ETHIOPIA

Early 2025, the population of Ethiopia is projected to be around 135 million
people. Ethiopia's population is expected to continue to grow in the coming decades. By
2050, the population is expected to reach 188 million. 

Ethiopia has been experiencing a significant crisis, primarily centered around the
ongoing conflict in the Tigray region which began in late 2020, causing widespread
displacement, food insecurity, and a major humanitarian crisis across the northern parts
of the country; the conflict, combined with recurring droughts in southern Ethiopia, has
created a complex and severe situation with millions in need of aid. According to the
Human Right Watch on the 2024 report, the human rights situation in Ethiopia remained
precarious, with government security forces, militias, and non-state armed groups
responsible for systematic abuses, with impunity remaining the norm.

In August, clashes between the Ethiopian military and militias in the Amhara region
escalated, resulting in hundreds of civilian deaths and injuries, the destruction of civilian
infrastructure, and displacement. In response, the federal government passed a
sweeping state of emergency for the region, but in practice, its provisions have been
applied throughout the country.

A November 2022 cessation of hostilities agreement between the federal government
and Tigrayan authorities, two of the main warring parties to the conflict in northern
Ethiopia, ended active fighting in the Tigray region. However, serious rights abuses

against civilians in Tigray continued throughout the year, notably in Western,
Northwestern, and Eastern Tigray Zones.

As of September, there were 2.9 million internally displaced people in Ethiopia due to
conflict and over 141,000 Ethiopian refugees and asylum seekers in neighboring
countries, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). 
Journalists, civil society organizations, and outspoken public figures faced an
increasingly hostile and restrictive reporting environment.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Ethiopia faced online
harassment and physical attacks. The Addis Ababa Peace and Security Administration
Bureau said it was taking action “against institutions where homosexual acts are carried
out,” such as hotels and other businesses, following massive online reporting.
Consensual same-sex relationships are outlawed and carry a penalty of up to 15 years
in prison. However, Government efforts toward accountability for past and ongoing
abuses, including atrocities carried out during the conflict in northern Ethiopia, have
been inadequate and lacked transparency and independent oversight.

In Ethiopia today, there is significant religious tension, primarily between the majority
Ethiopian Orthodox Christian population and Muslim communities, with recent violent
clashes reported in areas like Gondar, stemming from factors like the expansion of
Protestant Christianity, a more assertive Muslim population, and concerns about the
Ethiopian Orthodox Church losing influence, particularly amidst political turmoil in the
country; this tension often manifests as inter-communal violence and property damage.

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In 2024, political tension in Ethiopia muted the celebration of the Orthodox Christian
epiphany, known as Timkat. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is one of the oldest
churches in the world. 

• Ethiopia has been torn by violence, including conflicts in the Tigray, Amhara, and Oromia regions. 

• The war in Tigray, which lasted from 2020 to 2022, killed between 400,000 and 600,000 people. 

• The Amhara region has seen fighting between Fano militiamen and the Ethiopian army. 

• Many churches have been attacked and destroyed, and even those seeking refuge in churches were not safe from violence. 

• The Tigray region is threatened by acute food insecurity, the final warning level before famine. 

• Christianity is the most numerous religion in Ethiopia, with adherents forming 67.3% of the population. 

• Islam is the second largest religion in Ethiopia, with 31.5% of the population identifying as Muslim. 

• There is also a longstanding but small Ethiopian Jewish community.

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To address Ethiopia's major problems, key solutions include: promoting inclusive
political reforms, tackling widespread poverty through economic development initiatives,
improving access to basic services like healthcare and education, implementing
sustainable agricultural practices to combat food insecurity, addressing climate change
impacts, and prioritizing conflict resolution through dialogue and diplomacy to foster
ethnic harmony; all while focusing on empowering local communities and building
strong institutions to ensure long-term stability. 

Ethiopia has experienced religious violence and tension between religious groups,
including Christians, Muslims, and Orthodox Christians.

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