Travel Facts
LAND
ETHIOPIA is located northeastern horn of Africa, with a total area of
1.098million square kms. Its land locked country , bounded by east by
Djibouti, and Somalia,south Kenya, west sudan and north by Eritrea.
TOPOGRAPHY
Great African rift valley dissects Ethiopia into western and eastern
highlands and comprises 60% of the total land and rift valley with
east and west coastal low lands 40% of the land. The altitude
difference i4620mts above sea level at ras dashen and the lowest point
is 116mts below sea level in Danakil depression .
CLIMATE
In Ethiopia there are three climate zones; tropical rainy climate, dry
climate, and temperate rainy climate. In it could be classified dray
and wet season. The dry season prevail from October to may and the wet
season will be may to September.
PEOPLE
The population of Ethiopia is estimated around 80million and it
embraces four main language group which is Semitic, Cushitic, Omotic,
and Nilo Sahra. Ethiopian people speaks more than 83 languages with
200 dialects. Amharic is official language and is Educational media.
RELIGION
45% Christian, 45% Muslim and 10% animist
ECONOMY
More than 80% of the population are farmers live in rural countryside
and the rest in the town majority work trading.
TIME
Ethiopia is in GMT +3 HOUR time zone and timing is a 12hour clock
system but way of counting 12hrs during the day, morning to evening
and 12hrs during the night evening to morning. Note as Ethiopia is
found in the tropic there is no time difference night and day in all
seasons.
CALENDER
Ethiopia is still retaining with Julian calendar system , which is
71/2 year behind the Gregorian calendar. The year begins in September
11. One physical year has 12months with 30 days and 1month with 5 or 6
days [totally 13monthes].
ELECTRIC SUPPLY
380/220 volts 50 cycles AC.
VISA REQUIREMENT
Visa are required for all foreign visitors and could be obtained from
diplomatic office and consular mission abroad. But visitors from
listed below countries could obtain inAddis Ababa bole air port upon
arrival.
CURRENCY
The local currency is Birr. There is no limitation importing foreign
currency but could be declared upon arrival at customs, which helps to
change at authorized bank, hotel or dealer and to take it back the
remaining.
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
Prior to entry visitors has obtain valid certificate to yellow fever
and vaccination against cholera required if you are coming from
cholera infected area with in six days prior arrival.
CUSTOM
Duty free imports which are permitted , 200cigarettes, 1lit of
alcoholic beverage ,1/2lit of perfume. Visitors to export souvenirs
with a value not exceed 500.00 birr and antique souvenirs needs
declaration from national museum in Addis.
LANGUAGE
Amharic is the official language of Ethiopia, although English,
Italian, French and Arabic are also widely spoken. Outside the larger
cities and towns, indigenous languages are likely to be spoken - of
which there are over eighty, along with some 200 dialects. The most
common of these are Oromo, Tigrinya and Somali.
In the northern and central parts Ethiopia different Semitic languages
are spoken. Namely Tigre, Tiginrya, Guraginya and the official
national language Amharic. The root of these languages, Ge'ez, only
survives today in church liturgy and literature.
The Sidama languages are spoken to the south-east and to the east and parts of the south are the Cushitic-speaking peoples of the Oromos, the Afars and the Somalis.To the west and south-west are the Nilotic peoples with their own distinctive language and culture.
In other areas of the country there are smaller communities whose cultures, languages and traditions derive from different facets of Ethiopia's long history.
Ethiopian Facts
Ethnic groups: Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella
6%, Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%.
GOVERNMENT
Ethiopia is an independent Federal Democratic Republic with a
President as head of state and a Prime Minister as the head of
government. The constitution was established in 1994, following the
over-throw of the Mengistu military dictatorship in 1991.
A federation comprising nine-states with considerable autonomy were established and the first multiparty elections were held in 1995. The distinct regional states are – Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia, Somali, Benishangul-Gumuz, Southern Nations (SNNPS), Gambella and Harari.
PHOTO
Visitors should be sensitive about intrusive photography,
people should be asked for permission before their photographs are
taken. Generally, there will not be any objection but in some areas,
particularly among nomads, among Afar and in the Omo Valley, people
will often ask for money. Photography in churches is allowed, but in
many areas of tourist interest, particularly in the north, there is a
charge for video photography. (This also applies to the Blue Nile
Falls.) As elsewhere, there are laws and regulations about taking
photographs in sensitive areas like airports and around military
camps.