Ethiopia

Ethiopia - the state in East Africa, occupying the space 1,1  million both  sq. km, in the northeast is flowed about by Red sea. This one of the first independent states of tropical Africa, which name descends from Greek Ajtopija - the country of people to the persons burnt by the sun. Other name of Ethiopia - Abyssinia, but it is not used now almost. An official language - amharsky.

The Terrain of modern Ethiopia is included into the most ancient range of formation of ancestors of the person: the age of the stone tools detected here is sized up approximately in 3  million years. Practically during all epoch of an antiquity the country was rather densely is invaded, mastered by an equipment, since the first centuries of our era in its terrain there were powerful states. In IV-VI centuries Ethiopia conducted brisk trade with the Rimsko-Byzantian empire, India, the countries of the short-range East. The Christianity here has penetrated into the same time. Only for the short seasons Ethiopia appeared under authority that of one, other European state (for example, in the end of XIX century Italy has formed colony Eritrea, existed all some years).

The Western and central part of the country Ethiopian highlands with average altitude occupy 1800 m above sea level though separate hills and apexes attain 3000 and even 4000  m. the Highest apex of Ethiopia - a mount of Strains-dashan (4623  in mounts Symen. As a whole for a plateau are characteristic ploskovershinnye the mounts similar to giant tables. Over a plateau cones of the burning mountains which mostly have gone out rise. In their dilapidated craters the loches surrounded with a border of tropical potherb more often are formed. From Red sea on the south Ethiopia is recut by region of fractures (northern part of system of Great African fractures). In the deep dint Afar abjointed from Red sea by a low ridge Danakil, on a mark 116  the m below a sea level lays salty loch Assale. The valley of the river Avash and chain riftovyh loches (the largest - loch Abaja), drawn down to lake Rudolf in the next Kenya, abjoint Ethiopian highlands from occupying the southeast of the country of the Efiopsko-Somali plateau with predominating altitudes to 1500  m and separate apexes to 4310  m (a mount to Bath). Because of active fractures Ethiopia differs the raised seismicity: earthquakes by force to 5  points there is annually, and time in five years - and stronger. In a riftzone also it is a lot of hot wells.

The Largest river of the country - Abbaj (Blue Nile). Outflowing from loch Tana, Abbaj forms the big and picturesque cataract the Yew-ysat, and then on an extent 500  the km leaks in a canyon depth 1200-1500  m. Other large rivers running into Indian ocean, Vebi-Shebeli and Juba, and also one more inflow of Nile - Atbara.

The Climate of Ethiopia subequatorial hot, seasonally wet, in the northeast - tropical deserted and semidesert. Dint Afar - one of the hottest places on the Earth (average minimum temperature 25  °C, maximum 35  °C), but on bolshej parts of uplands at the expense of the altitude softening to heat, monthly average temperatures are in limits from 15 to 26  °C. In mounts there are night frosts. Thus at coasts the hottest month - May, the coldest - January, and in mounts - to the contrary: the most cool month July, the hottest - December and January. Rains fall out in the core from July till September though there is also a small wet season in March-April. The dry season lasts from September till February. A mid-annual precipitation - from 200-500  mm on plains to 1000-1500  mm (even to 2000  mm) in mounts of the central and southwest regions. Plains suffer affliction often from severe droughts when rains are not present almost all year long.

Third of terrain of the country is occupied by deserts and semi-deserts, stony deserts dints Afar and deserts Danakil are especially lifeless. In the east of Ethiopia grassy savannahs and lesosavanny with zontikovidnymi acacias, and in a southwest part of the country in valleys of the rivers and in mounts at altitudes 1700-1800  were stretched; m grow rain tropical woods with palm trees, wild-growing coffee arbours, treelike spurges, sycamores (giant Indiarubber plants). At altitudes more 3000  m are educed tropical analogues of the Alpine woods. The fauna is still rich, despite destruction of animals throughout centuries: in savannahs there are elephants, zebras, antelopes, lions, servaly, leopards, hyenas, in semi-desert Danakil - ostriches. The world of auks is especially diverse, and in neritic waters of Red sea the big interest is represented by a fauna of coral reefs. For fauna preservation reservations and national parks are created: on the river Avash, loch Abijata, wood park Mennagesha, etc.

The Bulk of the population of Ethiopia (all - nearby 52  million persons) refers to to the Ethiopian strain - as though intermediate between evropeoidnoj and negroidnoj. Thin features, an undular hair, high growth and chocolate colour a leather do the majority of inhabitants of Ethiopia extraordinary beautiful. Speak the country people on Semitic (to them refers to also state - amharsky) and kushitskih tongues. The population part refers to to negroidnoj to strain. The people amhara and oromo compound 3/4 population. Two basic religions - Islam and Christianity, but approximately 10 % of inhabitants adhere to aboriginal traditional convictions. Chief businesses - farming agriculture, cattle breeding, handcrafts. The majority of inhabitants builds round huts with konusovidnoj a roof of straw. The traditional clothes - long dresses and the capes often decorated with ornaments, a rich embroidery are saved.

Country Capital - the Addis Ababa which has been had at altitude 2400  m, name a city of perpetually spring because of the climate moderated all year long. The city is based in 1885, but now in him modern buildings predominate. Addis Ababa is famous Is well-known for a huge market. The second-large city - Asmara in the north of the country. It also is considered the arranged most well and beautiful city of Ethiopia. Gondar (to the north the loch Tana) to the middle of XIX century was empire capital of what remind locks XVI-XVIII of centuries, in him is a historical museum.