Ethiopia is the oldest independent country and the second most populous nation in Africa. It is located in the Horn of Africa, just north of the equator. It is roughly twice the size of Texas. Ethiopia was a monarchy for most of its history dating back to the 2nd century. In 1974, the monarchy was overthrown and civil unrest dominated for several decades. In 1994, a new constitution was ratified giving Ethiopia a Federal Republic.

Its seasons are marked mostly by the rain, with a light rainy season (March – May) and a heavy rainy season (June – September). Geographically, Ethiopia is a land of great diversity. It has some of Africa’s highest mountains as well as some of the world’s lowest points below sea level. It has rain-forests to the south, deserts to the north and large grasslands for farming and animal grazing.

Ethiopia has close historical ties to all three of the world's major Abrahamic religions. It was one of the first Christian countries in the world, having officially adopted Christianity as the state religion in the 4th century. It still has a Christianity majority, but a third of the population is Muslim.

Ethiopia’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is $364 which is nearly half of Kenya’s GDP of $888 and consistently ranks in the lowest 10% of African nations. Ethiopia’s main exports are grain, cattle, coffee, flowers, fruits, vegetables and sugar. The lack of roads, irrigation and infrastructure as well as overgrazing and deforestation make farming Ethiopia’s most underutilized resource.

There are about 80 tribes that make up the Ethiopian population, many with their own language and customs. However, the official language spoken is Amharic. Four out of five people are substance farmers who lack access to clean drinking water, sanitation, medical attention, education and electricity or fuel. Most poor families share their living quarters with their livestock and sleep on dirt floors. Many people migrate to the cities in search of better living conditions. While there is an improvement to the access of essential services, over half of the population live in slum conditions.

Individuals typically marry very young, have 6-7 children and have a life expectancy of 57 years. In the capitol, 65% of the children will attend primary school and 35% of those eligible will attend secondary school. The rate in rural areas is much lower, about half of the rates as in the city. Overall, the literacy rate is 40% as a nation.