 |
- Elderly people are highly respected in Ethiopia. Adult children are responsible for taking care of their parents.
- Ethiopians avoid passing food and other items with the left hand.
- Ethiopia, the oldest independent nation in Africa, was known anciently as Abyssinia.
- The ancient Ge’ez language still is used as the language of worship in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, even though most people, including priests, don’t understand it.
- Ethiopians claim that the real Ark of the Covenant mentioned in the Bible resides in the St. Mary’s of Zion Church in Axum, where it is guarded and cannot be seen.
- The ancient Kingdom of Axum has giant stone obelisks (pillars) about 75 feet (23 m) tall.
- The 11 medieval Christian churches of Lalibela are carved out of a single piece of rock.
- Many rare animals live in Ethiopia, including the Abyssinian lion and the Gelata baboon.
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
View detail map as PDF
View outline map as PDF |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
The flag has a stripe of green (for fertility), yellow (for hope), and red (for sacrifice). The star symbolizes unity. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Yellow maskal flowers, picked by children around the Ethiopian New Year (11 September), are a symbol of the end of the rainy season. |
|
|
|
|
