GEOGRAPHY

General Information

The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is a landlocked state in East Africa. It is located on the Horn of Africa.

The country's territory is characterized by complex relief: the Ethiopian Highlands are distinguished, occupying most of the country, as well as lowlands in the east and west. The highest point is Mount Ras Dashen (4620 m).

The territory area according to official data is 1 104 300 sq. km.

Ethiopia possesses diverse natural resources, among which are: water and land resources – a significant territory is occupied by pastures, fertile soils, numerous rivers; minerals – deposits of gold, tantalum, platinum, potash salt, natural gas; forest resources.

Time zone – UTC+3.

State Borders

The length of the land border is 5328 km.

It borders the following countries:

Eritrea (1033 km);
Djibouti (342 km);
Somalia (1640 km);
Kenya (867 km);
South Sudan (1299 km);
Sudan (744 km).

Climate

The country is located in equatorial and subequatorial zones. Climatic conditions in the regions vary depending on their altitude above sea level. Three climatic zones are distinguished: the "cold" zone (dega) – at altitudes above 2400 m, the "temperate" zone (woina-dega) – from 1500 to 2400 m, and the "hot" zone (kolla) – below 1500 m. The average annual temperatures are respectively: from +15 to +7°C (dega); from +20 to +24°C (woina-dega); from +20 to +31°C (kolla).

The average annual temperatures in Addis Ababa (the capital, located at an altitude of about 2350 m) range from +8°C to +24°C. In the lowland regions in the east of the country, temperatures are significantly higher.

The main rainy season (kremt) lasts from June to September, and the small rainy season (belg) – from February to March. The amount of precipitation greatly depends on the region: the southwestern slopes of the highlands are the most humid, while the eastern and northeastern regions are characterized by an arid climate.