Facts About Ethiopia

Ethiopian delicacy

Ethiopia is located in the horn and/or east of Africa. It is a nation full of geology and geography. It is a nation with authentic places where you can be much closer to nature. It covers a total area of 1,112,000 km2. It shares boundary with Kenya, Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and Eritrea.
Being the cradle of mankind, Ethiopia is referred in every turning page of books on human evolution. Fossil findings begging with the ape like hominid to early Home sapiens proved that Ethiopia rift system is where it all began. Lucy at 3.2 million years old fossil young female, Selam, a  fossil of 3 million years old female baby which is younger than Lucy and with the discovery of the first stone tools ever made by human beings are very few examples of the treasures in human evolution. But also there is new discovered fossil called Ardi.
There are about 83 nations, nationalities and people and as diverse as their back ground are their customs, languages and traditions. For all their exotic diversity the people of Ethiopia are united in their singular beauty and grace and in their infections sense of friendless and gaiety. Its people are welcoming and is a nation where smiling has still a meaning. It is a nation where travelers enjoy their every glance experiencing flashing smiles of people.
Ethiopia is the wonderland is land of verities, extremities, and uniqueness, freedom, colorful culture, religions, legends etc. Natural beauty and much more things which blooms Ethiopia to the public as a country so much to be told, a lot to be heard and still many more to be seen about. All proven with live testimonial ravels and still intact rocky seals.
Ethiopia ranks 3rd in population size from Africa with a population number of around 80 million tribal groups whom speak different languages and got their own cultural code. The cultural variation, which is a result of immense tribal differences, could be seen between every individual tribe.
Being rich in culture and speak different dialects, Ethiopia stands the only nation in Africa claims to have its own language and related  alphabet “ Amharic” is the language and “Geez” is the root of the alphabet. Ethiopian lakes lead to build the 1st Christian church on the soil of Africa.
 To the northern Ethiopia is found the town Axum with its former glory. Here is where the Axum Zion St. Merry church, the 1st on the Africa soil (4th C. A.D) is found. Also it’s in here that the famous pre Axumite obelisks are found. It is believed the erection of these obelisks dated back (300-200 BC). It’s in here that the tallest fallen (33.3ms) obelisks are found. These structures are the tallest structures on earth carved out of a singles rock. The 12th century founded town of Lalibela located north west of Ethiopia, possessed the extraordinary   carved rock hewn churches during the reign of king Lalibela (1181- 1221 A.D ). This eleven rock- hewn churches are proposed to be the 9th wonder of the world by the UNESCO. The town of castles, Gondar, 17th C.A.D Ethiopian capital has a great historic significance. It’s a place where king Fasiledas took strong attempt to relocate the former tradition of building a permanent capital. Same was to signify the power of the dynasty by building the glorious castles as the steles stood for Axumite and the Lialibela rock hewn churches to the Zagwe dynasties. To the medieval period churches bets example is “Debre Birhan Selassie” which adds up to Gondar’s churches. South wards, the rift valley system is another ground touch where bunches of other attractions are sited.
The rift valley lakes which are more than 6 in number, home of mass bird and marine life. As they are paradise for natural lovers, water sport is also frequented on some of these beautiful lakes. National parks with their exotic bird, animal and plant life adds up to the beauty of the rift beautiful land scape and extreme nature made features are also the most enjoyable components make up the system. Salt lakes, active volcano sites and caravan routes still are among Ethiopia’s great attractions sighted in the rift valley.
Further south is the Omo Valley with its popular ethnic treasures. And a pace where about 50% of the total Ethiopia’s ethnic groups resided. It’s a part of the country where ethnicities observed with unique cultural practices. Among the Konso people with being rich in culture and speak different languages and got their own culture.

Their terracing agricultural practices and rituals the Mursi people, exceptional with their lip clay plates and barbarian life style and the Hamer people with their body painting, bull jumping ceremony to qualify for adulthood and the Karo people with their body painting and adornment excellence can be mentioned.
It’s general different world where supper attraction traits such as folk, music, rituals married, burial and other more practices are observed in their genuine manner.
Ethiopia is the 4th largest biodiversity zone in the world with verities of flora and fauna. There are 823 species of birds of which 16 are endemic and 277 species of mammals of which 7 are endemic. And all these are scattered over the country’s parks, game reserves and sanctuaries. This makes Ethiopia one of the best destinations for birding tour and wildlife safaris.
Ethiopia also owns nine worlds heritage sites named as Axum Obelisk, the rock hewn churches of Lalibela, the Semien Mountains National Park, the Castles of Gondar, Paleontological sites of the Lower Omo Valley and Middle Awash Valley, the Pre historical site of Tiya, the Walled city of Harar(Jogole) and  the Konso Land Scape.Travelling in Ethiopia is like traveling in space and time where legend history, culture and nature were orchestrated to please it has a unique set of tourism resources that make it an exotic and Africa’s kept secret. Ethiopia offers all these attractions for the tourist world and Alpha Tour and Travel Agency and Fountain Safaris present them all with a professional manner in different packages.
(c) Alpha Tour and Travel Agency