The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project is localising the interface for its XO laptop for Ethiopia, particularly in Amharic. See: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Ethiopian_Setup

Ethiopic (also called Ge'ez in Eritrea is used for Amharic and Tigrinya. The Arabic script is used for Arabic. The Latin script is used for some other languages. [verify and also if it uses extended characters]

Ethiopic (also called Ge'ez in Eritrea is used for Amharic and Tigrinya. The Arabic script is used for Arabic. The Latin script is used for other languages. [verify and also if it uses extended characters]

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 3, shortwave 1 (2001) (CIA)

"Although Ethiopia was active in developing a national ICT policy for sometime, it has remained one of the slowest in terms of translating policy efforts into concrete actions." (UNECA/AISI)

ICT policy / Politique de TIC

"In recent years, the government of Ethiopia has tried to take advantage of ICTs in a bid to accelerate the rate of economic growth. To this end, it is conducting multi-sectoral projects. The objective of these projects is to deliver IP-based services through the use of broadband terrestrial and VSAT (satellite) infrastructure." (Chekol in GISW 2007)

Language policy / Politique de langue

"The ICT sector in Ethiopia is still characterised by a low penetration of services, including fixed-line telephones and mobile and internet services." (Chekol in GISW 2007)

[[ICT policy] / Politique de TIC

"In recent years, the government of Ethiopia has tried to take advantage of ICTs in a bid to accelerate the rate of economic growth. To this end, it is conducting multi-sectoral projects.[3] The objective of these projects is to deliver IP-based services through the use of broadband terrestrial and VSAT (satellite) infrastructure." (Chekol in GISW 2007)

Chekol, Abebe. "Ethiopia." Global Information Society Watch (GISW) 2007 Report http://globaliswatch.org/en/node/460

Information on Ethiopia's NICI (National Information and Communications Infrastructure) policy process is available via

"Although Ethiopia was active in developing a national ICT policy for sometime, it has remained one of the slowest in terms of translating policy efforts into concrete actions." (UNECA/AISI)

Information on Ethiopia's NICI (National Information and Communications Infrastructure) policy process is available via

• http://www.uneca.org/aisi/nici/Ethiopia/ethiopia.htm
• http://www.uneca.org/aisi/nici/country_profiles/ethiopia/ethiopol.htm

UNECA/AISI (2005?) "NICI Country Pages: Ethiopia" http://www.uneca.org/aisi/nici/Ethiopia/ethiopia.htm

U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), "The World Factbook: Ethiopia" https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/et.html

WikiEducator, "ICT4Africa/Country Report Ethiopia," http://www.wikieducator.org/ICT4Africa/Country_Report_Ethiopia

Wikipedia, "Communications in Ethiopia," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_in_Ethiopia

______, "Languages of Ethiopia," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Ethiopia

• Telephones - main lines in use: 740,250 (2006) (Wikipedia)

• Telephones - mobile cellular:
  • 410,600 (2005) (CIA)
  • 178 000 (2005) (Wikipedia)

• Internet hosts :
  • 88 (2006) (CIA)
  • 86 on .et domain (ISC 2007)

Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) is the telecommunications company.

Ethiopian Information and Communication Technology Development Agency (EICTDA):

• Home page http://www.eictda.gov.et/
• ICT Policy http://www.eictda.gov.et/Downloads/Policies/ICT_Policy_English.pdf

WikiEducator has a page on ICTs and education, including table on enabling and constraining factors, at http://www.wikieducator.org/ICT4Africa/Country_Report_Ethiopia

• Fixed lines:
  • Telephone mainlines: 4 per 1000 people (APC)
  • Telephones - main lines in use: 610,300 (2005) (CIA)
• Mobile subscriptions:
  • 98,000 (0.1 per 100 people) (ITU 2004 cited in Vodafone 2005)
  • Telephones - mobile cellular: 410,600 (2005) (CIA)
  • GSM companies & coverage : http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_er.shtml

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001) (CIA)

• International internet bandwidth / Bande passante internationale d'internet :
• ISPs / FSI :
• Internet hosts : 88 (2006) (CIA)
• Geographic coverage / Couverture géographique :

Localisation policy / Politique de localisation

UNDP (2006) gives a literacy figure (without reference to which language[s]) of: 42%

UNESCO (1985) reported the following periodicals (name, frequency of publication, circulation, language). Updated information is needed:

