The Wonders of the Horn of
Africa
Ethiopia, formerly called
Abyssinia, is one of
the oldest countries in the world. Perched atop
Africa’s
highest plateau, the country is protected by forbidding deserts and tropical
lowlands. In this mountainous isolation Ethiopians developed a written language
and a sophisticated culture based on a deep love of religion.
Ethiopia's Orthodox Church predates the
Vatican
and is one of the oldest continuously Christian churches in the world. The very
first Muslims, facing persecution in
Mecca, were
granted refuge in
Ethiopia
and established places of worship before Islam triumphed in its birth place in
the
Arabian peninsula.
Ethiopia has a fascinating and rich
history. Ethiopian legends claim that the
Axumite
Kingdom dates back to when the Queen
of Sheba ruled the land, and that
Ethiopia’s
first king, Menelik I, was the son of this queen and King Solomon of
Israel.
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