10 Interesting Facts about Ethiopia

Added by khethiwe qotyana
7 years ago

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From the world's oldest human fossil to virgin priests who claim they guard the Ark of the Covenant, Ethiopia boasts a unique treasure of history and culture. Learn more about this stunning country with these interesting Ethiopia facts.

1) The name “Ethiopia” comes from the Greek words aitho and ops, which together mean “burnt face.” The ancient Greeks believed that the Sun fell on Ethiopia, burning the inhabitants and creating the deserts.

2) In some parts of Ethiopia, wearing a large disc in the lower lip is considered beautiful.

3) Thirteen percent of Ethiopian children, or about 4.6 million, are missing one or both parents. Nearly a quarter of these parents have been lost in the AIDS epidemic.

4) Ethiopian Christians claim that the Ark of the Covenant is in a chapel in a small town in Aksum, Ethiopia. Virgin monks guard the chapel and are forbidden to set foot outside the chapel grounds until they die

5. Ethiopian distance runner Abebe Bikila was the first black African to win the gold medal in the Olympic Marathon in 1960. He ran the race barefooted.

6. Raw meat is considered a delicacy in Ethiopia.

7. Ethiopia is mentioned 40 times in the Bible, and it is one of the few countries mentioned in the Bible, the Koran, Homer’s Odyssey, and many other ancient books.

8. The earliest instance of human ancestors using tools has been traced to Ethiopia.

9. The oldest human skeleton ever discovered was unearthed in Ethiopia in 1974. Nicknamed “Lucy,” the skeleton is over 3.2 million years old.

10. Ethiopia is the only country in Africa that has never been formally colonized.

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