Exporting

All the tools and resources you need to export your goods across the world

Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front. A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea in the late 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. In November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission (EEBC) issued specific coordinates as virtually demarcating the border and pronounced its work finished. Alleging that the EEBC acted beyond its mandate in issuing the coordinates, Ethiopia has not accepted them and has not withdrawn troops from previously contested areas pronounced by the EEBC as belonging to Eritrea. In August 2012, longtime leader Prime Minister MELES Zenawi died in office and was replaced by his Deputy Prime Minister HAILEMARIAM Desalegn, marking the first peaceful transition of power in decades.

Location

Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Natural Resources

small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower

Population - distribution

highest density is found in the highlands of the north and middle areas of the country, particularly around the centrally located capital city of Addis Ababa; the far east and southeast are sparsely populated

88013491
Oromo (official working language in the State of Oromiya) 33.8%, Amharic (official national language) 29.3%, Somali (official working language of the State of Sumale) 6.2%, Tigrigna (Tigrinya) (official working language of the State of Tigray) 5.9%, Sidamo 4%, Wolaytta 2.2%, Gurage 2%, Afar (official working language of the State of Afar) 1.7%, Hadiyya 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, Opuuo 1.2%, Kafa 1.1%, other 8.1%, English (major foreign language taught in schools), Arabic (2007 est.)
ADDIS ABABA (capital) 3.238 million (2015)
Conventional long form
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Conventional short form
Ethiopia
Local long form
Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
Local short form
Ityop'iya
federal parliamentary republic
Name
Addis Ababa
Geographic coordinates
9 02 N, 38 42 E
Time difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Ethiopia - the second most populous country in Africa - is a one-party state with a planned economy. For more than a decade before 2016, Ethiopia grew at a rate between 8% and 11% annually – one of the fastest growing states among the 188 IMF member countries. This growth was driven by government investment in infrastructure, as well as sustained progress in the agricultural and service sectors. More than 70% of Ethiopia’s population is still employed in the agricultural sector, but services have surpassed agriculture as the principal source of GDP.
Inflation
7.266%
External debt stocks
US$ 20,413,666,000
Total tax rate (% of commercial profits)
38.6%
Real Interest Rate
-17.122%
Manufacturing, value added (% of GDP)
4.342%
Current Account Balance
US$ -2,985,273,921
Labor Force, Total
50,058,270
Employment in Agriculture
8.66%
Employment in Industry
24.09%
Employment in Services
67.25%
Unemployment Rate
5.74%
Imports of goods and services
US$ 20,107,334,667
Exports of goods and services
US$ 5,795,740,479
Total Merchandise Trade
29.29%
FDI, net inflows
US$ 2,167,600,000
Commercial Service Exports
US$ 2,536,557,849
cereals, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, vegetables, khat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish
food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, garments, chemicals, metals processing, cement
Commodities
coffee (27%, by value), oilseeds (17%), edible vegetables including khat (17%), gold (13%), flowers (7%), live animals (7%), raw leather products (3%), meat products (3%)
Partners
Switzerland 14.3%, China 11.7%, US 9.5%, Netherlands 8.7%, Saudi Arabia 5.9%, Germany 5.7% (2015)
Commodities
machinery and aircraft (14%, by value), metal and metal products, (14%), electrical materials, (13%), petroleum products (12%), motor vehicles, (10%), chemicals and fertilizers (4%)
Partners
China 20.5%, US 9.2%, Saudi Arabia 6.5%, India 4.5% (2015)
Country Risk Rating
C
A very uncertain political and economic outlook and a business environment with many troublesome weaknesses can have a significant impact on corporate payment behavior. Corporate default probability is high.
Business Climate Rating
D
The business environment is very difficult. Corporate financial information is rarely available and when available usually unreliable. The legal system makes debt collection very unpredictable. The institutional framework has very serious weaknesses. Intercompany transactions can thus be very difficult to manage in the highly risky environments rated D.
  • Remarkable track record on growth and reduction of poverty
  • Public investment in infrastructure
  • Effort to diversify the economy
  • Strong hydroelectric potential
  • Vulnerability to climatic events and the volatility of commodity prices
  • Land-locked country
  • Inadequate foreign exchange reserves
  • Persistent handicaps in terms of business climate and governance
  • Unstable regional environment
  • Heightened ethnic tensions

Our site saves small pieces of text information (cookies) on your device in order to deliver better content and for statistical purposes. By browsing our website you grant us permission to store that information on your device. For more information check our Terms and Conditions.