Ethiopia Internet Case Study

the equator and to the fact that most

integration, and at the same time

of the country lies at some

creates additional need for improved

1,500 metres above sea level. The

electronic communications. Only

territory can be divided into three

21 per cent of the road network is

main climatic zones: the cool zone,

paved, with few interconnecting links

where the temperature ranges from

between adjacent regions and an

zero to 16 degrees Celsius, the

undeveloped feeder road network.  As

temperate zone, where most of the

a result, large parts of Ethiopia are

population lives, which is typically

isolated and dependent on pack

situated at between 1,500 and

animals for transport.  A basic rail

2,600 metres with average

service links Addis Abeba with Djibouti

temperatures of around 20 to

via the eastern Ethiopian city of Dire

25 degrees, and the hot zone, mostly

Dawa.  Passenger and cargo air

located in north east and south

transport services are provided by

eastern lowlands, where the climate

Ethiopian Airlines.  Its international

is tropical and arid. The rainy season

flights link the country with 43 cities

is from April to September. However,

on three continents, and its domestic

there are many semi desert areas and

service links 38 airfields and

the country has a history of severe

21 landing strips with Addis Abeba.

drought.  The last drought took place

in 2000, and was considered one of

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Demography

the worst droughts of the last

15 years. It affected more than eight

The first census in the country was

million people in Ethiopia, causing

carried out in 1984, when the

severe famine and starvation in the

population amounted to some

country as a whole, with the worst of

42 million inhabitants, including

the devastation affecting the

Eritreans. In 1994, the date of the

lowlands.

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second census, there were about

49.22 million inhabitants (excluding

Transport is another major problem

Eritrea). The growth rate of the last

in Ethiopia. The country has the lowest

ten years has been on average 2.7 per

road density per capita in the world.

cent a year, and in 2001 the population

The poor development of this sector

was estimated at about 65.4 million

has hampered economic development

inhabitants,

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 making the country the

and remains an obstacle to economic

third most populous in Africa.

Table 1: Population indicators

1997

1998

1999

Total population

59'750'000

61'266'000

67'782'000

Population, female (% of total)

50

50

50

Rural population

84%

83%

83%

Population growth

2.57%

2.51%

2.44%

Illiteracy rate, adult total

65%

64%

63%

Population density

60

61

63

Age distribution

Population ages 0 14, total

27'587'526

28'410'646

29'184'940

Population ages 15 64, total

30'516'592

31'217'890

31'855'770

Population ages 65 and above, total

1'637'536

1'630'742

1'617'957

Source: World Development Indicators, World Bank.

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