Ethiopian Geography, Ethiopia Geography
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Location: Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 38 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: Total: 1,127,127 sq km land: 1,119,683 sq km water: 7,444 sq km
Area - comparative: Slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: Total: 5,328 km border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km, Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: None (landlocked)
Climate: Tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation
Terrain: High plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley
Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m
Natural resources: Small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower
Land use: Arable land: 10.71% permanent crops: 0.75% other: 88.54% (2001)
Irrigated land: 1,900 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: Geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts
Environment - current issues: Deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management
Environment - international agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: Landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean
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The information here has been derived from Public Domain Sources such as the CIA World Factbook. No liability can be taken for any inaccuracies.
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Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, with the exception of the 1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. In 1974 a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (wh...