SP 115 – Geography of Ethiopia and the Horn

Instructor: Gezahegne Gebremeskel

Msc in Physical Geography, Kharkov State University (Ukraine)

Msc in Urban Environmental Management and Development:

Erasmus University (The Netherlands)
Part I
SP115
Succinct Description on the Chapter
This chapter deals with the meaning, scope, themes, and approaches of
Geography. In addition, it discusses the location, shape, and size of Ethiopia
and the Horn. It also introduces the tenets of basic map reading skills. Hence,
this introductory part of the text paves the way for an understanding of the
geographic issues presented in the succeeding chapters.  
Objectives
At the end of this chapter, the learners will be able to:
Comprehend the meaning and scope of Geography.
Explain the themes of Geography.
Explicate the implications of location, shape and size of Ethiopia and
the Horn on the physical environment, socioeconomic and political
aspects.
Acquire basic skills of map reading.
SP115
Approaches on the Learning Process
It is based on participatory approach where the course
attendants in the auditorium are asked to define the term
geography according to their understanding. Later on standard
definitions are given for them to compare with theirs so that
they can understanding their limitation of their definition and
can bridge the gaps.

Explanations on the major thematic areas of geography;

SP115
Location is very important that must be known by the students. Since
geographical space which contains locational information, or what we call
geospatial, students are instilled how they can determine absolute
(astronomical, geodetic) and relative locations are determined including
direction based on azimuth using compass or Global Positioning System.
Here Google Earth would be accessed so that students can take practical
drills on determining locations

So long as the main tenet for the course Ethiopian Geography of Ethiopia
and the Horn is to enable students to know their country and neighbors, on
a displayed thematic map they will be shown to them to know their
country and neighbors that are members of the horn of Africa.
Giving explanations on the implications of the location of Ethiopia
 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1. Geography: Definition, Scope and Themes
1.1.1. Meaning of Geography
1.1.2. The Scope, Approaches and Themes of Geography
1.2. Location, Shape and Size of Ethiopia and the Horn
1.2.1. Location of Ethiopia
1.2.2. Size of Ethiopia
1.2.3. The shape of Ethiopia and its Implication
1.3. Basic Skills of Map Reading
1.1. Geography: Definition, Scope
and Themes
The Chapter deals with the meaning, scope, themes, and
approaches of Geography;
Location, shape, and size of Ethiopia in relation to the Horn of
Africa;
Instills the basic map reading and interpretation skills.
Objectives
The principal objective of the chapter are intended to:
 Explain the themes of Geography.
 Explicate the implications of location, shape and size of Ethiopia and
the Horn on the physical environment, socioeconomic and political
aspects.
 Acquire basic skills of map reading.
The Definition of Geography
Geography is the scientific study of the Earth that describes and analyses spatial
and temporal variations of physical, biological and human phenomena, and their
interrelationships and dynamism over the surface of the Earth.
1.1.2. The Scope, Approaches and Themes of Geography
Scope: the scope of Geography is the surface of the Earth, which is the
very thin zone that is the interface of the atmosphere, lithosphere,
hydrosphere and biosphere, which provides the habitable zone in which
humans are able to live.
Approaches and Themes of Geography: Geography can be approached by
considering two continuums: a human-physical continuum and a topical
regional continuum. The topical (systematic) fields of Geography view
particular categories of physical or human phenomena as distributed over
the Earth while Regional Geography is concerned with the associations
within regions of all or some of the elements and their interrelationships.
The Thematic Areas of Geography
Geography incorporates five thematic areas.
Location;
Place;
Human-environment interaction;
Movement; and
Region
Thematic areas…
A. Location:
Location is defined as a particular place or position. Most studies of
geography begin with the mention of this theme of geography. Location
can be of two types: absolute location and relative location. In the
former case, the location of a place is defined by its latitude and
longitude or Universal Transfer Mercator’s (UTM) coordinate system to
show the exact address. 
B. Place
Place refers to the physical and human aspects of a location.;

theme of geography is associated with toponym (the name of a place),

site (the description of the features of the place), and situation (the
environmental conditions of the place);

