Ethiopia lies between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn. Its area is 1,112,000 square Kilometers. Most parts of it are elevated plateau rising from 2100 - 4400 meters. It is divided into climate regions marked as Depression" which at some points descends more than 90 meters below sea level. Majestic mountains, imposing peaks, alluring and glamorous gorges, ravishing tablelands, verdant pasturelands, luxuriant tropical regions and the magnificent Rift Valley are some of its physical formations. Splendid landscapes sparsely wooded semi-desert tracts, tremendous and unfamiliar physical relief and the infrequent wilderness are some of the captivating, astonishing and outlandish attractions that Ethiopia offers. As a land of great physical contrast, its different territories are scenic and awe-inspiring. The innumerable, magnificent crater lakes characterized by their aquatic life, the alarming abysses, the interweaving rivers, the enticing and graceful waterfalls, the extraordinary Savannah, the unusual wild domains and the uncommon natural phenomena in some parts of this bounteous country are mystery-shrouded and bizarre. Fascinating as the Ethiopian history might be, even more so is its less known pre-history. The discovery in Ethiopia in 1974 of a 3.3 million year fossilized skeleton of a distinct human being has confirmed the long-standing assumption that mankind originated in Africa (Ethiopia). It has also proved since 1994 that Ethiopia is the origin of man's earliest ancestry Ardipithecus Ramidus dating back to 4.4 million years. Scientists have confirmed that the skeleton was the remains of a woman whom they, somewhat romantically, christened as Lucy. The cradle of mankind with a recorded history of 3000 years! Mosaic of unique cultures and home of the world's rarest animal and bird life. The history of Ethiopia, as the story of the interaction of diverse groups on one side and their collective response to an external challenge on the other has fascinated generations of scholars. A prominent Italian scholar, Conti Rossini, described Ethiopia as museo dei popoli, the museum of peoples or, as we say nowadays, "a land of nations and nationalities."... ....Click on map for blow up version       ..