Part 236

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President NEGASSO Gidada (since NA August 1995) elected by the Council of People's Representatives following the elections of legislators in May and June 1995 head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August 1995) designated by the party in power, EPRDF, following the elections of legislators in May and June 1995 cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided in the December 1994 constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and approved by the Council of People's Representatives

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature Federal Council: upper chamber, having NA members, represents the ethnic interests of the regional governments and is elected by the regional assemblies Council of People's Representatives: lower chamber, having 550 members, elected by popular vote note: both bodies have five-year terms of office; regional and national popular elections were held in May and June 1995; results - EPRDF swept nearly all seats

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are elected by the national legislature

Political parties and leaders: Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), MELES Zenawi

Other political or pressure groups: Oromo Liberation Front (OLF); All Amhara People's Organization; Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic Coalition; numerous small, ethnic-based groups have formed since MENGISTU'S resignation, including several Islamic militant groups

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador BERHANE Gebre-Christos chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 234-2281, 2282 FAX: (202) 328-7950

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Irvin HICKS embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa telephone: (1) 550666 FAX: (1) 552191

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors

Economy -------

Economic overview: Ethiopia continues to face difficult economic problems as one of the poorest and least developed countries in Africa. Its economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for about half of GDP, 90% of exports, and 80% of total employment; coffee generates 60% of export earnings. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent periods of drought, poor cultivation practices, and deterioration of internal security conditions. The manufacturing sector is heavily dependent on inputs from the agricultural sector. Over 90% of large-scale industry, but less than 10% of agriculture, is state-run. The government is considering selling off a portion of state-owned plants and is implementing reform measures that are gradually liberalizing the economy. A major medium-term problem is the improvement of roads, water supply, and other parts of an infrastructure badly neglected during years of civil strife.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $24.2 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 2.7% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $400 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 48% industry: 15% services: 37% (1993 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (FY93/94)

Labor force: 18 million by occupation: agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, government and services 12%, industry and construction 8% (1985)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $1.2 billion expenditures: $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $707 million (FY93/94)

Industries: food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing, cement

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity: capacity: 460,000 kW production: 1.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 23 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, other vegetables; hides, cattle, sheep, goats

Illicit drugs: transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (chat) for local use and regional export

Exports: $296 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: coffee, leather products, gold partners: Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, France, Italy

Imports: $972 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: capital goods, consumer goods, fuel partners: US, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Japan

External debt: $3.7 billion (1993 est.)