Each place in the world has its unique characteristics expressed in terms of
landforms, hydrology, biogeography, pedology, characteristics and size of its
human population,  and the distinct human cultures. The concept of
“place” a aids geographers to compare and contrast two places on Earth. 
C. Human-Environment Interaction
 Human interaction with the environment has three aspects:
Dependency;
Adaptation;
Modification.
Geology and Hydrogeology
Early Warning and Disaster Preparedness
 AVHRR HPRT Hurricane Diane 
Early Warning and Disaster Preparedness

Flood Prediction Drought Prediction

Flood damage on Standing Crops

Pre Flood – 17 July 2006 Post Flood – 09 Aug 2006

Sukkur
Environmental Degradation Analysis
Shore Recession of Lake Abijata

Attributes of Area Features

1. In 1986 = 164.21 Km2

2. In 2006 = 111.30 Km2

3. In 2011 = 126.4 Km2

Environmental Degradation Analysis

Row Class Names Area Color

Background 30436.4  
1 Green spaces 3846.51  
2 Dense settlement 7255.44  
3 Settlement 7385.31  
4 Agriculture 6986.61  
5 Bare land 4088.07  
Environmental Degradation Analysis

Row Class Names Area Color

0 Background 30436.4  
1 Green spaces 5468.22  
2 Dense settlement 6485.13  
3 Settlement 7501.77  
4 Agriculture 6475.14  
5 Bare land 3631.68  
Attribute Table and Radar Diagram of Green Space loss

Name of the Land Cover

№ Type Area in 1986 Area in 2014 Difference
Unit in ha
1 Green spaces 5468.22 3846.51 - 1621.71
2 Built up Area 13986.90 14640.75 + 653.85
3 Agriculture & Exposed soil 6475.14 6986.61 + 511.47
4 Bare land 3631.68 4088.07 + 456.39
Attribute Table and Radar Diagram of
Green Space loss

Water erosion Wind erosion

Vegetation degradation Salinization

LAND USE-COVER CHANGE STUDY
Expansion of Urban Areas
Deforestation
Thematic Areas of Geography cntd.

D. Movement:
Movement exhibits different aspects, some of which includes the following:
Movement entails to the translocation of human beings, their goods, and
their ideas from one end of the planet to another.

The physical movement of people allowed the human race to inhabit all
the continents and islands of the world.

The transportation of goods from one place on the Earth to another;

The flow of ideas that allows the unification of the human civilization and
promotes its growth and prosperity. 
Thematic Areas of Geography cntd.

Region

region is a geographic area having distinctive characteristics that

distinguishes itself from adjacent unit(s) of space;

A region can be characterized ;

By homogeneity in terms of a certain phenomenon (soil, temperature,
rainfall, or other cultural elements like language, religion, and economy).

It can also be a functional or nodal region characterized by functional

interrelationships in a spatial system defined by the linkages binding
particular phenomena. 
 1.2. Location, Shape and Size of
Ethiopia and the Horn, Cntd.,

Horn of Africa, a region of eastern Africa, is a narrow tip that protrudes

into the northern Indian Ocean, separating it from the Gulf of Aden. It is the
easternmost extension of African land defined as the region that is home to the
countries of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, whose cultures have
been linked throughout their long history.

Although the countries of the region share many common features, there is
also great diversity among them, rendering each country unique in many
respects. In terms of size, Ethiopia is the largest of all the Horn of African
countries, while Djibouti is the smallest.

The Horn contains such  diverse areas as the highlands of the Ethiopian

Plateau, the Ogaden desert, and the Eritrean and Somali coasts. Its coasts are
washed by the Red sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Indian ocean, and it has
long been in contact with the Arabian peninsula and southwestern Asia. 
1.2.1. Location of Ethiopia

The location of a place is expressed in two ways:

A. Absolute Location (Astronomical Location) .- Is expressed in terms of
Geographic coordinates i.e., Latitude (), Longitude () or UTM
(Universal Transverse Mercator) in terms of X and Y.

B. Relative Location.- Relative location expresses the location of countries or

places with reference to the location of other countries (vicinal), landmasses or
water bodies.

