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| Major Facts of Ethiopia | ||
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Total area coverage : 1,127,127 sq km –
(the third largest in Africa) Land - 1,119,683 sq km Water - 7,444
sq km |
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| Ethiopia at a Glance |
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Ethiopia
is becoming a fashion East African travel destination for its unique
offer of multi experiences with in a single trip. It is a country
more than 3000years old rich history, home of the oldest hominid
ever discovered in the entire world, a home of more than 83 tribes
with adorable and complex multi cultures, diversity of flora and
fauna inhabiting so many mammals and bird including 7 endemic mammals
and 16 birds. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. It is a nation
with a fusion of religion and culture and place where hospitality
and harmony prevails. It is the only African nation that was not
colonized, the owner of an ancient written language and recently
the host nation for the headquarters of the African Union and the
economic commission for Africa (UNCA). It is a relatively safe nation
and remarkable travel destination. There are not too many developing
countries that can boast a safety record that matches that of Ethiopia.
Ethiopians are known as hospitable people with virtues and morals
which are practical in daily activities. This practice is truly
based on the content of character, but nonetheless the environment
is a great influential factor. Ethiopia is looked as a country where
the old way of life still prevails. Ethiopia might seem a modern
Tower of Babel! Its ethnic groups speak more than eighty distinct
languages and two-hundred regional dialects. |
Terrain characteristics, high plateau with central mountain ranges bisected by the great rift valley- lowest point: Danakil depression -125m below sea level/ highest point Mount Rasdashen point mount 4620mitters above sea level. Ethiopia has an elevated central plateau varying in highest between 2000 and 3000 meters. In the northern country there are some 25 mountain chains whose peak rises over 4000 meters. The Great African Rift valley system, the only geographical feature can be seen from the moon bisects Ethiopia in to two geographical zones.
Palo-archeological history
Fossil remains discovered at a site on the Lower Awash in NE, Ethiopia in 1974 have been identified as the earliest example of an upright walking hominid. Dated at 3.5 million years old, these remains constitute our oldest known ancestors, and many now consider this region of Ethiopia to be the true cradle of mankind.
The people, religion and culture
Ethiopia is home to 83 ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language. According to 1994 census, the most predominant are the Oromo 35%, Amhara 35%, Tigrians 6.5%, and Somali 6%. These groups make up more than three fourths of the population.
Major languages are Amharic, Oromo, Tigrigna and Somali. Amharic is the official language and medium of teaching in primary schools. This, however, has replaced with local languages. English is the most popular foreign language and is taught in all secondary schools and tertiary level of education. In addition, Arabic and Italian are used in commerce.
Religion
Ethiopia has a long history of religion that started with the introduction of Christianity in the forth century A.D by Missionaries from Egypt and Syria. Currently there are three major religions including Ethiopian orthodox Christians (45%), Sunni Muslim 45%, Protestant 5% and indigenous beliefs 5%.
Culture
Ethiopia is known for the multi cultural people having distinctive religion, beliefs and cultural values. Ethiopian arts, literature, painting and music rich in multi ethnic group, the coffee ceremony and distinct cuisine rich in exclusive local spice provide full of Ethiopian images and flavor and reflects the characteristic Ethiopian identity through the cultural activities food, coffee, folkloric presentation and exhibits.
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Ethiopia offers visitors a doorway in to its cultures through its tradition of incorporating language into visual arts. This tradition spans centuries: from the religious and spiritual traditions that use texts to underscore iconic images, to contemporary fine art in which language symbols become monumental images canvas.
Among the many countries of Africa, Ethiopia is unique in having the continents only ancient written language: like the western languages from left to right.
The Sabena’s, speaking a Semitic language related
to Phoenician and Hebrew, with an alphabet almost devoid of vowels; found
among the Axumite s a local language with an organized written system.
Over time, Axum indigenous language absorbed elements of Sabean and evolved
in to Geez and the Ethiopia script, with a syllable of 228symbols.
Geez is steel refereed to us the “Latin” of Ethiopia and.
The Amharic /Ethiopic script of today evolved out of Geez in the Lasta-Lalibela
and Gonder Provinces in the north around the 11th –12th centuries.
At that time, influenced by Christian illuminated manuscripts, monks added
significant rounded embellishment to the earlier, more geometric, language
characters.
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| copyright©2005,all right reserved, GLORY Ethiopia Travel & Tours. | |||||