The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (
Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik) is a nation of northeastern
Africa. Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, one exception being the
Italian occupation of 1936-41. In
1974 a military junta, the Derg
?, deposed Emperor [Haile SELASSIE]
? (who had ruled since
1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled by a coalition of rebel forces, the [Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front]
? (EPRDF), in
1991. A constitution was adopted in
1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in
1995. A border war with
Eritrea that erupted in May 1998 has strengthened the ruling coalition, but has hurt the nation's economy.
The capital is [Addis Ababa]?.