For example: The absolute Location of Ethiopia is:

Latitude (Northing) between 327’40” N (Moyale) to 14 53’45” N (the tip

of Bademe).
Longitude (Easting) 3310’11” E (Akobo) to 4800’00” E the tip of Ogaden.
1.2. Location, Shape and Size of
Ethiopia and the Horn

33
00’11”
The Relative Location of Ethiopia
Vicinal location In relation to water bodies & land
masses

Sudan to the west and northwest In the Horn of Africa

South Sudan to southwest Southwest of the Arabian Peninsula 

Djibouti to the east South of Europe

Somalia to the east and southeast Northwest of the Indian Ocean

Eritrea to the north and northeast In the Nile Basin

Kenya to the south

The Location of Ethiopia and its Neighbors
The implications of the location of Ethiopia

A. Climate: The fact that Ethiopia is located between 3 0N and 150N (between the
Equator and Tropic of Cancer) implies that the country has a tropical climate,
though modified by its altitude. The location of Ethiopia relative to the Indian
Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and the African and Asian landmass has also various
bearings on the climate of Ethiopia. 
B. Socio-cultural: Ethiopia is one of the earliest recipients of the major world
religions namely Christianity, Islam and Judaism due to its proximity to the
Middle East, which was the origin of these religions. The linguistic and other
cultural relationships, which Ethiopia shares with its neighbors, reflect the
influence of location.
C. Political: The political history of Ethiopia has been considerably influenced by:
Geopolitical considerations of superpowers. Adjacency to the Red Sea (a
major global trade route). The Middle East geopolitical paradigms.

As a result, Ethiopia has been exposed for external invasions in a number

of times; though the country resisted foreign intervention and remains free
of external domination. 
The Agro-ecological Zones of Ethiopia
1.2.2. Size of Ethiopia

Ethiopia with a total area of approximately 1,106,000

square kilometers is the 8th largest country in Africa and
25th in the World.

It extends about 1,639 kilometers East-West, and 1,577

kilometers North- South. About 0.7% of the country is
covered by water bodies.

The size of Ethiopia also affects both the natural and

human environment of the country. The advantages and
disadvantages of the size of Ethiopia are indicated in Table
2.
Table 2. Advantages and disadvantages of Ethiopia’s large size

Advantages Disadvantages
Possess diverse agro Demands greater capital to
ecological zones construct infrastructural
facilities
Variety of natural Requires large army to
resources protect its territory 
Own extensive arable land Difficult for effective
administration 
Have larger population size Difficult for socio-
economic integration
Home for diverse
cultures
Greater depth in defense
external invasion
1.2.3. The shape of Ethiopia and its Implication

Countries of the World have different kinds of shape that can be divided
into five main categories: compact, fragmented, elongated,
perforated, and protruded. These shapes have implications on defense,
administration and economic integration within a country. Whether some
kind of shape is advantageous to a country or not, however, depends on
many other factors.
A. Compact shape countries:

The distance from the geographic centre of the state to any of the borders
does not vary greatly. It is easier for defense, socioeconomic and cultural
integration. 
B. Fragmented shape countries:
They are divided from their other parts by either water, land or other
countries.
C. Elongated shape countries:
They are geographically long and relatively narrow like Chile.
The shape of Ethiopia and its Implication, Cntd,
D. Perforated shape countries:

A country that completely surrounds another country like the Republic of

South Africa.
E. Protrude shape countries:

Countries that have one portion that is much more elongated than the
rest of the country like Myanmar and Eritrea. 

Measure of Compactness
How much the shape of a country deviates from a circular shape is the
Index of compactness.
There are four most commonly used measures of compactness. These are:
A. The ratio of area of country to its boundary length: Area-
Boundary ratio. The higher the A/B ratio, the greater the degree of
compactness.
B. The ratio of boundary length of a country to the circumference
of a circle having the same area as the country itself: Boundary-
Circumference ratio. It measures how far the boundary of a
country approximates the circumference of a circle of its own size.
Therefore, the nearer the ratio to 1 the more compact the country
is.
C. The ratio of the area of the country to the circumference of the
smallest inscribing circle: Area-Circumference ratio It compares
the area of the country with the circumference of a circle that
passes touching the extreme points on the boundary of the country.
The higher the A/C ratio, the greater the degree of compactness.