Page 28 - ISIE Project

TRIP TO ETHIOPIA

quick facts about ethiopia

Ÿ Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa, with a population of over million, growing by
a year. It is second to Nigeria s population of over million. Source: CNN
Ÿ Ethiopians believe that the Ark of the Covenant, the legendary relic said to hold the Commandments, is

housed in a church in Ethiopia. Only one specially chosen guardian has access to the Ark, and even he is not
allowed to look at it to confirm it s there. Handy that.
Ÿ Ethiopia s capital city, Addis Ababa, is the highest capital city in Africa at , m , ft above sea level.

Ÿ Ethiopia is the only country in Africa that was never formally colonized, although Italy twice occupied it:
from - and - .

Ÿ The birthplace of the Rastafarian movement. Thought it was Jamaica Nope. While much of the Rastafarian
movement did evolve in Jamaica, the spiritual homeland of it is Ethiopia. In Amharic, ras is a title similar to
the chief, and Tafari the first name of Emperor Haile Selassie I essentially the movement posits Selassie as
an incarnation of God. Need further evidence Just check out the colours on the Ethiopian flag. Familiar no

Ÿ You know your morning caffeine shot You ve got some Ethiopian goats to thank for that. As the story goes,
a goat herder way back when he noticed his flock s fondness for a particular bush and decided to give one of
the fruits a nibble himself. His day s herding was notably more efficient for it and the coffee industry took

off from there.
Ÿ Several archaeological findings in Ethiopia s Afar region go quite some way in suggesting that the country
may be where we all began. In , Donald Johanson and Tim D. White discovered Lucy, a . million-year-

old hominid skeleton. For years, Lucy was all the rage, embarking on a nine-year worldwide tour and
enjoying widespread fame. Then Ardi, also from the Afar region but one million years her senior, rocked up
and blew her out of the water. So you arguably also have the Ethiopians to thank.

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