Location:
Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,104,300 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 1 million sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 104,300 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 27

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Area comparison map: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,925 km
border countries (6): Djibouti 342 km, Eritrea 1,033 km, Kenya 867 km, Somalia 1,640 km, South Sudan 1,299 km, Sudan 744 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

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:
mean elevation: 1,330 m
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Danakil Depression -125 m highest point: Ras Dejen 4,533 m

Natural resources:
small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower

Land use:
agricultural land: 36.3% arable land 15.2%; permanent crops 1.1%; permanent pasture 20%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 12.2%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 51.5% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
2,900 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts
volcanism: volcanic activity in the Great Rift Valley; Erta Ale (elev. 613 m), which has caused frequent lava flows in recent years, is the country's most active volcano; Dabbahu became active in 2005, forcing evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Alayta, Dalaffilla, Dallol, Dama Ali, Fentale, Kone, Manda Hararo, and Manda-Inakir

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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; Ethiopia is, therefore, the most populous landlocked country in the world; 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