Location: Eastern Africa, between Somalia and Sudan

Map references: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area: 1,127,127 sq km
land area: 1,119,683 sq km
comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total 5,311 km, Djibouti 337 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 830 km, Somalia 1,626 km, Sudan 1,606 km

Coastline: none - landlocked

Maritime claims: none - landlocked

International disputes: southern half of the boundary with Somalia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Somalia over the Ogaden

Climate: tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Terrain: high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley

Natural resources: small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash

Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 41%
forest and woodland: 24%
other: 22%

Irrigated land: 1,620 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; famine
natural hazards: geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Note: landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 27 April 1993

NOTE: The information regarding Ethiopia on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ethiopia Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ethiopia Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.