• Addis-Zemen, daily, 30,000, Amharic
• Hibret, daily, 1,700, Tigrigna
• Berissa, weekly, 2,000, Oromigna
• Ethiopia, weekly, 2,000, Amharic
• Serto Ader, weekly, 30,000, Amharic
• Yezareyitu, weekly, 30,000, Amharic
• Dimitse Tewahido, fortnightly, Amharic
• Policena Ermyaw, fortnightly, Amharic
• Tatek, fortnightly, Amharic
• Yekatit, monthly, -, Amharic/English
• Meskekem, quarterly, 2,500, Amharic

According to Article 5 of the constitution (as shown in Aménagement linguistique) Amharic is the "working language" of government. In the same article, all languages are equally acknowledged by the state. (Technically then there is no "official language" but apparently Amharic serves this role de facto since it is the working language of government.)

Each state may choose a working language (Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromo, Afar, Somali, Harar). Aménagement linguistique features a table showing which languages have been chosen where.

• Amharic: 33% (including second language speakers)
• Oromo (Southern, Eastern, West-Central): 26%
• Somali: 5%
• Tigrigna: 5%
• Sidamo (Sidama): 3%

• Afar: 2%
• Gurage (East): 2%

• Gurage (West): 1%

Ethnologue says that Amharic is used in "education to seventh grade in many areas."

According to Dutcher (2004), "Regional languages are the media of instruction for primary education. English is the medium of instruction for secondary and higher education. Both English and Amharic are taught as subjects from Grade 1."

< Eritrea | Countries | Gabon >

• Ethiopian Free and Open Source Software Network (EFOSSNET) http://www.efossnet.org/

(:toc:)

Language information / Données sur les langues

Languages spoken / Langues parlées

a) Official / Officielle(s) :

b) National, indigenous / Nationale(s), indigène(s) :

c) Relevant pages in the Major Languages section of this report / Pages appropriées dans la section de ce rapport sur les Langues principales :

Policy / Politique

a) Laws/legislation / Lois/législation :

b) Agencies / Agences :

c) Languages in education/literacy / Langues dans l'éducation/l'alphabétisation :

UNDP (2006) gives a literacy figure (without reference to which language[s]) of: 42%

Writing in national/indigenous languages / Ecriture en langues nationales/indigènes

a) Orthographies / Orthographes :

b) Print publications / Editions imprimées :

Other comments / Autre commentaire

ICT situation / Situation des TIC

Infrastructure / Infrastructure

a) Telephones / Téléphones :

• Fixed lines: Telephone mainlines: 4 per 1000 people (APC)
• Mobile subscriptions: 98,000 (0.1 per 100 people) (ITU 2004 cited in Vodafone 2005)

b) Radio stations / Stations de radio :

c) Connectivity / Connectivité :

Computer & internet access / Accès aux ordinateurs et à l'internet

a) Computers & points of access / Ordinateurs et lieux d'accès :

• Number of computers / Nombre d'ordinateurs: 1.1 per 1000 people (APC)
• Cybercafés / Cybercafés:
  • "Hundreds of village telephone kiosks (souks) have been operating for over 20 years, providing telephone services 'illegally' because they were contravening the policy that makes ETC the sole provider of telephone services." (Towards an African e-Index)
  • "Internet cyber cafés began to appear on the scene in 2000 and their numbers have been growing in the capital and spreading throughout the country. Like village kiosks, cyber cafés were originally discouraged because they were contravening the policy that makes ETC the sole provider of ICT services. ... Despite the poor quality of the dial-up connection, which in itself is shared among five to six cyber café users, there has been a considerable increase in the usage of cyber cafés, particularly by visitors to Ethiopia, people with relatives outside of the country and students." (Towards an African e-Index)
• Project telecentres / Télécentres de projets:
  • "Despite efforts by institutions like the British Council, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Organization de la Francophonie to introduce pilot community centres throughout the country, Ethiopia has limited experience of public telecentres." (Towards an African e-Index)

b) Internet / Internet :

c) Other / Autre :

• Digital Opportunity Index (DOI): 0.09 (ITU 2006)

Policy / Politique

The APC page, "ICT Policy in Ethiopia" has some information and links: http://rights.apc.org/africa/index.shtml?apc=s21841e_1

