Brief introduction of Ethiopia

cctv.com 12-04-2003 16:10

Country name: conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

conventional short form: Ethiopia

local short form: Ityop'iya

former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa

local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik

abbreviation: FDRE

Capital: Addis Ababa

Location: Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Area: total: 1,127,127 sq km

Nationality: noun: Ethiopian(s)      adjective: Ethiopian

Ethnic groups: Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%

Languages: Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, other local languages, English (major foreign language taught in schools)

Currency: birr (ETB)

Exchange rates: birr per US dollar - 8.4575 (2001)

Editor:Xiao Wei  Source: