever do so. Many nobles even have their own militias and police forces.

About 1% of Ethiopians belong to the nobility; 14% are "middle class"; the remainder are peasants, who are contractually bound to the land and provide labor and other services for feudal lords in return for protection, housing, and accomodations (the quality and amount of which vary depending on the generosity of the feudal lord and/or on the productivity of the worker). While child labor is legal and common, most children are enrolled in school (attendance is not compulsory). Parents pay a small tuition fee, though if they cannot afford it, the school will usually admit the child anyway, if the parents provide service in return. All schools, from preschools to universities, are privately run by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church or by other non-governmental charities.