Travel the World - Week 38

This is the 38th week in my Travel the World personal challenge. Each week I am randomly choosing one country (there are 195 countries in the world) and doing a little research on that country. I then select one tidbit of information about the country as inspiration for the card I make.

This week's country is...

Ethiopia

Ethiopia is also known as the “Horn of Africa.”

Ethiopia is among the oldest countries on the planet, having been established in 980 B.C.

About 70% of the mountains of Africa are in this country.

The Simien Mountains National Park in Northern Ethiopia is an exotic setting with unique wildlife and breath-taking views. 

Ethiopia is the second most-populous country in Africa, with a population of over 90 million people by 2015. It is second to Nigeria, which had a population of over 174 million people by 2013.

Over 80 languages are spoken in this country. English is the language of instruction in institutions of higher learning. 

Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, is the highest capital city in Africa. It is also the world's fourth highest capital city.

For centuries, Ethiopians have mined the salt deposits in the Afar region. Today, workers cut slabs of salt and pack them onto camels and donkeys where they are transported across the desert to be sold at markets.

Ownership of cattle confers great social status. Traditionally, if a herdsman owns more than 1,000 head, he is entitled to wear a crown.

When Ethiopians greet each other, they shake hands and gently knock their shoulders together, which is known as the “fighters’ salute” and traditionally was used as a greeting between those who fought in the Derg.

Ethiopia is a country full of vibrant and colourful festivals. The biggest, Timket, is a three-day annual festival that honours the baptism of Jesus Christ in the river Jordan. 

Ethiopians celebrate their new year on September 11. They call it Enkutatash.

Buhe is the Ethiopian version of Halloween and occurs on August 19 each year. On that night, groups of boys go from house to house singing songs until they are given handfuls of bread to eat. In the cities, the boys are given money when they are done performing.

At 75-feet high, the Aksum Obelisk has windows and entryways, and could be viewed as the world’s first high rise.

Ethiopians have one of the lowest life expectancies in the world. Current figures estimate that women can expect to live for about 50 years, and men for about 48 years.

Thirteen percent of Ethiopian children are missing one or both parents. Nearly a quarter of these parents have been lost in the AIDS epidemic.

One of the more tragic facts about Ethiopia is that the country suffered from horrific famines in 1973 and 1984, when hundreds of thousands of people starved to death. The country still regularly suffers from droughts caused by poor infrastructure, political instability and an extremely dry climate.

Ethiopian cooking is some of the tastiest, healthiest and most diverse cuisine on the continent. And, unlike many African countries, it’s a haven for vegetarians. The simple reason for this is that most Ethiopians follow a particular strand of Orthodox Christianity that prohibits the eating of any animal products on Wednesdays and Fridays. 

Ethiopia is home to the world’s rarest canid and Africa’s most threatened carnivore: the Ethiopian wolf. Fewer than 500 remain in the wild.

Donkeys and camels were first domesticated in Ethiopia.

The Great Rift Valley cuts through Ethiopia from northeast to south of the country and is the only physical feature of Africa that it visible from space.

Lucy, a human fossil believed to have existed over 3 million years ago, was found in the Great Rift Valley in Ethiopia in 1974. She was named after the Beatles’ song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” which was playing on the radio at the time she was found.

Children in Ethiopia take their father’s first name as their last name. They (parents and children) do not share their last name.

It is illegal in Ethiopia for a boy or a girl to get married before the age of 18. However, this rule is seldom enforced. In fact, two out of every five girls are married before their 18th birthday, and nearly one out of five girls marries before the age of 15.

In Ethiopia, it is considered impolite to refuse a cup of coffee.

I decided to let this Ethiopia fact be the inspiration for this week's card... Coffee was discovered in Ethiopia, in the Kaffa region. A shepherd discovered this famous beverage when his goats ate the leaves and became restless.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: Penny Black Saying a Latte stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections 110# White and SU Cameo Coral and Early Espresso CS and DP from my scrap file

Embellishments: Paper Studio Mini Brads and Ribbon from an unknown vendor