Ethiopia, a captivating landlocked nation on the Horn of Africa. The country is nestled entirely within the tropical latitudes, boasting a compact shape with dimensions that are quite similar from north to south and east to west. The capital is Addis Ababa, meaning “New Flower,” and it sits nearly at the heart of the country. Ethiopia stands as the largest and most populated nation in the Horn of Africa. Following the 1993 secession of Eritrea, which was once its province along the Red Sea, Ethiopia found itself without direct access to the sea.

Ethiopia is among the oldest nations on the planet, with its borders shifting throughout the ages of its rich history. In ancient times, it thrived in Aksum, an imperial capital nestled in the northern region of what is now the modern state, approximately 100 miles (160 km) from the shimmering Red Sea coast. The current landscape took shape in the 19th and 20th centuries as European powers ventured into Ethiopia’s rich historical realm. Ethiopia emerged as a significant player in modern world affairs starting in 1896, when it triumphed over colonial Italy in the Battle of Adwa, and again in 1935–36, during its invasion and occupation by fascist Italy. The liberation during World War II by the Allied powers opened the door for Ethiopia to step into a more significant role on the global stage. Ethiopia was one of the pioneering independent nations to sign the Charter of the United Nations, providing both moral and material support for the decolonization of Africa and the advancement of Pan-African cooperation. The culmination of these efforts led to the formation of the Organization of African Unity (now known as the African Union since 2002) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, both headquartered in Addis Ababa.