ETHIOPIA - COUNTRY PROFILE

Background

With a total area of 1,097,000 square kilometers and a population of about 67,673,031 million (July 2002 estimate), Ethiopia stands as the fourth largest in size and the second populous country in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ethiopia's western neighbor is Sudan; to the south it shares a border with Kenya; and to the east and south-east lie the Republic of Djibouti and Somalia. To the north and north-east lies Eritrea.

From the north of the country and running down the centre are the Abyssinian highlands. To the west of the chain the land of drops, to the grasslands of Sudan, to the east to the deserts of the Afar. South of Addis Ababa, the land is dominated by the Rift Valley lakes.

Elevations range from around 100m below sea level in the Dallol depression (Kobar Sink), on the north-eastern border with Eritrea, to a number of mountain peaks in excess of 4,000m above sea level, which dominate the plateau and of which the highest is Ras Dashen, rising to 4,620m.

Ethiopian economy is dominated by peasant agriculture. Agriculture contributes about 50 per cent to the total GDP, accounting for 85 per cent of export. The 'country's export is highly dependent on a single crop, coffee, generating nearly 60 per cent of the foreign exchange earnings.

The highlands are the site of settled agriculture. Unfortunately, the growth of population and the depletion of resources in forest cover and soil has led to the practice of farming in areas which are very marginal and unreliable in rainfall, particularly along the eastern escarpment. In the lowlands, dependent on rainfall conditions, there is a range of dry-zone vegetation.

Ethiopia has a well-founded claim to be the oldest country in the world; it is referred to innumerable times in the Bible and in other ancient texts and its archaeological remains confirm it a prominent place in man's very earliest history.

Throughout its long history Ethiopia was ruled by emperors and 'rases' (dukes), and 'dejazmachs' (counts) of varying degrees of wisdom. Land was owned by relatively few people and was worked by serfs who were obliged to hand over much, frequently most, of what they grew to their landlord.

In 1974 the "Derg" - regime, made up of members of the army, deposed Emperor Haile Selassie and proclaimed "Ethiopian Socialism". On March 4, 1975, all land was nationalized. The government took over all rental property that was lived in by its owners. Traditional land-owning rights were swept away.

The Derg was deposed in May 1991 by a coalition of opposition forces called the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). The EPRDF had a long history of seeking the views of the peasant farmers with whom it had worked so closely during the course of the war against the Derg.

Power was devolved to the regions

The political structure of Ethiopia has been transformed since 1991. A highly centralized state has become a Federal Democratic Republic, with power devolved to the regions and rights guaranteed. The changes were brought about by popular demand and they are enshrined in the new Constitution.

There was a clear recognition from the start that simply imposing a ready-made constitution would not be sufficient; people's participation was crucial so that it would be clear from the outset what the constitution was for and how it could transform people's lives for the better.

Land ownership was one of the two most controversial and hotly debated items in the constitutional debate (the other being ethnicity), Land policy had, after all played a large part in the downfall of Emperor Haile Selassie who embraced the feudal system long after it was tolerable e to the majority of Ethiopians.

The Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia was finally ratified by the Constitutional Assembly on December 8, 1994. It established the new federal structure where power is shared between central and regional government, both being autonomous in certain clearly defined areas-an arrangement highly suited to a vast country with religious, cultural, ethnic, linguistic and economic diversity.

Land rights were guaranteed in the Constitution and a new land policy was introduced whereby farmers, who had never been allowed to own all that they grew, were allocated land. In many cases they received improved seeds at reduced prices. For the first time in their lives farmers were able to grow a variety of crops for their own consumption, and many were also able to sell on a surplus at local markets for very much appreciated ready cash.

The land lease policy was introduced by the present government as part of an overall reform program to enhance private sector development in Ethiopia. It is directly related to both urban and rural private land ownership outside the small-agriculture area (peasant farms). It has given the legal framework to the private sector over the use of land for business purposes. It has insured long-term use rights to private business (50 to 99 years). It has deterred speculators and middle-men who were unnecessarily involved in the process of land acquisition. Thus the relationship is now narrowed to only two parties known as the leasor and the leasee.

