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What to know?
It’s hard to come across a country so equally packed with action and adventure as ancient history. Home to the skeletal remains of one of our oldest ancestors ‘grandmother’ Lucy, the Ark of Covenant, legendary tales of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba to more recent imperial figures Emporer Menelik II and Haile Selassie I. The country has long avoided international norms – Ethiopia has its own calendar and system of time and governance – asserting its difference to the rest of the world, pushing you to challenge your own perceptions when you travel here. At the same time, you will find astonishing landscapes, beautiful national parks and many opportunities to physically challenge yourself.
Visiting Ethiopia with Yared Tour & Travel
Visiting Ethiopia with Yared Tour & Travel, you’ll discover that Ethiopian people are genuine, generous and extremely interesting. There is a strong sense of community spirit and hospitality towards guests right across the country. It’s best to learn some basic Amharic and customs with greetings so you are prepared to receive your first steaming cup of Ethiopian coffee and share an authentic, tasty meal with new friends.
Geography
Ethiopia, formally known as ‘Abyssinia’ is a large land-locked country in East Africa bordered by Eritrea, Djibouti, Somaliland, Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan and Sudan. It is roughly 4 times the size of The United Kingdom, and about to half the size of Mexico, encompassing 1,104,300 sq km.
Weather and climate
Ethiopia lies in the tropical zone between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer. It is ecologically diverse with a range of climates, terrains and altitudes depending on where you are. The lowest point is inside the Danakil Depression which reaches 125m below sea-level and the highest point is Ras Dashen in the Simien Mountains at 4,550m. In the west, there is a wet tropical savanna with a warm climate, compared to a hot desert climate in the east and dry lowlands in the south. The well-watered highlands in the north present a mix of warm and cooler climates with temperatures dropping significantly in the night. The highest mountain peaks in northern Ethiopia are sometimes even tipped white with snow. Across the country there are big differences in how much it rains and when. The variations create a country which is both lush and green, and at the same time arid and drought-ridden.
Ethiopian Culture
With a population of more than 100 million people made-up of more than 80 distinct ethnic groups with totally unique identities, Ethiopia is a populated country with a dazzling wealth of cultures. The Oromo are the largest group in Ethiopia and next the Amhara followed by Tigrayans and Somalis. Additionally, there is a huge plethora of smaller ethnic groups scattered right across the country, to name just a few - the tribal communities of the Lower Omo Valley, the melting pot of Arabic, Islamic and Somali cultures in Harar, the highlander communities in the Gamo Gofa and the Gambela people in the west. What is likely to amaze you the most, is how strongly the cultures remain and how welcoming and friendly the Ethiopian people generally are.
Language
Ethiopia is a multilingual nation with 90 different languages and over 200 dialects spoken. The four largest languages are Oromo, Amhara, Somali and Tigrayan. The national language, Amharic, is an ancient Semitic language related to Arabic and Hebrew, with a unique alphabet, script and set of sounds. Different Omotic languages parallel the minority ethnic groups in the south. Most Ethiopians speak a local language, Amharic and are also proficient in English speaking. All Yared Tour & Travel driver/guides have a good level of English-speaking.
Rastafari
At the beginning of the twentieth century, a prophecy in Jamaica was announced that all descendants of black African slaves should return to their origin in Africa where a black Mesiah would represent their interests. The almost divine object of this movement became Ras Tefari, otherwise known as the Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie. Ethiopia became the promise land for the Rastafari, and the colours of the Ethiopian flag became the symbol of this movement.
Religion
Ethiopia is a devoutly religious and spiritual country and religion permeates nearly every facet of Ethiopian life, culture and society including art and literature. Like few other countries in the world, Ethiopia has been characterised by the long-lasting establishment of three world religions: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Today, Orthodox Christians represent more or less one half of the Ethiopian population concentrated in the northwest but also widely disseminated throughout the urban networks. Ethiopian Muslims make-up one third of the population and are spread over the eastern half of the country, and the remaining is made-up of protestants or people with traditional beliefs from minority communities. Ethiopians are proud of the fact that Christians and Muslims live peacefully together. Religious holidays and public holidays are often celebrated public-wide.
