Ethiopia Quiz

Different things come to mind when you hear the word Ethiopia. Maybe marathon, Queen of Sheba, mountains? People's images of Ethiopia are many and diverse. It is a fascinating country, with a lot more to it than meets the eye. Check out how much you know about the country, enjoy yourself and who knows- maybe you will learn something new!

Facts about Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a large country, located in what is commonly called the Horn of Africa. It covers an area of over 1 million sq.km, bordering to Eritrea, Sudan, Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti. Since the independence of Eritrea, Ethiopia doesn't have any coast or port. This means that all transport has to go on land, then usually through the port in Djibouti to the rest of the world.

Ethiopia is a predominantly Christian country, but about a third of the population are Muslims. Many of these Muslims, however, don't follow the rules as strictly as in other Muslim countries. Especially in the northern parts, in Wollo. It is not uncommon for Muslims to marry Christians, or to drink the local alcohol.

Meaning: New Flower

Addis Ababa, the capital, is a city which has developed tremendously the past decade. From village to city, it is the center of many international organizations. The African Union has its head-quarters here, and there are many UN agencies and aid-organizations. This means there is a large group of foreigners located here.

In Addis, there are plenty of nightclubs, bars and restaurants. One shopping-mall after another is being built. Living side by side with the rich people, are many poor ones. The contrast can sometimes be overwhelming.

It is amazing how one country can have so many languages. Apart from the 80, or so, spoken languages, there are also many dialects. One thing most people in Ethiopia have in common is the staple food. Injera, made from a grain called teff, is eaten daily by most people. A bit like rice to many Asians. Together with injera they serve different sauces, based on meat, chicken or vegetables. Their chilli mixture, berbere, is a really nice spice which can be used for many dishes.

Berbere is not only used directly in the food, they also prepare a really nice chilli paste with it. See how AWAZE is prepared and used.

Many people have heard about Ethiopia only in connection with the horrible starvation in the mid 80's. A lot of foreign workers, Red Cross and others went to Ethiopia to try to help. They did a lot of good, both materially but also on an emotional level. To know that somebody cares can help a person not to give up.

After an interview with Red Cross nurse Claire Bertschinger , on the BBC in 1984, a man called Bob Geldof decided to arrange a fund-raising concert, with many famous artists, to help the people. This came to be known as Live Aid, and they managed to raise a staggering sum of more than 280 million dollars!

Read more on the unofficial Live Aid site.

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Ethiopia is still a very poor country. While not recommending any particular aid-organization, here are a few links to check out. Remember that a little can go a long way.

The Gelada (Theropithecus gelada), sometimes called the Gelada Baboon, is a species of Old World monkey found only in the Ethiopian Highlands, with large populations in the Semien Mountains.

They are known by a big red spot on their chest, looking like a heart. These big monkeys can be quite a nuisance, even dangerous, especially in areas where they have become used to humans.

Capra Walie

The Walia Ibex is a kind of mountain goat, which is found in the mountainous regions of Ethiopia. There are very few animals left, and it has been put on the list of critically endangered species. Only 500 individuals or so are still left. This is partly because of hunting, but also a result of loss of habitat. Even if the number would increase, there is not enough space for them.

Do you know who the beautiful woman on the picture is? It is Liya Kebede, an Ethiopian supermodel. She, along with other Ethiopian women have become famous all over the world, for different reasons. You can read more about these Ethiopian Women here. Of course, we don't want to discriminate anybody, so why not check out the page about Famous Ethiopian Men?

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