Ethiopia - Government
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesEthiopia is located Eastern Africa, west of Somalia. The climate is tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation. The terrain is high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley.
Country name
This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example)Country name - conventional long form : Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Country name - conventional short form : Ethiopia
Country name - local long form : Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
Country name - local short form : Ityop'iya
Country name - former : Abyssinia, Italian East Africa
Country name - abbreviation : FDRE
Government type
This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.)Government type : federal republic
Capital
This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.Capital - name : Addis Ababa
Capital - geographic coordinates : 9 02 N, 38 42 E
Capital - time difference : UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted.Administrative divisions : 9 ethnically based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular - astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara), Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples), Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali), Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples)
Independence
For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.Independence : oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years
National holiday
This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.National holiday : National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)
Constitution
This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.Constitution : ratified 8 December 1994, effective 22 August 1995
Legal system
This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.Legal system : based on civil law; currently transitional mix of national and regional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.Suffrage : 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections include the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.Executive branch - chief of state : President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001)
Executive branch - head of government : Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995)
Executive branch - cabinet : Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994 constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and approved by the House of People's Representatives
Executive branch - elections : president elected by the House of People's Representatives for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 9 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2013); prime minister designated by the party in power following legislative elections
Executive branch - election results : GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of vote by the House of People's Representatives - 79%
Legislative branch
This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.Legislative branch - elections : last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
Legislative branch - election results : percent of vote - NA; seats by party - EPRDF 327, CUD 109, UEDF 52, SPDP 23, OFDM 11, BGPDUF 8, ANDP 8, independent 1, others 6, undeclared 2
Legislative branch - note : some seats still remain vacant as detained opposition MPs did not take their seats
Judicial branch
This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.Judicial branch : Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council)
Political parties and leaders
This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.Political parties and leaders : Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP; Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [Mulualem BESSE]; Coalition for Unity and Democratic Party or CUDP [AYELE Chamisso] (awarded to AYELE by the National Electoral Board on 11 January 2008, but AYELE has virtually no support among former CUD MPs, other CUD MPs must now be affiliated with their original CUD-precursor parties); Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] (an alliance of Amhara National Democratic Movement or ANDM, Oromo People's Democratic Organization or OPDO, the South Ethiopian People's Democratic Front or SEPDF, and Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation Front or TPLF); Gurage Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM; Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement or OFDM [BULCHA Demeksa]; Omoro People's Congress or OPC [IMERERA Gudina]; Somali People's Democratic Party or SPDP; United Ethiopian Democratic Forces or UEDF [BEYENE Petros]
Political pressure groups and leaders
This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.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
This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.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
This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.Diplomatic representation in the US - chief of mission : Ambassador Samuel ASSEFA
Diplomatic representation in the US - chancery : 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation in the US - telephone : [1] (202) 364-1200
Diplomatic representation in the US - FAX : [1] (202) 587-0195
Diplomatic representation in the US - consulate(s) general : Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation in the US - consulate(s) : New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission : Ambassador Donald Y. YAMAMOTO
Diplomatic representation from the US - embassy : Entoto Street, Addis Ababa
Diplomatic representation from the US - mailing address : P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa
Diplomatic representation from the US - telephone : [251] 11-517-40-00
Diplomatic representation from the US - FAX : [251] 11-517-40-01
Flag description
This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.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; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors
More Information about the country
