Ethiopia – Borders, Politics, and National Identity

Ethiopia has never had to claim independence from another nation.  It was briefly occupied by the Italians during Mussolini’s reign; however, the Italians were not there long enough to change the culture of this nation.  Ethiopia has largely been protected against any unwanted influences on its culture. 

Ethiopia is divided culturally with most Christians occupying the eastern and northern portions of the nation while Muslims occupy most of the southern and western parts.  Ethiopia has four major ethnic groups as well as four major languages: Oromo, Amhara (Amharic), Somali, and Tigray (Tigrigna). [1] The country is divided into administrative political areas that correspond with its major ethnic divisions.

Ethiopian Administrative Regions and Populations
Source: Ethio Visit.
http://www.ethiovisit.com/ethiopia/ethiopia.html

As you can see in the map above, the Oromo (Oromia) people group are in close proximity to the Somali peoples group.  The Oromo people are the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and within this group there is a movement for liberation called the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF).  The Oromo territory was once self-governed but came under control of King Menelik, from the Amharan ethnic group in the north, during a period of empire building in the late 1800s. [2] The Oromo decry discrimination from the Amharic people.  In Ethiopia, it is illegal to speak the Oromo language for public reasons; violators are arrested. [3]  The Amharic (the ruling minority ethnic group) are “driving the Oromo from their fertile lands, and subjecting them to torture, imprisonment, forced conscription, and execution.” [4] Because of this, as well as border fighting with nation of Somalia, over 1.25 million Oromo have fled the country; many of them women and children. [5]

The age structure of Ethiopia is telling: 43.94% of the population is under 14 years of age and the median age is 17.7 years. [6] This means that half of the population of Ethiopia is younger than 18.  In comparison the median age in the United States is 36.8 years old. [7] This figure is indicative to overall health of a nation.  When people live longer the median age rises.  This nation also has an exceptionally high total dependency ratio of 81.6% which compares to the United States figure of 50.9%. [8] This means that less than 20% (working ages 15-64) of the nation is working to support 81.6% (those outside the working age groups) of the population.  This places a tremendous burden on those who are working and has also created a child labor market.

Ethiopia has a literacy rate of 49.1%; the male figure is 57.2% and the female rate is 41.1% [9].  This number is very low compared to the rest of the world which has a literacy rate of 86.1%.[10]  The literacy rate also shows a disparity between men and women; this indicates that there is a higher value placed on men’s education.  The school life rate for a child in Ethiopia is 7 years (6 years for girls and 8 years for boys) and many children (53%) are engaged in child labor (ages 5-14) to help support the family. [11]

Ethiopia Model: Investing in Quality Education for all Children
Government Spending for children's education rose
from 11% of total spending in 1999-2000
to more than 25% in 2012-2013.

Source: Global Partnership
http://www.globalpartnership.org/blog/ethiopia-model-investing-quality-education-all-children

The government of Ethiopia is a federal parliamentary republic and uses the three traditional branches of government.  The country has had a significant change in its political borders that relate to the nation of Eritrea.  After World War II the United Nations made Eritrea a federal component of Ethiopia; in 1962 Ethiopia annexed Eritrea and this resulted in war.  Eritrea gained independence in 1993 and since then relations between these two nations has been contentious.  Currently, Eritrea has faced sanctions from the UN and many people are fleeing from Eritrea into Ethiopia. [12] In fact, Ethiopia has the largest refugee population of any African nation with 700,000 refugees. [13]

Footnotes:

1. “Ethiopia: People and Society.” CIA World Fact Book. 2016. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/et.html (accessed June 28, 2016).

2. “Oromo Continue to Flee Violence.” Cultural Survival Quarterly. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/somalia/oromo-continue-flee-violence

3. “Oromo Continue to Flee Violence.” Cultural Survival Quarterly. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/somalia/oromo-continue-flee-violence

4. “Oromo Continue to Flee Violence.” Cultural Survival Quarterly. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/somalia/oromo-continue-flee-violence

5. “Oromo Continue to Flee Violence.” Cultural Survival Quarterly. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/somalia/oromo-continue-flee-violence

6. CIA World Fact Book. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/et.html

7. United States Demography.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography_of_the_United_States

8. “Dependency Ratios.” CIA World Fact Book. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2261.html#et

9. CIA World Fact Book. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/et.html

10. “Literacy.” https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2103.html#et

11. CIA World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/et.html

12. “Eritrea Profile.” BBC News. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13349395

13. “Eritrean Refugees in Ethiopia.” http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2016/03/eritrean-refugees-ethiopia-160306065928790.html