Amhara

Ethiopia

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Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa with 115 million people. The demographic momentum from having such a youthful population means numbers will grow very dramatically this century which will put much pressure on Ethiopia's aspirations to become a middle income country.

Ethiopia has a very strong culture with a dynamic music scene, much colourful fashion and a unique and delicious range of (very healthy) cuisine.

Ethiopia's land area is twice the size of France (over 4 x UK) and is home to numerous mountains over 4000m tall, the source of the Nile, the birthplace of coffee and home to a wide range of endemic flora and fauna.

Amharic is official national language but many different languages are spoken across the country's federation of 9 ethnically based states.

 

Amhara

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Amhara is one of the 9 ethically based states in Ethiopia. It is in the North West of the country between Oromia and Tigray regions and it has a border with Sudan. It is the second most populous region in Ethiopia with 20 million inhabitants. It is a dramatic, mountainous region formed from huge outpourings of basalt from volcanic activity along East Africa's famous Rift Valley.

 

 

Lalibela

 

Is a town of about 80,000 people in the region of Amhara. It is well-renowned for its ancient rock-hewn churches - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It sits at 2500m asl on the side of foothills to Abuna Yosef Mountain which rises to 4260m tall. Lalibela is a hub for tourists who stay in many of the town's lodges and hotels. It is a cultural centre for the numerous festivals of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and is a market town for the surrounding small scale farmers.