Note: The menu shows the 36 African countries where Africare has worked, not the other African countries.

 

Ethiopia (Map courtesy of The World Factbook)

Ethiopia

REGION: East Africa
CAPITAL CITY: Addis Ababa
POPULATION: 75,600,000
LAND AREA: Twice the size of Texas

Ethiopia is one of the oldest independent countries in the world — its history goes back more than 2,000 years — and the only African country never colonized (for five years during World War II, however, it was occupied by Mussolini's Italy). Today, Ethiopia is one of Africa's poorest countries. Health services are scant. Malnutrition runs high. And in the naturally dry climate, drought and famine recur, tragically, time and time again. For example, during the severe Africa-wide drought of 1984-1986, Ethiopia suffered disproportionately and drew the compassion of the world: among the best-known responses were the Band Aid charity concert in Britain and its American counterpart, Live Aid. Only 10 percent of Ethiopia's land is arable; and the combination of climatic forces and population pressure has resulted in hardship for that country's farmers to the present day. Border tensions and warfare with Eritrea (a part of Ethiopia until 1993) have further depleted the Ethiopian economy.
           

Country Stats

Life expectancy: 51.8 years (USA: 77.9)

Under-5 child mortality: 164/1,000 live births (USA: 7/1,000)

HIV prevalence, ages 15-49: [0.9 - 3.5]% (USA: [0.4 - 1.0]%)

Physicians per 100,000 people: 3 (USA: 256)

People undernourished: 46% (USA: 0%)

People with access to safe drinking water: 22% (USA: 100%)

Adult literacy: 35.9% (USA: 99%)

Annual income, one way to look at it (GDP per capita, PPP US$): $1,055 (USA: $41,890)

Annual income, another way to look at it (GDP per capita): $157 (USA: $41,890)

People living on less than $1 a day: 23% (USA: 0%)

(HIV prevalence statistics, UNAIDS. All other statistics, 2007/2008 Human Development Report, UNDP)

 

(Updated, Dec. 18, 2007)