One of the world’s oldest countries, Ethiopia, dates back to around 980 B.C. The nation has frequently been called a “museum of peoples” due to its extensive history and unrivaled diversity of people and cultures.
Ethiopia’s population is so diversified that it has a rich tapestry of ethnic and linguistic groupings.
Here was where the world’s oldest people resided
Ethiopia appears to have been home to some of the oldest populations of hominids globally.
Most likely, Homo erectus evolved in this area before departing from Africa more than 1.8 million years ago to settle in Eurasia.
Ethiopia is the only African nation that managed to elude the colonial authority
Ethiopia is the only African nation that was never formally placed under colonial rule; its citizens are extremely proud of this fact and never tire of telling tourists about it.
Despite being briefly held by the Italians for nearly five years, Ethiopia, one of the few nations that were never colonized, battled against the so-called “Scramble for Africa.”
Ethiopia was one of the first African powers to repel a European colonial power successfully; in order to maintain its independence, Ethiopia had to repel two Italian attempts to colonize the nation.
Ethiopia serves as the diplomatic hub of Africa
Organizations with headquarters in Ethiopia include the African Union, UN Economic Commission for Africa, UNESCO, and UNDP.
Who would have imagined that Addis Abeba, a typically dusty, congested African city, could be the headquarters for such illustrious and significant worldwide role players.
Ethiopia has the second-highest population in Africa
According to recent analysis of the most recent United Nations data, the population of Ethiopia will reach around 115 184 700 by August 2020.
This represents around 1.47% of the world’s population. According to population, Ethiopia is the world’s 12th most populous nation.
Nigeria is the only country in Africa with a greater population, with more than 200 million citizens as of 2019. The capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Abeba, is currently home to 4 794 000 people.
The majority of orphans worldwide reside in Ethiopia
More orphans than in any other country—more than 145 million—live in Ethiopia. One or both parents are missing in about 13% of Ethiopian children. The AIDS epidemic claimed the lives of about a quarter of these parents.
The tallest capital in Africa in Addis Abeba
The capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, is the tallest capital city in Africa and the fourth highest in the world, standing at an elevation of 2,450 meters.
Mount Entoto, the tallest mountain in the Entoto Mountains, which is roughly 3 200 meters above sea level, provides shade for the city.
The Abyssinian lion serves as Ethiopia’s national animal
The males of the Abyssinia lions, Panthera Leo Abyssinica, have distinct black manes and are smaller than their East African counterparts.
According to experts, less than 1000 Abyssinian lions are still thought to exist in Ethiopia.
According to reports, the last of their ancestors are still housed in the Addis Abeba Zoo, which was established in 1949 under the rule of Emperor Haile Selassie, also known as the “Lion of Judah.”
The animals were to be raised at the zoo for display as emblems of his dominion.
The first nation in Africa to buy and fly a Boeing 787 Dreamliner was Ethiopia
Ethiopia and Ethiopian Airlines, the nation’s flag carrier, became the second nation in the world—and the first in Africa—to acquire and fly a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in 2012. The plane was given the name “Africa One” and the tail number ET-AOQ.
One of the largest airlines in Africa, Ethiopian Airlines has a solid safety record overall. Ten of Boeing’s flagship airplanes, made of lightweight materials rather than aluminum to conserve fuel, were purchased at the time.
Ethiopia is home to one of the world’s earliest strains of Christianity.
One of the first varieties of Christianity in the world, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, or Tewahedo, was brought to Ethiopia from Egypt by Egyptians who belonged to the Coptic Church.
The Axumite monarch Ezana was converted by the Ethiopian apostle Frumentius, who established Christianity as the empire’s state religion in the year 330.
Ethiopia is the location of some of the first Christian artifacts
The towering, intricately carved obelisks at Aksum, a city in northern Ethiopia, are remnants of the former Kingdom of Aksum.
Its historic St. Mary of Zion Christian chapel and pilgrimage site is considered the Ark of the Covenant’s last resting place, which held the 10 Commandments that God gave Moses. According to legend, the Ark is currently housed at the nearby Chapel of the Tablet.
According to ancient rules, even female animals are not allowed within several Ethiopian sacred places. Several antiquated regulations still exclude women from entering the sacred grounds of several monasteries and holy places in Ethiopia.
Additionally, this regulation applies to all female animals, including donkeys, chickens, nanny goats, and people.
Ethiopia is where the Rastafarian movement actually originated
The spiritual birthplace of the Rastafari movement is Ethiopia, even though much of the movement’s development took place in Jamaica.
As a black ruler of an independent African nation, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia was seen by some Jamaicans in the 1930s as the messiah of biblical teachings.
The first nation to recognize Islam as a religion was Ethiopia
When Islam was still mostly unknown across the world, Ethiopia was the first non-Muslim nation to adopt it.
Ethiopia supported its growth and helped Islam become prevalent in Ethiopia during the time of Muhammad (571 to 632).
An Ethiopian earned the first Olympic gold medal awarded to Africa
At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Ethiopian Abebe Bikila became the first African athlete to win an Olympic gold medal.
Bikila could only make the team at the very last minute because another athlete’s foot had broken.
Bikila made the decision to run the marathon with bare feet and ultimately beat the pre-race favorite, Moroccan Rhadi Ben Abdesselam, by a full 25 seconds.
The first African to operate a vehicle was Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia
Menelik II ruled Ethiopia from 1889 until his death in 1913.
He ushered in modernization and supported several significant changes in Ethiopia, including the construction of bridges and new roads, the establishment of a postal service, and the construction of telegraph lines.
A train was built, bringing electricity and contemporary plumbing to Addis Abeba, and this line finally connected Addis Abeba with the port of Djibouti.
An Ethiopian woman was the first from her continent to pilot an aircraft
The first female African pilot hired by an airline was Asegedech Assefa.
The MS Weizero Asegedech Assefa was born into a wealthy family in Ethiopia, and by becoming the country’s first female pilot, she dismantled many stereotypes in a predominately male industry.
The 2019 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia
Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia’s prime minister, received the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to resolve a 20-year military standoff following his nation’s border conflict with Eritrea in 1998–2000.
His efforts to “achieve peace and international cooperation” earned him the 100th Nobel Peace Prize, which was given out in Oslo in December.
Nine million Swedish crowns—roughly $730,000 or $900,000—make up the prize.
In Ethiopia, Jumping a Bull separates the men from the boys
The Ukuli Bula, or Jumping of the Bulls, is a significant rite of passage for Ethiopia’s Hamer and Banna youths.
The lads must jump down the line on the bulls from back to back after being lined up in groups of 15 to 30.
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