10 Interesting Facts about Ethiopia

From the world's oldest human fossil to virgin priests who claim they guard the Ark of the Covenant, Ethiopia boasts a unique treasure of history and culture. Learn more about this stunning country with these interesting Ethiopia facts.

1) The name “Ethiopia” comes from the Greek words aitho and ops, which together mean “burnt face.” The ancient Greeks believed that the Sun fell on Ethiopia, burning the inhabitants and creating the deserts.

2) In some parts of Ethiopia, wearing a large disc in the lower lip is considered beautiful.

3) Thirteen percent of Ethiopian children, or about 4.6 million, are missing one or both parents. Nearly a quarter of these parents have been lost in the AIDS epidemic.

4) Ethiopian Christians claim that the Ark of the Covenant is in a chapel in a small town in Aksum, Ethiopia. Virgin monks guard the chapel and are forbidden to set foot outside the chapel grounds until they die

5. Ethiopian distance runner Abebe Bikila was the first black African to win the gold medal in the Olympic Marathon in 1960. He ran the race barefooted.

6. Raw meat is considered a delicacy in Ethiopia.

7. Ethiopia is mentioned 40 times in the Bible, and it is one of the few countries mentioned in the Bible, the Koran, Homer’s Odyssey, and many other ancient books.

8. The earliest instance of human ancestors using tools has been traced to Ethiopia.

9. The oldest human skeleton ever discovered was unearthed in Ethiopia in 1974. Nicknamed “Lucy,” the skeleton is over 3.2 million years old.

10. Ethiopia is the only country in Africa that has never been formally colonized.

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[aydanassir]

facts about ethiopia
1. Ethiopia is the only African country that didnt colonized by western after defeating Italy in the battle of adwa.
2. Ethiopia have her own language and written words
3. Ethiopia have her own calander which is 8 year less than the greorian calander and have her own season counting which is not 12 month instead 13 month.
4 Ethiopia is considered the orgin of human being which is lucy.
5.Ethiopia is the orgin of coffe the name coffee itself came from the place called keffa found in the northern part of Ethiopia.
7. Ethiopia is the first country to accept islam even before mecca itself.
8. The name Ethiopia is mentioned in both bible and Quran.
9. Ethiopians refere the country as Her as Mother is given the higher dignity in the society.
10.Ethiopia is one of the earliest free civilization aged 3000 now.
11. Ethiopia gives manadala citizen even southafrica denies in the time of aparted.
12 Ethiorpia traine mogaba so as he can fight back the colony in the time of mengistu one of leaders of the country.
13 Ethiopia is the country of more than 80 tirbes and more than 90 languages where amharic is considered working language.
14. Ethipia is the country where muslims and christians live together with respect and love.
15.Ethiopia sends milletary army to korea to help the fight.
16 Abebe bekila is the first athlet who want the maraton barefoot.
16. ...do u want me to continue this is the reality not the fact you showed in yourtube.

[mohammednuur]

I am Ogaden half Somalia 🇸🇴 half Ethiopia 🇪🇹 we speak boat Ethiopia and Somali thank good that Mohammed and Prophet Solomon was at Ethiopia and we are Abbisinya people are mentioned at the Quran and BIBLE

[ኢትዮጵያሀገሬመመኪያዬክብ]

Ethiopia means not burning face that is lying story's. The real meaning is named by the name of a man who was Ethiopic which is the son of Nhoa!!!!

[joshuahayles]

This seems like its unconsciously (or consciously) portraying the country in a negative light. If you were gonna mention it being in the Bible why not mention that its part of the garden of Eden? Thats more interesting than the number of times its mentioned.

[msaddis]

Thanks u explain of beutfule east African Horne e thiopa people..

[sulaimaanahmad]

you forgot a fact...ethiopia is the worlds oldest country.

[prokaliab]

Really that's it? Ethiopia have a million of lots of history and culture. And our truth name is Abyssinian not Ethiopia.

[melkamuamera]

These are very few of so many facts about ETHIOPIA. thank you though.

[kaleabbeharneh]

U talk not the good things about our country

[ermygang]

just for the record, we don't eat raw chicken meet as it shows in the video lol. only beef and goat.

[henokwgebrial]

The word Ethiopia is ancient sab languge meaning " A yellow color Gold gifted by the lake of Giyon"

[exilefalcon]

Wow I am from UK but Our teachers didn't said that things

[natiasefa]

It was good, 👏 but I don't agree with the first one because Ethiopia's name was in use before Greek was It's exceptional

[therock]

After all the name Ethiopia doesn't mean the present day Ethiopia. As you mentioned if it means burnt face(too black) The meaning of Sudan too has the same meaning as that of Ethiopia which means black. The Europeans especially the Greeks who gave the names of some countries of present East African continent were not well acquainted with the whole of the African continent especially with the interior. It doesn't mean peoples of the north eastern African countries like North Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and north Ethiopia are too blacks or burnt faces. According to the then perspective of the Greeks these people were regarded as too blacks for them. We still say whites when there is no person who is white but used to distant us way far. The name Ethiopia and Sudan doesn't only, reflect the present day Sudan and Ethiopia.

[habeshit]

Oh my that row meet they show was horrible lol there is a kind of meet you eat row in Ethiopia and its full of spices and chilly papers..

[itsmekias]

The definition of the name "Ethiopia" is not burnt face it's not even close to the real meaning! There was an ethiopian king called ethiel(ኢትኤል). It was a name that was given from god meaning "Et" means yellow and "yop" means gold, a pure yellow gold gifted to god. Ethiopians are even older than greek so there is no way they came up with the name.

[repentandbelieveinjesus]

lol i knew all that cuz i am Ethiopian

[ewunetegna]

Never been 'formally' colonized? Ha

[appleksa]

And Christianity is the first religion

[kirosnatnael]

Ethiopia didn't come from Greece that's false information Ethiopia come from Ethiopian first king Ethel and Ethiopia means yellow gold