Considered
as the cradle of humanity, place of Lucy's discovery, Ethiopia is
with Chad and Kenya, one of the countries where the earliest
Hominids are found, and since 2003, where the oldest specimens of
Homo sapiens were discovered.
The Ethiopian civilization along with the Egyptian civilization is one of the oldest world civilizations. The Mesopotamian prophet Mani quoted in the III century Ethiopia as being among the four greatest powers in the world. Within Africa, Ethiopia is characterized as one of the only nations to have preserved its sovereignty during the dismemberment of Africa in the XIX century.
Ethiopia is, after Armenia, the second oldest Christian nation in the world, maintaining this tradition since 330. It is also one of the very first countries to have accepted Islam. Harar is considered, by Ethiopian Muslims, as a Holy City of Islam. One also notes Jewish populations (Falasha) and animists. Today Ethiopia is a secular country where all beliefs coexist peacefully.
On the international scene, Ethiopia became a member of the League of Nations in 1923, signatory of the Declaration of the United Nations since 1942 and one of the 51 Member States founders of UN. Its capital, Addis-Abeba, is today the seat of the African Union, formerly named the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), as well as being the seat of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). This is considered one of the great legacies of Emperor Haïle Selassie who is considered as one of the great supporters of African independence.
Second most populated country in Africa, Ethiopia is the tenth largest country in Africa by its area ( twice as large as France). Primarily constituted of high plateaus and plunging low lands, extending from the depression of Danakil at 120 m below sea level to the snow-covered peaks of Mount Dashan at 4.543 m, the country has a very diversified environment crossed by six climatic zones. The capital of Addis Ababa located at 2.400 m of altitude is the second highest capital in the world.
Ethiopia, (officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia), is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa, since it was deprived of its access to the sea following the independence of Erythrea in 1993. Ethiopia shares common borders with Erythrea in the north, Sudan in the west, Kenya in the south, Djibouti in the North-East and Somalia in the east.
