Ethiopia explained to kids

Ethiopia is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, South Sudan to the west, and Sudan to the northwest. With over 109 million inhabitants, Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world and the second-most populous nation on the African continent. It occupies a total area of 1,100,000 square kilometers (420,000 sq mi), and its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa. Ethiopia has a complex geography. It is a mountainous country, with its highest point at Ras Dejen in the Simien Mountains, at 4,533 meters (14,872 ft). Ethiopia is home to nine World Heritage Sites, including the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, the Konso people's terraced landscapes, and the island of Soqotra. The Ethiopian Empire (also known as Abyssinia) was first founded by King Aksum in the first century CE. In the fourth century, the Ethiopian Kingdom was one of the four kingdoms that split from the Alexandrian Empire. It continued as an independent kingdom, until it was annexed by the Italian Empire in 1936. Ethiopia regained its independence in 1941, but was occupied by the British Empire from 1941 to 1942 and by the Soviet Union from 1942 to 1974. In 1974, the Ethiopian monarchy was overthrown in a socialist revolution. Ethiopia is a federal republic consisting of nine ethnically based regional states. The country is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, and the Non-Aligned Movement. Ethiopia is also a founding member of the Organisation of African Unity and the League of Arab States. Ethiopia has many different ethnic groups, with the Oromo being the largest at around 34% of the population. Other ethnic groups include the Amhara (27%), Somali (6%), Tigray (6%), and other (1%). Ethiopia is also home to a large number of other African ethnic groups, including the Afar, Gurage, Harari, and Wolayta. The official languages of Ethiopia are Amharic (the working language of the federal government), Tigrinya, Somali, Oromo, Afar, and English (the language of international business and diplomacy). Ethiopia is the site of the first and oldest Muslim country in Africa, dating back to the 7th century CE. Islam is the religion of around 34% of the population, with Christianity being the religion of around 64%. Ethiopia is also home to a small Jewish community.