Once home to fabled emperors and queens, modern-day Ethiopia now relishes in its beautiful cultural diversity as a rich ancient archaeological marvel with a history within Biblical roots. The country is abundant in its wildlife, with stunning natural beauty and its fair share of modern cities. It is this very county that gave the world the Queen of Sheba, a woman with legendary beauty and wealth and the one who beguiled King Solomon when she visited the ancient city of Jerusalem. The country is known to have given the world many famous people, including philosophers, humanists, fashion models, educators, scientists, martyrs, saints, scholars, filmmakers, and many more. Officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the country enjoys a central location on the world map and is easily accessible from every continent.
Ethiopia is called the land of origins, as it is believed that the country is origin from a lot of things including to be the place of origin of humankind. The remains of our earliest ancestor, Lucy (known to be the first being the routinely walked on two feet, have been found in the Ethiopian lands. It is the origin of the first wild coffee plant called ‘Arabica.’ It is also the place of origin of the ‘Blue Nile,’ which is the longest river on the planet.
Ethiopia is the only country in the world to have 9 UNESCO World Heritage sites, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in Africa. The Lalibela, also known as the Eighth Wonder of the World, and famous for its monolithic churches cut out of the sheer rock. Otherworld heritage sites include Aksum (1980), Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region (1979), Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town (2006), Konso Cultural Landscape (2011), Lower Valley of the Awash (1980), Lower Valley of the Omo (1980) and, Tiya (1980).
The country is also home to some 284 species of mammals, out of which 31 are endemic, and seven are among Africa’s large animals. Ethiopia is also a global center for avian diversity with 861 bird species. Such numbers of wildlife in the country means that there are a variety of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries all over. The country has its share of the metropolis. Addis Ababa is one of the most populated cities in the country, with a population of over 4 million. It was found in 1886 and christened by Queen Taytu, consort of Menelik II. Today it’s a pulsating metropolis with tree-lined avenues and tall architectural structures all over.
