EthiopiaGeography

Location: Eastern Africa, west of Somalia Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 38 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 1,127,127 sq km
land: 1,119,683 sq km
water: 7,444 sq km Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas Land boundaries: total: 5,328 km
border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km, Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation Terrain: high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley Elevation extremes: lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m
highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m Natural resources: small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower Land use: arable land: 10.71%
permanent crops: 0.75%
other: 88.54% (2001) Irrigated land: 1,900 sq km (1998 est.) Natural hazards: geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts Environment - current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea Geography - note: landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean More about Ethiopia: Introduction People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues