Region: East Africa
Population: 85.2 million (UN, 2008)
Capital: Addis Ababa
Major languages: Amharic, Oromiffa, Afari, Tigrinya, Gurage, Somali, Arabic and approximately 80 local languages
Major religions: Christianity, Islam
Terrain: High plateau, mountains, dry lowland plains
Climate: Temperate in the highlands, hot in the lowlands
Background
Ethiopia is the third most populous country in Africa, after Nigeria and Egypt. It is also one of the world’s poorest, ranked 217 out of 229 countries in 2008 for GDP per capita. With an average GDP per capita of only US$340 (2007-09), it is significantly lower than the average for sub-Saharan Africa.
Ethiopia also has one of the highest birth rates and lowest life expectancies in the world. In the last two decades the country has been blighted by droughts, health epidemics, displacement and armed conflicts. Food security is poor, and even in more stable areas crop failures man that many rely on food aid.
Ethiopia operates an overwhelmingly rural economy, with a particular emphasis on coffee exports. Agriculture accounts for 47% of the country’s gross national product, 60% of its exports, and 80% of total employment.
Potential impacts of climate change
Scientists project that climate change will have dire consequences for the entire sub-Saharan region. Impacts on Ethiopia are projected to include rising temperatures, increasingly variable rainfall, and more frequent extreme weather events, including droughts and flooding.
The consequences of these changes are likely to be increased malaria risk in certain regions, more frequent crop failure, soil degradation, and for pastoralists, rises in livestock fatalities. Farmers and pastoralists are already being forced to compete over dwindling natural resources. While the impacts of climate change are less immediately critical in urban areas, the effects on agriculture and energy production will affect the whole country.
(Sources: World Health Organisation, World Bank, CIA World Factbook, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, Overseas Development Institute, Center for Environmental Economics and Policy in Africa)
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