In rural Ethiopia, peasant farmers are guaranteed and for cultivation free of charge, and pastoralists have full rights to free land for grazing and cultivation. People are free to cultivate anything of their choice and are free to develop their land, which they car a so pass on to their children.

Investors and big developers who wish to invest in agriculture or related sectors can lease rural land from the state for a long period and the lease right over land is transferable. Investors have also the option of renting land from existing smallholder farmers for up to 15 years.

In urban areas citizens have, for the first time, the right to acquire free land for building their houses. Investors, developers and businesses lease land and these lease-holders also have the right of use over land for long periods.

Ethiopia's recent macro-economic stability is underscored by the switch over from a planned to a market economy. The country has registered average economic growth of 6% between 1992 - 2001. Inflation was reduced to 1 %. The country's foreign exchange reserves grew from 3 to 34 weeks of import coverage (1992-98). An appreciable degree of investment stimulation has been attained because of radical reform measures taken by the government by way of liberalizing and freeing market forces and fiscal and monetary reforms including the devaluation of the Birr as well as new incentives aimed at boosting the domestic economy and external trade.

Socio-economic indicators

Constitution and government

Government type:	federal republic
Capital:	Addis Ababa
Administrative divisions:	9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular - astedader); Addis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara, Benshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch, Hareri Hizb, Oromiya, Sumale (Somali), Tigray, YeDebub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region)
Constitution:	ratified December 1994: effective 22 August 1995 constitution.doc, 176 Kb
Suffrage:	18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:	chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001) head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994 constitution: ministers are selected by the prime minister and approved by the House of People's Representatives elections: president elected by the House of People's Representatives for a six-year term; election last held 8 October 2001 (next to be held October 2007); prime minister designated by the party in power following legislative elections election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president: percent of vote by the House of People's Representatives 100%
Legislative branch:	bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or upper chamber (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives or lower chamber (548 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14 May 2000 (next to be held May 2005) note: irregularities and violence at a number of polling stations necessitated the rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies; voting postponed in Somali regional state because of severe drougbt election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - OPDO 177, ANDM 134, TPLF 38, WGGPDO 27, EPRDF 19, SPDO 18, GNDM 15, KSPDO 10, ANDP 8, GPRDF 7, SOPDM 7, BGPDUF 6, BMPDO 5, KAT 4, other regional political groupings 22, independents 8; note - 43 seats unconfirmed
Judicial branch:	Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council)
Political parties and leaders:	Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP (leader NA); AII-Amhara People's Organisation or AAPO (HAILU Shawel) Amhara National Democratic Movement or ANDM (ADDISU Legesse); Beanch Madji People's Democratic Organisation or BMPDO (leader NA); Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF (leader NA); Ethiopian Democratic Party or EDP (ADMASSU Gebeyehu); EthioPian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF (MELES Zenawi) (an alliance of ANDM, OPDO, SEPDF, and TPLF); Gedeyo People's Revolutionary Democratic Fund or GPRDF (leader NA); Gurage Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM (leader NA); Kafa Shaka People's Democratic Organisation or KSPDO (leader NA); Kembata, Alabaa and Tembaro or KAT (leader NA); Oromo Liberation Front or OLF (DAOUD Ibsa Gudina); Oromo National Congress or ONC (MERERA Gudina): Oromo People's Democratic Organisation or OPDO (JUNEDI Sado); Sidamo People's Democratic Organisation or SPDO (leader NA); South Ethiopia People's Democratic Front or SEPDF (Haile Mariam); South Omo People's Democratic Movement or SOPDM (leader NA); Tigrayan People's Liberation Front or TPLF (MELES Zenawi); Walayta, Gamo, Gofa, Dawro, and Konta People's Democratic Organisation or WGGPDO (leader NA); dozens of small parties
Political pressure groups and International organisation parties:	Council of Alternative Forces for Peace and Democracy in Ethiopia or CAFPDE (BEYENE Petros); Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Coalition or SEPDC (BEYENE Petros) ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO WTrO (observer)
Flag description:	three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands: Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the Dan-African colors

Communications

(The Eye on Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa; Vol. XXIII No. 94, November 2002)