Ethiopia

Lore & Background

Anatomically modern humans emerged in what is now Ethiopia. Around the 8th–7th centuries BC, the Kingdom of D'mt extended its realm over Eritrea and the northern region of Ethiopia, while the Kingdom of Aksum maintained a unified civilisation in the region for centuries. Christianity arrived to the kingdom in 330 AD, while Islam gained influence during the first Hijra in 615. After the decline of Aksum around the 7th century AD, the Zagwe dynasty rose to power in the late 10th or early 11th century, ruling the north-central parts of Ethiopia. The Shewan usurper, Yekuno Amlak, overthrew the dynasty in 1270 at the Battle of Ansata, inaugurating the Ethiopian Empire and the Solomonic dynasty – asserting its lineage through Aksumite legitimacy by the biblical Solomon and Queen of Sheba, with Menelik I traditionally considered the first emperor, though this is a legendary claim without historical evidence. Under Emperor Amda Seyon I (r. 1314–1344), the empire grew in prestige through territorial expansion against neighbouring Muslim territories. Later, the Ethiopian–Adal War (1529–1543) weakened the empire and opened the way for the Oromo expansion. The growing influence of the Oromo at the Gondarine court ultimately contributed to the fragmentation known as Zemene Mesafint, beginning in 1769. Emperor Tewodros II ended the Zemene Mesafint at the beginning of his reign in 1855, marking the reunification and modernisation of Ethiopia. In the late 19th century, Ethiopia repelled foreign invasions from both Egypt and Italy, most notably defeating an Italian invasion at the Battle of Adwa in 1896. Under Emperor Menelik II, it also expanded its territory, remaining independent during the Scramble for Africa and establishing its current borders. Ethiopia lost its sovereignty in 1936, when Italy under Benito Mussolini invaded during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, and following Ethiopia's defeat, Italian East Africa was established. In 1941, during World War II, it was liberated by the British Army, and its full sovereignty was restored in 1944. The Derg, a Soviet-backed military junta, took power in 1974 after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie and the Solomonic dynasty, and ruled the country for nearly 17 years amidst the Ethiopian Civil War. Following the dissolution of the Derg in 1991, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) dominated the country

In Their Own Story

The stone walls of Beta Giyorgis hummed with the low chant of pilgrims as the morning light filtered through narrow slits. Incense smoke curled around the ancient carvings, mixing with the scent of damp earth beneath bare feet. An elder handed a cup of dark, roasted coffee to a weary traveler, nodding toward the altar where candles flickered in the gloom. Outside, the highlands stretched endlessly, green and misty, but inside this tomb-church carved from living rock, time felt suspended. The traveler realized they were not just visiting a monument, but stepping into a living memory that had survived empires.

Reader's Guide

Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic state with over 80 different ethnic groups. Christianity is the most widely professed faith in the country, with the largest denomination being the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, followed by Islam and a small percentage of traditional faiths. The country is a founding member of the UN, and hosts the headquarters of the African Union Commission and many other global non-governmental organisations focused on Africa, also becoming a full member of BRICS in 2024. Ethiopia is one of the least developed countries but is sometimes considered an emerging power, having the fastest economic growth in sub-Saharan African countries because of foreign direct investment in expansion of agricultural and manufacturing industries; agriculture is the country's largest economic sector, accounting for over 37% of the GDP as of 2022. Although the Ethiopian economy has experienced consistent growth, in terms of per capita income and the Human Development Index the country remains among the poorest in Africa. Ethiopia faces numerous challenges, including high rates of poverty, human rights violations, widespread ethnic discrimination, and a literacy rate of 60%.

Did You Know?

• Tradition holds that the name Ethiopia comes from the name of the first King of Ethiopia, Ethiop, or Ethiopis.
• The oldest anatomically modern Homo sapiens skeleton currently known, Omo-Kibish I, was found in southern Ethiopia and dated to 196 ± 5 thousand years ago.
• Ethiopia is a founding member of the UN and hosts the headquarters of the African Union Commission.
• The country became a full member of BRICS in 2024.