POPULATION:	30,570,000,
LITERACY RATE:	40%
SELF DEFENSE FORCES:	Ethiopian National Military, Ethiopian Liberation Army, US Armed Forces, EDF,
LANGUAGES:	Amharic (official), Tigrinya, Orominga, Guaraginga, Somali, Arabic, English (major foreign language taught in schools)
ETHNIC GROUPS:	Ahmaric, Gamo-gofa-darraw, Gurage, Haddiya, Kambaata, Oromo, Sidamo, Somali, Tigrinya, Wolaytta,
BORDERING COUNTRIES:	Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan

ETHIOPIA-For a long time Ethiopia was one of the poorest countries in the world, in the 1980's its poverty had reached such a scale that international aid efforts culminated in the "We Are The World" campaign, and several other such projects.  Public outcry and donations from all over the world were akin to putting a bandaid on an amputated arm.  In the mid 80's the troubles in Ethiopia were forgotten by much of the world and once again the country was primarily on its own.

Then the wasting plague hit, and decimated the country.  Ethiopia sick and hungry stood no chance against the new disease, and most died off.  In fact well over half the population of Ethiopia fell victim to the plague, including the ruling parties and much of the military.  Elections were held and Saliman Kudarfa was elected president.  What followed was the rebuilding of the country.  Kudarfa decides to put the majority of the countries money towards construction, agriculture, and irrigation.  He also begins to implement a plan to educate his people, who had before had one of the lowest literacy rates in all of the world.  The people love Kudarfa, he is humble and fair, and devotes himself to bettering his country.  Ethiopia begins a period of prosperity undreamed of by most of its people.  There was food and clean water for everyone, his education reforms and construction put the country back on its feet.  He also reopened positive relations with the west, and trade once again began to flow.  In a radical move he swept the military clean, down sizing it drastically.  The people loved him, his military did not and began planning to overthrow him.

Then a miracle happened, the rains came, ending decades long draught.  While there was extensive flooding the people were overjoyed.  It rained for 3 weeks straight, and almost overnight new plant species buried and forgotten in the sand began to sprout.  When the rains finally stopped Ethiopia was joyous, and its people openly sang in the streets.  In the more remote tribes and villages stories began to spread of Kudarfa wondrous powers, they attributed the rains to him and anything else positive that happened was obviously his work.

For fifteen years Ethiopia prospered under the rule of Kudarfa, then in 2016 disaster struck.  Returning from a trade meeting with Egyptian leaders his plane mysteriously crashed in the mountains west of Debre Mark'os.  The nation went into uproar, open rioting in the streets followed by a week of national mourning.  With the loss of their beloved leader the country wept openly on the streets, his funeral was attended by millions.  Kudarfa military advisor General Vincent Tokua stepped in as president amidst the confusion.  What followed was a despicable display of greed and power.  Almost overnight the military doubled in size, money stopped flowing to the people and filled instead the generals pockets.  A huge complex was built for Tokua, from the outside it was a fortress, inside it filled with opulence, including art and relics confiscated from museums.  When the people protested he implemented a military regime, and soldiers began patrolling the streets with orders to kill at the slightest signs of uprising.  People are killed by the hundreds, mostly demonstrators and political rivals.  Every bit as much as Kudarfa was loved, was Tokua despised.  The people, including factions in the military openly rebel.  After a week long campaign the presidential complex is overrun, President Tokua is drug through the streets, tortured and killed by the angry mob.  From here two factions attempt to seize control, a group of military hard-liners and reformists begin a civil war and the once peaceful Ethiopia becomes a warzone.  The two factions battle it out relentlessly, depleting themselves completely.  When it is over Ethiopia is in shambles without any leadership at all.  Both sides petition for help, with the west appealing to the U.S., and the East to the EEC.  There is initial conflict between the U.S. and EDF troops, however neither nation wants to commit to all out war so the country is split in half, a tenuous border is drawn dividing the country cleanly.    The border is not easily defined however, and brief skirmishes between U.S. and EDF troops still occur.  The primary cause of this is due to refugee's from one side trying to cross the ill defined border.  Both sides still want and fight for complete control of the country, though armed conflict is restricted to the temporary border.  Which side will gain control is unsure, however leaders from both the U.S. and the EEC are advising that the country officially split itself into two separate countries.  Unfortunately debate over the border continues and only time will tell the outcome of these negotiations.

Ethiopia has a rich and bountiful history, it is one of the earliest christian countries, it also contains a wealth of archeological and paleantological information.  Its architectural wonders include 800 year old churches carved from solid stone, cliff side monasteries, carved stone towers that resemble skyscrapers, its walled desert town of Harer and its holy Christian shrine of Lalibela.  The country is neither Arabic nor African, but mixes both evenly.  Its high mountains and low grassland plains and deserts make up most of the country.  It is lettered with lakes and still uncharted rivers, and outside the es it appears the country has changed little in the past 2000 years.  Tribesmen still carry spears as their primary weapon, lions, hippo's and crocodiles still rule the country.