[Murad ABDULHADI]; Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement or OFDM [BULCHA Demeksa]; Oromo People's Congress or OPC [IMERERA Gudina]; Somali Democratic Alliance Forces or SODAF; Somali People's Democratic Party or SPDP; United Ethiopian Democratic Forces or UEDF [BEYENE Petros]; Unity for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [Birtukan MEDEKSA, currently imprisoned]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front or EPPF; Ogaden National
Liberation Front or ONLF; Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Tesfaye YILMA Sabo
chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 364–1200
FAX: [1] (202) 587–0195
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald E. BOOTH
embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa
mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa
telephone: [251] 11–517-40–00
FAX: [251] 11–517-40–01
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; green represents hope and the fertility of the land, yellow symbolizes justice and harmony, while red stands for sacrifice and heroism in the defense of the land; the blue of the disk symbolizes peace and the pentagram represents the unity and equality of the nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia
note: Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag (adopted ca. 1895) were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the Pan-African colors; the emblem in the center of the current flag was added in 1996
National anthem:
name: "Whedefit Gesgeshi Woude Henate Ethiopia" (March Forward, Dear Mother Ethiopia)
lyrics/music: DEREJE Melaku Mengesha/SOLOMON Lulu
note: adopted 1992
Economy ::Ethiopia
Economy - overview:
Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, accounting for almost 45% of GDP, and 85% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $350 million in 2006, but historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement income. Under Ethiopia's constitution, the state owns all land and provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as collateral for loans. In November 2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in December 2005 the IMF forgave Ethiopia's debt. The global economic downturn led to balance of payments pressures, partially alleviated by recent emergency funding from the IMF. While GDP growth has remained high, per capita inome is among the lowest in the world.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$84.02 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $78.52 billion (2009 est.)
$72.24 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$30.94 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 8.7% (2009 est.)
11.6% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 214 $900 (2009 est.)
$900 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 42.9%
industry: 13.7%
services: 43.4% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
37.9 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 17
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 85%
industry: 5%
services: 10% (2009 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
38.7% (FY05/06 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 25.6% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30 (2000) country comparison to the world: 112 40 (1995)
Investment (gross fixed):
25.2% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 41
Public debt:
39.3% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 35.4% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 8.5% (2009 est.)
Central
