There are more than 80 ethnic groups in the country with many different languages and colorful cultures. 

Ethiopia has never been colonized. It is the only nation in Africa with its own characters of letters, and numbers.

Ethiopians are religious people known for their patriotic pride and warm hospitality. 

It is also a land where human beings lived million of years ago. Archeologists found Lucy, the 3.2 million years old complete human fossil, in North East Ethiopia in 1974.  

Ethiopia has rich biodiversity resource. It has seven endemic mammals and 28 endemic birds. The northern and central parts of the country are highlands and mountainous, while the peripheries are lowlands.  The highest peak in Ethiopia is the Ras Dashen which is 4,620 meters above sea level and the lowest point is the Dallol depression which drops 116 meters below sea level.

Several large rivers flow across the country. There are also a number of lakes in the Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia.

The capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, is found in the central part of the country. It is a metropolitan city and the seat of continental and international organizations like the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa. 

Despite its rich history and culture Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world. The overwhelming majority of the Ethiopian population lives in abject poverty.  Drought and civil war have left Ethiopia with considerable number of economic and social problems. Over half the population lives on less than a dollar a day and annual income per capita has been less than 120 US dollars for the past several years.

Despite the many challenges posed by the deep-rooted poverty, in recent years, there has been a gradual economic growth in the country.