The history of humanity begins in Ethiopia. Approx. 3.5 millions years ago Ethiopia was the first country in the world to be settled. The skeleton of Lucy, discovered in 1974, is considered to be the “missing link” between apes and humans.

Trade with the advanced Egyptian culture was already recorded by historians in 3000 BC. The Egyptians bought incense, myrrh, gold, ivory and slaves into the former Abyssinia. Much earlier than in the western world, since 330 AD, the Christian belief was the state religion.

Emperor Haile Selassie led Ethiopia 1930 into independence and successfully opposed the claims to power of the United Kingdom and Italy. Ethiopia remained the only country that was never completely conquered by colonial masters. The Emperor was deposed in 1974 and the new State President Mengistu Haile Mariam founded a Marxist People’s Republic under Soviet protection.

A conflict had been smouldering in the provinces of Eritrea and Tigray since 1962. In the fight against the Mengistu regime this became a bloody civil war. In 1991 Mengistu was forced to flee and by way of thanks the new Prime Minister Meles Zenawi gave Eritrea its independence in 1993. Political and economic reforms were carried out and in 1994 Ethiopia, as a federal republic with 14 regions, received a constitution along German lines.