Page last updated on February 22,

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

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

Land boundaries:
total: 5,328 km
border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km, Somalia 1,600 km, South Sudan 837 km, Sudan 769 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
More Climate Details

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

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

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

Land use:
arable land: 10.01%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.65%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 89.34% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
2,900 sq km (2008)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
110 cu km (1987)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 5.56 cu km/yr (6%/0%/94%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 72 cu m/yr (2002)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts
volcanism: Ethiopia experiences 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, causing 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; 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