Ethiopia — Capital, Flag and Country Facts

Explore Ethiopia: capital Addis Ababa, population, flag, geography, languages, history and culture.

Ethiopia is in Africa. Its capital is Addis Ababa.

Climate

Tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation; cool and wet in the highlands, hot and arid in the lowlands

High plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley; lowland deserts in the east

Ethiopia has its own calendar with 13 months and is 7-8 years behind the Gregorian calendar.

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee; legend says a goat herder discovered it when his goats ate the berries.

Ethiopia is the only African country never formally colonized by a European power.

980 BC: Kingdom of Aksum established as a major trading empire

1137: Zagwe dynasty rises to power, builds Lalibela churches

1896: Ethiopia defeats Italy at the Battle of Adwa, preserving independence

1974: Emperor Haile Selassie overthrown by the Derg military junta

1991: Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front takes power

2019: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed awarded Nobel Peace Prize