What do you really know about Ethiopia?

Well, we have read a lot about Ethiopia. One of the things that we had to do for our home study was read some stuff about the country, etc. So I have copied and pasted some interesting facts. I hope you enjoy them.
Geography
Area: 472,000 sq. mi.; about the size of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico combined.
Capital--Addis Ababa (pop. 5 million).
People
Nationality: Ethiopian(s).
Population (est.): 80 million.
Annual growth rate (est.): 3.2%.
Religions (est.): Ethiopian Orthodox Christian 40%, Sunni Muslim 45-50%, Protestant 5%, remainder indigenous beliefs.
Languages: Amharic (official), Tigrinya, Arabic, Guaragigna, Oromifa, English, Somali.
Education: Years compulsory--none. Attendance (elementary)--57%. Literacy--43%.
Work force: Agriculture--80%. Industry and commerce--20%.
Suffrage: Universal starting at age 18.

GEOGRAPHY
Ethiopia is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered on the north and northeast by Eritrea, on the east by Djibouti and Somalia, on the south by Kenya, and on the west and southwest by Sudan. The climate is temperate on the plateau and hot in the lowlands. At Addis Ababa, which ranges from 2,200 to 2,600 meters (7,000 ft.-8,500 ft.), maximum temperature is 26o C (80o F) and minimum 4o C (40o F). The weather is usually sunny and dry with the short (belg) rains occurring February-April and the big (meher) rains beginning in mid-June and ending in mid-September.

PEOPLE
Ethiopia's population is highly diverse. Most of its people speak a Semitic or Cushitic language. The Oromo, Amhara, and Tigreans make up more than three-fourths of the population, but there are more than 77 different ethnic groups with their own distinct languages within Ethiopia. Some of these have as few as 10,000 members. In general, most of the Christians live in the highlands, while Muslims and adherents of traditional African religions tend to inhabit lowland regions. English is the most widely spoken foreign language and is taught in all secondary schools. Amharic is the official language and was the language of primary school instruction but has been replaced in many areas by local languages such as Oromifa and Tigrinya.

I also did some other Googling and looking around on the internet and found some specific facts about orphans in Ethiopia. I found this statistical break down that I thought was pretty moving and told the stats very well.



Every 15 SECONDS, another child becomes an AIDS orphan in Africa.

Every DAY 5,760 more children become orphans.

Every YEAR 2,102,400 more children become orphans (in Africa alone).

There are 143,000,000* orphans in the world today. The population of
orphans theoretically makes up the 7th largest nation in the world.

Orphans in the world today spend an average of 10 years
in an orphanage or foster home.

Every YEAR 14,050,000 children grow up as orphans and AGE OUT of the system.

Every DAY 38,493 children AGE OUT.

Every 2.2 SECONDS, another orphan child AGES OUT with no
family to belong to and no place to call home.

Many of these children accept job offers that ultimately result in their being sold as slaves. Millions of girls are sex slaves today, simply because they were unfortunate enough to grow up as orphans.

*Reliable statistics are difficult to find, even the sources often list only estimates, and street children are rarely included. But even if these figures are exaggerated by double, it is still an unacceptable tragedy that over a Million children would still become orphans every year, and every year 7 Million children would still grow to adulthood as orphans with no one to belong to and no place to call home. They are totally vulnerable and easily fall prey to predators and slave recruiters.

(Data provided by UNICEF)

Don't let these numbers and statistics just be "numbers." These are CHILDREN. Real, live, human beings. Just like you. Just like me. Just like your children. Just like my child.

For a moment I imagined Olivia, without a mommy or daddy. I imagined her growing up with no one to hold her, like we are doing a lot of these days, while she is cutting teeth. Telling her that we love her and making sure she is cared for. No one to see her blow out the candles every year on her birthday cake – and I am going to assume that most of these kids don’t get a cake much less even know when their birthday is. No one to journey through with her and walk alongside her through the challenges of life.

It just isn't right. When you think of it that way, it really makes you realize how blessed each and every one of us are.

-j.w. godwin