Population
In 2019, Ethiopia had a population density of 97
residents per km2. Especially the plateaus of
the central and northern highlands are densely populated,
and it is estimated that about 2/3 of all residents live in
areas that are 1,800 meters above sea level or more. Over 80
per cent of the total population lives in the countryside.
Some redistribution of the population from rural to urban
has occurred since the Italian occupation in the 1930s, but
the general view is that the 1974 revolution through land
reform and administrative restrictions today has reduced the
extent of urbanization. The largest cities in 2016 were
Addis Ababa (3.3 million residents) and Nazret (324,000). In
the 1980s, migrations took place from the northern and
central highlands to southwestern Ethiopia and to the border
regions towards Sudan. When they were of a compelling
nature, they were often controversial both for political and
social as well as ecological reasons. In Ethiopia, there are
estimated to be more than 150,000 refugees, mainly from
Somalia but also from Eritrea and Sudan.
According to
Countryaah data, Ethiopia's population consists of a large number of more
or less clearly defined ethnic groups of varying sizes. At
the 2007 census, some 80 were discerned, but the diversity
is greater than that. The Amhara people (20 million) make up
27% of the population and are mainly farmers.
The former livestock but now largely agricultural farming
community (25.5 million) is Ethiopia's number of largest
peoples and makes up 35% of the population. It has since
expanded into the Sidamo province since its 16th century and
now constitutes the majority population of the modern Oromo
region, but is also found in regions such as Afar, Amhara
and Somali. The Oromo people are divided into two major
groups that fall into a series of clans. Half are
Christians, but there are also a considerable number of
Muslims among the Oromo.
Southwest of the capital is 1.9 million gurage, a
collective term for loosely composed groups. The number of
Cushitic speaking apes amounts to 1.3 million. They live as
herdsmen in the Northeast region bearing their names. In the
north there are 4.5 million tigray (tigrinja), which also
dominates in independent Eritrea.
The livestock and nomadic Somalis (5.1 million), mainly
from the clan family, are the second largest population
group in the Somali region. Along the river Omo in the
southern part of the country, a large number of livestock
and farming people live. Some of them, e.g. dasenech
(48,000), utilizes the river's seasonal floods to make use
of irrigated land. There are also nomadic mursi (8,000) with
their own religion of origin and Hammer (74,000), a Muslim
shepherd. The Nueras (150,000) are found in the Gambela
region on the border with Sudan. Like many other Nilotic
peoples in western Ethiopia, they combine livestock
management with fishing and mill farming.
In the Amharan region, a few thousand so-called falasha
(beta Israel) still live. They are largely dependent on
crafts and practice a form of Judaism. About ten thousand
Falasha were transported to Israel from the camp in Sudan in
1984–85. Later, emigration continued and in a new campaign
in 1991 another large number was moved to Israel, where the
majority are now found.
There are also a number of smaller groups living in
different forms of friendship among Ethiopia's larger ethnic
groups. They usually have some form of throwaway craft
specialization, such as tanneries, blacksmiths, potters or
hunters. Among the more famous are watts around Lake Tana.
Another group is fugue, where the women are potters and the
men hunters and tanners. Of birale or ungota, another hunter
group on the west bank of the river Wejtos, only a few
individuals remain.
Language
The languages in Ethiopia belong to two different
language families: the Nilo-Saharan and the Afro-Asiatic.
The latter is represented by three branches: Semitic,
Cushitic and Omotic. The Semitic languages dominate
culturally: Amharic is the official language of the country,
Tigrinese is spoken in the Tigray region, harari in the city
of Harer and languages from the gurage group south of
Addis Ababa. To these comes the Fornetiopian, geez, who is
still the language of the Church. Among the Cushitic
languages are the most important Oromo, Afar and Somali.
Among the unmotic in the southwest is the wolaitto. Of the
Nilo-Saharan languages, anyuak is the most important.
Religion
Christianity was introduced in Ethiopia in the 300s and
today (2012), it is estimated that the Ethiopian Orthodox
Church, with its main strongholds in the provinces of Tigray
and Amhara in the highlands of northern Ethiopia, comprises
about 40% of the population. The Ethiopian Orthodox Churchis
one of the oldest church organizations in the world and
served as a state religion until the fall of the kingdom in
1974. led the incoming Socialist-inspired government to
declare the country atheistic. Today, the country is
secular. Islam was introduced in the 6th century and today
covers about 35% of the population. Islam, especially Sunni
Islam, is spread throughout the country, but with strongest
attachment in more remote areas and especially in the
eastern lowlands. Most Muslims follow the Shafi'ite law
interpretation. The traditional learning center of Islam is
the city of Harer. A local pilgrimage site, Shek Husen,
traditionally named after the first Muslim missionary who
came to Ethiopia, competes with Mecca for the Ethiopian
pilgrims.
Islam has never had the same high status as Christianity.
To improve this somewhat, Haile Selassie I, who reigned in
Ethiopia in 1930-74, provided audiences for Islamic leaders
and during the Derg regime (1974-87) and Haile Mariam
Mengistu (1987-91) did even more to make the two religions
equal. Nevertheless, many Christians see Ethiopia as "a
Christian island surrounded by an Islamic sea".
Traditional African religion of an animistic nature is
covered by both Christians and Muslims. The widespread czar
cult is of Cushitic origin. A small group of people
(falasha) in northwestern Ethiopia encompasses Judaism, but
these are constantly decreasing in number, mainly due to
emigration to Israel.
Ethiopia has not been colonized to the same extent as
other African countries. Only in the years 1936–41 was the
country an Italian colony. This could possibly explain that
just over a percent of the population is Catholic, while
Protestants amount to 17%. Just under 3% are said to belong
to independent Christian churches. Approximately 8% are
assumed to include domestic traditional religion. The
country also has small groups of Eastern Orthodox, Jehovah's
Witnesses, Jews and Mormons.
The Constitution and other laws guarantee religious
freedom, which also works in practice. According to the
constitution, religion and state are separated, which
includes means that neither public nor private schools are
allowed to conduct confessional religious instruction. On
the other hand, the Sunday schools of Christian churches and
the teaching of the Koran by mosques are permitted.
Religious slander and encouragement of religious violence
are prohibited by law. Religious organizations must register
to obtain legal status, which means they can open bank
accounts and fully participate in litigation and apply for
land for buildings. The government offers some religious
groups free land for churches, schools, hospitals and
cemeteries, but schools and hospitals run by religious
organizations can be closed by the government at any time
and the land seized.
By law, religiously based political parties are
prohibited. In 2011, there was some state involvement in,
among other things. EIASC (Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme
Council) leadership and its activities. Conflicts between
Christians and Muslims occur but are rare, and in most
regions both marriage between Muslims and Christians as well
as conversions from one religion to another are accepted. In
recent years, however, the moderate majority of Sunni
Muslims, represented by the EIASC, argue that Wahhabites and
Salafists work to increase tensions between Christians and
Muslims.
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