The Kingdom of Ethiopia is one of the oldest kingdoms in the world and certainly the oldest independent country in Africa. Ancient Ethiopia is mentioned in Greek history as well as Hebrew history. Ethiopia managed to avoid colonization from Europe unlike most other African areas and countries. During World War II, Italy occupied the country for a few years, but was removed when they lost the war.
In modern times Ethiopia has been ravaged by famine and military coups. In 1974 Emperor Haile Selassie was forcibly removed by the military and a socialist state was put into place. For many years Ethiopia was a place of unrest and civil strife. Refugees starved as different military regimes fought for power. Some peace was restored in 1995 with the establishment of a constitution and multiparty elections. Ethiopia currently has a border dispute with Eritria.
The Geography of Ethiopia
Total Size: 1,127,127 square km
Size Comparison: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
