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July 26, 2026Sources cited
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Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa with Addis Ababa as its capital and largest city.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa with Addis Ababa as its capital and largest city. It is a federal parliamentary republic and is widely described as one of Africa’s oldest independent states, with a long history that includes a brief Italian occupation from 1936 to 1941.

Geography

Ethiopia is located in the Horn of Africa and is landlocked. It borders several countries in the region and has a large land area relative to many African states.

History

Ethiopia is often described as Africa’s oldest independent country. Modern histories note a brief Italian occupation from 1936 to 1941, after which the country regained independence.

Government and politics

Ethiopia is a federal parliamentary republic with a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government. The country is divided into regional states and administrative cities.

Population and society

Ethiopia is one of the most populous countries in Africa and the world. It is ethnically and linguistically diverse, with Amharic among its official languages and many other widely spoken regional languages.

Economy and capital

Addis Ababa is the country’s political and economic centre and hosts major national institutions. Ethiopia’s capital also serves as an important diplomatic hub in Africa.

Key facts

  • Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world.
  • The country covers about 1,104,300 km².
  • Addis Ababa is both the capital and the largest city.
  • Ethiopia is a federal parliamentary republic.
  • The country was occupied by Italy from 1936 to 1941, but otherwise remained independent through the colonial era.
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Canadian context

Ethiopia matters to Canadian readers through immigration, development cooperation, humanitarian response, and Canada’s diplomatic and trade relations with a major African state and African Union host city in Addis Ababa.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ethiopia’s capital?
Addis Ababa is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia.
Is Ethiopia landlocked?
Yes. Ethiopia has no coastline and is the most populous landlocked country in the world.
What type of government does Ethiopia have?
Ethiopia is a federal parliamentary republic.
How large is Ethiopia?
Ethiopia covers about 1,104,300 square kilometres.
What is Ethiopia known for historically?
It is commonly described as one of Africa’s oldest independent states and is noted for having avoided long-term colonial rule, aside from the Italian occupation from 1936 to 1941.
What is Ethiopia’s currency?
The currency is the Ethiopian birr (ETB).

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopia
    Supports: Area, capital, population estimate, and landlocked status.
  2. CIA World Factbook — https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/about/archives/2023/countries/ethiopia/summaries
    Supports: Government type, leadership, and historical note on Italian occupation.
  3. BBC News — https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13349398
    Supports: Country profile, capital, area, population, languages, and historical overview.
  4. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/place/Ethiopia
    Supports: Landlocked status, Horn of Africa location, and capital.
  5. CIA World Factbook — https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/about/archives/2022/countries/ethiopia
    Supports: Official name, former names, and etymology.
  6. Embassy of Ethiopia — https://ethiopianembassy.org/overview-about-ethiopia/
    Supports: Administrative structure and regional states.