Ethiopia |
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Geography and People
Most of Ethiopia is a high plateau dissected by deep gorges, many of which become rushing rivers at the height of the rainy season. These include the upper reaches of the Blue Nile. The climate varies according to altitude.
The people of the north are of Semitic origin, with the Amharas the largest racial group.The rest of the country is mainly inhabited by Cushitic peoples, with the Oromo the largest group of tribes. The many tribes and language dialects - over 100 - means that the threat of fragmentation is always present.
The national language is Amharic, spoken by about 65 % of the population.
History & Politics
The Ethiopian empire traces its roots back to the Queen of Sheba and the nation is rich in the historic remains of the once great kingdoms of Axurn and Gondar. The last emperor was Haile Selassie who ruled from 1930 until he was overthrown by a military coup in 1974. The next government abolished parliament and adopted Russian-style Marxism and its philosophy. The change from military to civil rule in 1987 made little difference.
The civil war which had started in the north in 1961 finally led to the overthrow of central government in 1991. The soldiers from Tigre, the province just south of Eritrea, marched into Addis Ababa and a transitional government was set up. It aims to establish a democratic government with considerable emphasis being given to the importance of the many ethnic groups and their respective cultures. Primary education is being given in many of the tribal languages and local government is having greater importance.
The Amhara, who had been dominant for a hundred years, view developments with sullen resentment. In 1993 Eritrea voted for independence and became a separate nation, so that Ethiopia no longer has direct access to the sea.
In Ethiopia there is much tension between the various ethnic groups; in particular the Oromo, who are strong in the south, east and west, are asserting themselves more and more. If the central government were to relax its control, there would be considerable violence over and above the customary robbery and banditry.
Economy
Poor communications caused in part by the rugged mountains which cover much of the country, inhibits economic growth. Efforts are being made by the government to improve agricultural efficiency ' but much has been ruined by deforestation, over cropping and soil erosion. The major export crop is coffee.
Since the terrible famine of 1984/5 which killed over one million people, Ethiopia has received large amounts of western aid. Under the communists, population resettlement and land collectivisation only aggravated the situation. Large influxes of refugees from Somalia and Sudan create further problems, and the constant civil strife makes the provision of relief to those in desperate need at times almost impossible.
| Ethiopia | UK equivalent | |
| Population | 62 million | 59 million |
| Area | 1106000 sq km | 245000 sq km |
| Urban population | 11.5 % | 90 % |
| Life expectancy | 42 years | 75 years |
| Income per person | $100 | $20,870 |
| Christians % pop´n | 65 | 68 |
Religion & Church Life
The two largest religious groups are Ethiopian Orthodox Christians and Muslims. The latter are largely concentrated in the far north and cast of the country, and Islam has a following among about 40% of the population.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church dates its origins from the fourth century and, in spite of extreme pressure from Islam from the seventh century onwards, has maintained its hold in the centre and north of the country. In this century the church has looked increasingly out of touch and lost its appeal to younger city dwellers. Those working for new life and new ways in the Church are heavily outnumbered by traditionalists.
The two main Protestant churches are the Word of Life Church (Kale Hywot), founded by missionaries from the Society of International Ministries (SIM) and the Lutheran Church (Mekane Yesus). Each has about 3,000 churches. In Addis Ababa and some larger towns there are also strong Pentecostal churches. Roman Catholics have a sizeable following in a few areas.
Other smaller religious groups include the Falasha Jews, most of whom have now emigrated to Israel, and those who follow traditional religions.
The Marxist government sought to eradicate religion and persecuted Christians, especially members of the Protestant churches. But many churches grew, and now some hold several services each Sunday to accommodate all those who want to worship.
The transitional government upholds freedom of worship, though there is still persecution in some areas. Muslims are building many new mosques, sects proliferate and Jehovah's Witnesses are active.
Crosslinks & Ethiopia
Crosslinks missionaries served in Ethiopia from 1933 until 1979 working as far as possible alongside the Orthodox Church, seeking to encourage a Biblical reformation. They were involved in a new translation of the Bible into Arnharic (the Church conducts its services in the 'dead' religious language of Giiz), Bible teaching, evangelism, preparing Bible commentaries, a Bible dictionary, a magazine and other literature.
The Society continued to encourage prayer for the Christians in Ethiopia after missionaries had to withdraw and in 1988 was able to send its first missionary to the country for nearly a decade, to teach in a school for the deaf in Hosanna. Having successfully helped to establish a school in Hosanna this mission partner was asked to establish another school in Nekemte. She returned to the UK at the end of 2006. In 1991 a couple returned to produce Bible study materials and teach as opportunity arose in Addis Ababa. One of the couple died in 2005, but his wife continues their literature ministry in Addis. In 1993 a further missionary partner arrived to teach nursing in a training hospital in Gondar. Having been able to hand over to local people she was able to move on to training youth in the dangers of HIV/AIDS in 2004