The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (better known as just Ethiopia) is a nation in the east of Africa.
Specifics[]
A landlocked nation within the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti, Kenya, South Sudan, and Sudan. It is situated on the East African Rift.
Ethiopia is currently ruled by a government which is largely comprised of a single party known as the "Prosperity Party". This party (which is ruled over by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed) is the successor to the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front and has been accused of warcrimes in the Ethiopian Civil War. Ethiopia is split into countless different ethnic groups (such as Oromos, Amharans, Tigray, and various other groups) which have somewhat strained relations.
History[]
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After the overthrowing of King Haile Selassie by the Derg (a group of military officers) in 1974, an extremely oppressive military regime began. This regime was extremely corrupt and authoritarian. Revolutionary groups (such as the Tigray People's Liberation Front) formed shortly after this regime began and the wars between the Derg and these revolutionary militias were extremely devastating to Ethiopia. From 1983 to 1985, Ethiopia was ravaged by famine and by 1991, a group known as the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (largely led by the TPLF) overthrew the Derg.
From 1991 to 2019, Ethiopia was ruled by the EPRDF (and by extension, the TPLF). While it greatly improved the country, it was still repressive to the people living under it. Shortly after the Democratic Front took control of Ethiopia, Eritrea declared independence. Shortly after gaining independence, Eritrea and Ethiopia began warring over a border dispute - with this war lasting until 2018. While the war was still ongoing, protests broke out in Oromia due to plans by the government to annex land to expand Addis Adaba. These protests and the ensuing efforts to stop them were so taxing that the prime minister of Ethiopia resigned and was replaced by an Oromo prime minister.
This prime minister (Abiy Ahmed) replaced the EPRDF with a new party dubbed the "Prosperity Party" and effectively cut the TPLF out of power - though they kept some control in Tigray. Immediately after this, the TPLF and the Ethiopian government began warring. This war was extremely brutal - with many atrocities being committed by the Ethiopian government and Eritrean forces who attempted to invade Tigray. While it ended in 2022, similar conflicts have continued to this day.
Appearances in fiction[]
- French author Jean-Christophe Rufin's novel The Abyssinian is set in Ethiopia (or Abyssinia) during the early eighteenth century.
- Ethiopian author (and former Prime Minister) Makonnen Endelkachew's novel Yayne Abäba (or Aläm Wärätäna) details the fantastical (and at times Lovecraftian) adventures of the titular Ethiopian girl.
- Ethiopian author Baalu Girma's Amharic novel Oromay details the corrupt nature of the Derg regime. Published during the regime, it has become one of the most well-read Ethiopian novels but it took around forty years for an English translation to be released.
- Samuel Johnson's novel The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia details the life of a prince from "Abissinia".
- Ethiopian-American author Maaza Mengiste's novel Beneath the Lion's Gaze is set in Ethiopia during the Derg coup.
- Evelyn Waugh's novel Black Mischief is set on a fictional island off the coast of Ethiopia.
- Ethiopian-American author Maaza Mengiste's novel The Shadow King details the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.
- Wilbur Smith's novel Cry Wolf is set during the Italian invasion of Ethiopia.
- Ethiopian-Indian-American author Abraham Verghese's novel Cutting for Stone features conjoined twins from Ethiopia.
- British author Elizabeth Laird's children's book The Garbage King is set in Ethiopia.
- Swedish photographer Anna Riwkin-Brick's picture book Gennet Lives in Ethiopia is set in Ethiopia.
Sources[]
- Wikipedia
- National Geographic