ICT4D/E & ICT training / TIC pour le développement/éducation, et formation en TIC

Resources / Ressources

Localisation situation / Situation de localisation

Country web content / Contenu web du pays

Web content in indigenous languages / Contenu web en langues indigènes

Software localisation / Localisation de logiciel

Projects & organisations / Projets et organisations

References / Références

APC, "ICT Policy in Ethiopia," Africa ICT Policy Monitor, http://rights.apc.org/africa/index.shtml?apc=s21841e_1

International Telecommunications Union (ITU). 2006. World Information Society Report 2006. Geneva: ITU. http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/publications/worldinformationsociety/2006/wisr-web.pdf

______. 2004. African Telecommunication Indicators 2004. Geneva: ITU.

UNDP. 2006. ''Beyond scarcity: Power, poverty and the global water crisis. Human Development Report 2006.'' New York: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). [Human development index Adult literacy rate (% ages 15 and older) (HDI) http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/statistics/indicators/3.html ]

Vodafone. 2005. "Africa: The Impact of Mobile Phones." The Vodafone Policy Paper Series, Number 3, March 2005. http://www.vodafone.com/assets/files/en/GPP%20SIM%20paper.pdf

Wikipedia, "Languages of Ethiopia," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Ethiopia

Ethiopia - Ethiopie - ኢትዮጵያ (ET) http://www.PanAfriL10n.org/wikidoc/flags/ETH.GIF

This is the localisation, language & ICT profile for Zimbabwe. For the ET-L10n wikigroup, click on the flag.

• Ethiopian ITC Professionals Association

• Ethiopian Free and Open Soource Software Network (EFOSSNET) http://www.efossnet.org/
• Ethiopian Computer Standard Association (ECOSA)

According to Article 5 of the constitution (as shown in Aménagement linguistique) Amharic is the "working language" of government. In the same article, all languages are equally acknowledged by the state. (Technically then there is no "official language" but apparently Amharic serves this role de facto since it is the working language of government.)

Each state may choose a working language (Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromo, Afar, Somali, Harar). Aménagement linguistique features a table showing which languages have been chosen where.

Linguistic and Ethnic Groups as Percentages of Population (Dutcher 2004):

• Amharic: 33% (including second language speakers)
• Oromo (Southern, Eastern, West-Central): 26%
• Somali: 5%
• Tigrigna: 5%
• Sidamo (Sidama): 3%
• Gamo-Gofa-Dawro: 2%
• Afar: 2%
• Gurage (East): 2%
• Hadiyya: 2%
• Wolyatta: 2%
• Gurage (West): 1%
• Gedeo: 1%
• Kaficho (Kefa): 1%
• Kambatta (Kambaata): 1%
• Other: 14%
• Languages less than 1% with more than 100,000 speakers: Aari, Alaba (Halaba), Awngi, Bench (Gimira), Berta (Wetawit), Gumuz, Komso, Koorete, Xamtanga

According to Dutcher (2004), "Regional languages are the media of instruction for primary education. English is the medium of instruction for secondary and higher education. Both English and Amharic are taught as subjects from Grade 1."

Dutcher, Nadine. 2004. Expanding Educational Opportunity in Linguistically Diverse Societies, 2nd. ed. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. http://www.cal.org/resources/pubs/expand.html

Ethiopia - Ethiopie - ኢትዮጵያ

Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) is the telecommunications company.

3.d. Projects & organisations / Projets et organisations

Research ICT Africa! "E-Access & Usage Index: Ethiopia Report," http://www.researchictafrica.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=496

Ethiopia - Ethiopie -

1.c.1. Orthographies / Orthographes :

Ethiopic (also called Ge'ez in Eritrea is used for Amharic and Tigrinya. The Arabic script is used for Arabic. The Latin script is used for other languages. [verify and also if it uses extended characters]

1.c.2. Print publications / Editions imprimées :

Ethnologue notes that there is a "wide variety of literature (fiction, poetry, plays, magazines)" in Amharic.

