Country explorer: Ethiopia

Ethiopia has exhibited significant economic growth, marked by substantial increases in GDP per capita, improved poverty distribution thresholds, a gradual reduction in unemployment rates, and managed inflation, positioning itself as a distinctive model of development among low-income countries.

Ethiopia has experienced significant demographic changes, symbolized by a substantial population increase, a moderate yet consistent reduction in fertility rates, an oscillation in net migration, and a noteworthy improvement in life expectancy, reflecting broader developmental and health improvements common among its sub-Saharan peers yet remarkable in its scale and pace.

Ethiopia has experienced modest increases in access to clean cooking fuels, electricity, safely managed drinking water, and sanitation, albeit from a very low base, demonstrating a gradual but significant improvement in meeting basic needs compared to the slower progress in some of its low-income peers.

Ethiopia has shown significant advancement in human development as evidenced by improvements in the Human Development Index, marked reductions in child mortality, gradual increases in literacy rates, and enhanced learning-adjusted years of schooling, distinguishing it as a nation making considerable strides compared to many of its peers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Ethiopia has experienced notable environmental transformations, reflected by a significant shift towards renewable energy sources, notably hydroelectric power, while maintaining a stable per capita CO2 emission rate compared to its peers, despite fluctuations in land-use change emissions and amidst challenges of decreasing freshwater resources per capita and slight forest area reduction.

Ethiopia has shown notable progress in technology and innovation, demonstrated by increased internet usage from virtually non-existent to 24% of the population, rapidly growing mobile phone subscriptions, a surge in scientific publications per million people, and an investment in research and development, highlighting its commitment to integrating technology in societal development, akin to trends observed in similar low-income countries.

Ethiopia has experienced a substantial decline in gender inequality and a significant shift in its demographic structure, mirroring improvements in life satisfaction amidst a low share of the population born abroad, highlighting a unique blend of societal transformation and steadfast cultural identity.

Ethiopia has experienced notable fluctuations in governance indicators, suggesting periods of both improvement and decline in the rule of law, corruption perception, political civil liberties, and press freedom, which is indicative of the complex and dynamic nature of its political landscape compared to its more stable or uniformly trending peers.