"Ethiopia: The Cradle of Humanity"

In the eyes of some scientists, Ethiopia and the surrounding region has been a potential candidate for the "Cradle of Humanity," the supposed origin for human life. Whether or not the first humans really did appear in this part of East Africa, it is certain that Ethiopia has an incredibly long history. For well over 2000 years, civilization has flourished over this land. Also Ethiopia was one of the few African countries that successfully resisted European colonization.

However, the 20th century was not kind to Ethiopia. Changing governments, famine, civil conflict, and a war with Eritrea have left one half of all Ethiopians in poverty. Since most of Ethiopia's economy is in farming, getting clean water for farms has been a challenge for years. Ethiopia also has not escaped the AIDS pandemic. Currently 4.4 percent of the adult population is infected with the disease and 120,000 people die from the disease each year.

Facts and Figures

Ethiopia is a little smaller than the state of Texas.ethiopia is about the size of texas

Ethiopia has a population of 76,511,887 which is just about the population of California, Texas and New York combined … The three most populous states in the United States. ethiopia's population

The average life expectancy in Ethiopia is 49.23 years. This compares with an average life expectancy in the United States of 77.9 years — 28 years longer than that of Ethiopia. timeline

In Ethiopia, 38.7 percent of all the people living in the country live below the poverty line (the level at which people are considered to be living in poverty or not meeting basic needs.) In the United States that number is just 12 percent.

shantytown Photo by Michelle Harrington/CRS

Ethiopia is one of the African countries with a large Christian population. Christianity in Ethiopia dates back to the 4th century and has always played a very important role in the history of the country. Christianity in Ethiopia has both a predominately Orthodox with a small Catholic element to it. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is important because of its large numbers, rich religious tradition, and its belief that the Ark of the Covenant came to Ethiopia and resides there today. Islam came to Ethiopia nearly three centuries later than Christianity (in the 7th Century) and has existed in the country ever since.

Photo by Michelle Harrington/CRS

Because Ethiopia uses the Coptic calendar (which is seven years behind the Roman calendar) the year in Ethiopia is 1999. This September, Ethiopia will enter into the millennium. To celebrate the new millennium a campaign is under way to plant 60 million trees.

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