There is a fair amount published in Amharic. [need more info]

UNESCO (1985) reported the following periodicals (name, frequency of publication, circulation, language). Updated information is needed:

• Addis-Zemen, daily, 30,000, Amharic
• Hibret, daily, 1,700, Tigrigna
• Berissa, weekly, 2,000, Oromigna
• Ethiopia, weekly, 2,000, Amharic
• Serto Ader, weekly, 30,000, Amharic
• Yezareyitu, weekly, 30,000, Amharic
• Dimitse Tewahido, fortnightly, Amharic
• Policena Ermyaw, fortnightly, Amharic
• Tatek, fortnightly, Amharic
• Yekatit, monthly, -, Amharic/English
• Meskekem, quarterly, 2,500, Amharic

UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Africa. 1985. African Community Languages and Their Use in Literacy and Education: A Regional Survey. Dakar: UNESCO.

2.e. Resources / Ressources

Ethiopian Free and Open Soource Software Network (EFOSSNET) http://www.efossnet.org/

• Fixed lines:
• Mobile subscriptions:

• International internet bandwidth / Bande passante internationale d'internet :
• ISPs / FSI :
• Geographic coverage / Couverture géographique :

• Dial-up subscribers / Abonnés par ligne téléphonique :
• Internet users / Utilisateurs de l'internet : 113,000 Internet users as of Sept/05, 0.2% of the population, per ITU (Internet World Stats)

Internet World Stats: Africa. 2006. http://internetworldstats.com/africa.htm

Adam, Lishan, with Kifle Woldekidan. 2005. "Ethiopia." In Gillwald, Alison (ed.), Towards an African e-Index: Household and individual ICT Access and Usage Across 10 African Countries. (Research ICT Africa!, http://www.researchictafrica.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=504 )

"Access to the Internet is partly hampered by lack of computers at household levels but is also due to limited telephone penetration. Only 2.2% of those surveyed said that a member of the household had access to computers. The principal point of access of the Internet was the workplace, followed by cyber cafés." (Towards an African e-Index)

"Hundreds of village telephone kiosks (souks) have been operating for over 20 years, providing telephone services 'illegally' because they were contravening the policy that makes ETC the sole provider of telephone services." (Towards an African e-Index)

"Internet cyber cafés began to appear on the scene in 2000 and their numbers have been growing in the capital and spreading throughout the country. Like village kiosks, cyber cafés were originally discouraged because they were contravening the policy that makes ETC the sole provider of ICT services. ... Despite the poor quality of the dial-up connection, which in itself is shared among five to six cyber café users, there has been a considerable increase in the usage of cyber cafés, particularly by visitors to Ethiopia, people with relatives outside of the country and students." (Towards an African e-Index)

"Despite efforts by institutions like the British Council, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Organization de la Francophonie to introduce pilot community centres throughout the country, Ethiopia has limited experience of public telecentres." (Towards an African e-Index)

"Ethiopia’s monopoly market structure and a policy where a sole operator provides fixed, mobile and Internet services has been a major stumbling block for innovation and widespread access to communication services. Although access to telecommunications has improved over the last two years, it trails far behind the levels of access in other countries." (Towards an African e-Index)

(See also specific language pages.)

(See also specific language pages.)

Balancing Act Africa. 2005. African Internet Country Profiles, Part 2, East Africa. London: Balancing Act.

1. Language information / Données sur les langues

1.a. Languages spoken / Langues parlées

1.a.1. Official / Officielle(s) :

1.a.2. National, indigenous / Nationale(s), indigène(s) :

1.a.3. Relevant pages in the Major Languages section of this report / Pages appropriées dans la section de ce rapport sur les Langues principales :

1.b. Policy / Politique

1.b.1. Laws/legislation / Lois/législation :

1.b.2. Agencies / Agences :

1.b.3. Languages in education/literacy / Langues dans l'éducation/l'alphabétisation :

1.c. Writing in national/indigenous languages / Ecriture en langues nationales/indigènes

1.c.1. Orthographies / Orthographes :

Ethiopic (also called Ge'ez in Eritrea is used for Amharic and Tigrinya. The Arabic script is used for Arabic. The Latin script is used for other languages. [verify and also if it uses extended characters]

1.c.2. Print publications / Editions imprimées :

1.d. Other comments / Autre commentaire

2. ICT situation / Situation des TIC

2.a. Infrastructure / Infrastructure

2.a.1. Telephones / Téléphones :

• Fixed lines: 484,369 (Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation 2004) (Balancing Act)
• Mobile subscriptions: 155,534 (Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation 2004) (Balancing Act)

2.a.2. Radio stations / Stations de radio :

2.a.3. Connectivity / Connectivité :

• International internet bandwidth / Bande passante internationale d'internet : 10 Mbps (2003) (Balancing Act)
• ISPs / FSI : 1 (2004) (Balancing Act)
• Geographic coverage / Couverture géographique : POPs in Awassa, Bahr Dar, Dessie, Dire Dawa, Gondar, Jima, Mekele, Nazreth, Nekempte (Balancing Act)

2.b Computer & internet access / Accès aux ordinateurs et à l'internet

2.b.1. Internet / Internet :

• Dial-up subscribers / Abonnés par ligne téléphonique : 12,155 (Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation 2004) (Balancing Act)
• Internet users / Utilisateurs de l'internet : 105,000 (2004) (Balancing Act)

2.b.2. Cybercentres / Cybercentres :

200-400, most in Addis Ababa, others in major towns ; "the majority of cyber cafés are engaged in assisting local visitors in composing and printing Amharic texts and filling up and submitting various forms" (Balancing Act)

2.b.3. Project telecentres / Télécentres des projets :

2.c. Policy / Politique

According to Balancing Act, the Ethiopian government developed an ICT policy paper in 2003.

2.d. ICT4D & ICT training / TIC pour le développement et formation en TIC

"The government has ... shown commitment for the introduction of ICT vocational training and advanced education at college and university levels." (Balancing Act)

3. Localisation situation / Situation de localisation

3.a. Country web content / Contenu web du pays

3.b. Web content in indigenous languages / Contenu web en langues indigènes

3.c. Software localisation / Localisation de logiciel

4. References / Références

iv. Relevant pages in the Major Languages section of this report / Pages appropriées dans la section de ce rapport sur les Langues principales :

Ethnologue says that Amharic is used in "education to seventh grade in many areas."

Ethnologue notes that there is a "wide variety of literature (fiction, poetry, plays, magazines)" in Amharic.

SIL International, Ethnologue: Languages of the World, "Languages of Ethiopia," http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=ET __________, "Amharic," http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=amh

Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromo, Sidamo, Gurage, Somali, Nuer

1. Language information / Données sur les langues

a. Languages spoken / Langues parlées :

i. Official / Officielle(s) :

Apparently none legislated. Amharic is the working language of government.

ii. National (indigenous, often with legislated status other than official)-] / [-Nationale(s) (indigène ; souvent avec un statut légale autre qu' "officielle") :

Each state may choose a working language (Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromo, Afar, Somali, Harar).

iii. Other indigenous / Autres indigènes :

iv. Relevant pages in the Major Languages section of this report / Pages appropriées dans la section de ce rapport sur les Langues principales :

Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromo, Sidamo, Somali, Nuer

b. Policy / Politique :

i. Laws/legislation / Lois/législation :

ii. Agencies / Agences :

iii. Languages in education/literacy / Langues dans l'éducation/l'alphabétisation :

c. Writing in national/indigenous languages / Ecriture en langues nationales/indigènes :

i. Orthographies / Orthographes :

ii. Print publications / Editions imprimées :

d. Other comments / Autre commentaire :

2. ICT situation / Situation des TIC

3. Localisation situation / Situation de localisation

4. References / Références

Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromo, Somali, Nuer

Ethiopic/Ge'ez is used for Amharic and Tigrinya. The Arabic script is used for Arabic. The Latin script is used for other languages. [verify and also if it uses extended characters]

4. References

Leclerc, Jacques. L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde, "Éthiopie," http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/afrique/ethiopie.htm

SIL International, Ethnologue: Languages of the World, "Languages of Ethiopiaz," http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=ET

iii. Languages in education/literacy:

c. Writing in national/indigenous languages:

i. Orthographies:

ii. Print publications:

d. Other comments:

4. References

1. Language information

a. Languages spoken:

i. Official:

(none)

ii. National (indigenous, often with legislated status other than official):

Amharic is the working language of government. Each state may choose a working language (Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromo, Afar, Somali, Harar).

iii. Other indigenous:

Over 80 languages are spoken. Ethnologue has an extensive list at http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=ET

iv. Relevant pages in the Major Languages section of this report:

b. Policy:

i. Laws/legislation:

The site L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde has a page on Ethiopia at http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/afrique/ethiopie.htm

ii. Agencies:

c. Other comments:

2. ICT situation

3. Localisation situation

4. References: