Country name
conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
conventional short form: Ethiopia
local long form: YeItyop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
local short form: YeItyop'iya
abbreviation: FDRE

Data code ET

Government type federal republic

National capital Addis Ababa

Administrative divisions 9 ethnically-based administrative regions (astedader akababiwach, singular - astedader akababi) and 1 federal capital*: Addis Ababa*; Afar; Amhara; Benishangul/Gumaz; Gambela; Harar; Oromia; Somali; Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples; Tigray

Independence oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years

National holiday National Day, 28 May (1991) (defeat of Mengistu regime)

Constitution promulgated December 1994

Legal system NA

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: President NEGASSO Gidada (since 22 August 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided in the December 1994 constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and approved by the Council of People's Representatives
elections: president elected by the Council of People's Representatives for a six-year term; election last held June 1995 (next to be held NA 2001); prime minister designated by the party in power following legislative elections
election results: NEGASSO Gidada elected president; percent of vote by the Council of People's Representatives - NA

Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Council of the Federation or upper chamber (117 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the Council of People's Representatives or lower chamber (548 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms); note - the upper chamber represents the ethnic interests of the regional governments
elections: regional and national popular elections were held in May and June 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) and the Federal Parliamentary Assembly assumed legislative power on 21 August 1995
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA; note - EPRDF won nearly all seats

Judicial branch Supreme Court, judges are elected by the national legislature

Political parties and leaders Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi]

Political pressure groups and leaders Oromo Liberation Front or OLF; All Amhara People's Organization; Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Coalition; numerous small, ethnic-based groups have formed since MENGISTU'S defeat, including several Islamic militant groups

International organization participation ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador BERHANE Gebre-Christos
chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-2281, 2282
FAX: [1] (202) 328-7950

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador David H. SHINN
embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa
mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa
telephone: [251] (1) 550666
FAX: [251] (1) 552191

Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors

NOTE: The information regarding Ethiopia on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ethiopia Government 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ethiopia Government 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.