Ethiopia

Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, one exception being the Italian occupation of 1936-41. In 1974 a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), in 1991. A constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia’s first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. Final demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian objections to an international commission’s finding requiring it to surrender sensitive territory.

Population (1): 78,254,090

Religions (1): Christian 60.8% (Orthodox 50.6%, Protestant 10.2%), Muslim 32.8%, traditional 4.6%, other 1.8% (1994 census)

HIV/AIDS 2003 estimates (1): Adult prevalence rate – 4.4%
People living with HIV/AIDS – 1.5 million
HIV/AIDS deaths – 120,000

Life expectancy in years (2): 48

Annual per capita GNI U.S. dollars (3): $180.00

Total number of orphans (4): 4,8000,000

Education:
Children completing primary school (5): Male – 63%; Female – 60%
Children enrolled in secondary school (6): Male – 38%; Female – 24%

Number of physicians per 100,000 people (7): 3

(1) CIA – The World Factbook
(2) (5) (6) Source: State of the World Population 2007
(3) Source: World Bank World Development Indicator Database, 1 July 2007, 2006 estimates
(4) Sources: UNICEF Africa’s OVCs affected by AIDS 2005
(7) WHO Human Resources for Health

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Cottages at the Rafiki Village Ethiopia

Rafiki in Ethiopia

The Rafiki Village is fully operational. Children have arrived!

ROS in Ethiopia

Lori and Ken Dulany
Sherri and Mike Ritter

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