NHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador BERHANE Gebre-Christos
chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-2281, 2282
FAX: [1] (202) 328-7950

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David H. SHINN
embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa
mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa
telephone: [251] (1) 550666
FAX: [251] (1) 552191

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow,
and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from
the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the
three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and
the colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African
countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African
colors

@Ethiopia:Economy

Economy-overview: Ethiopia remains one of the poorest and least
developed countries in the world. Its economy is based on agriculture,
which accounts for more than half of GDP, 90% of exports, and 80% of
total employment; coffee generates 60% of export earnings. The
agricultural sector suffers from frequent periods of drought, poor
cultivation practices, and deterioration of internal security
conditions. The manufacturing sector is heavily dependent on inputs
from the agricultural sector. Over 90% of large-scale industry, but
less than 10% of agriculture, is state-run. The government is
considering selling off a portion of state-owned plants and is
implementing reform measures that are gradually liberalizing the
economy. A major medium-term problem is the improvement of roads,
water supply, and other parts of an infrastructure badly neglected
during years of civil strife.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$29 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 5% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$530 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 55%
industry: 12%
services: 33% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 0% (1996 est.)

Labor force:
total: NA
by occupation: agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, government and
services 12%, industry and construction 8% (1985)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $1.48 billion, including capital expenditures of $415
million (FY96/97)

Industries: food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals,