Religion in Ethiopia: Difference between revisions
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==Judaism== |
==Judaism== |
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== Animism == |
== Animism == |
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Revision as of 13:26, 3 February 2011
A large number of religions are traditionally practiced in Ethiopia, the most numerous today being Orthodox Christianity, followed by Islam. Traditional beliefs, usually categorized as Animism, attract a decreasing number of followers.
According to the national census conducted in 2007, over 37 million people or 43.5% were reported to be Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, over 29 million or 33.9% were reported to be Muslim, just under 15,7 million, or 18.6%, were Protestant, and just under two million or 2.6% adhered to traditional beliefs.[1] Neither in the 2007 census, nor in the 1994 census, were responses reported in further detail: for example, those who identified themselves as Hindus, Jewish, Baha'i, agnostics or atheists were counted as "Other".
| Year | Christians | Ethiopian Orthodox | Protestants | Catholics | Muslims | Animists | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 61.6% | 50.6% | 10.1% | 0.9% | 32.8% | 4.6% | 1.0% |
| 2007 | 62.8% | 43.5% | 18.6% | 0.7% | 33.9% | 2.6% | 0.7% |
| Growth | 1.2% | -7.1%' | 8.5% | -0.2% | 1.1% | -1.2% | -0.3% |
| Year | Christians | Ethiopian Orthodox | Protestants | Catholics | Muslims | Animists | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 32,689,482 | 26,844,932 | 5,366,360 | 478,190 | 17,427,387 | 2,444,085 | 531,323 |
| 2007 | 46,420,822 | 32,154,550 | 13,748,842 | 517,430 | 25,058,373 | 1,921,881 | 517,430 |
| Growth | 13,731,340 | 5,309,618 | 8,382,482 | 39,240 | 7,630,986 | -522,204 | -13,893 |
| 1994 | 2007 | 1994 | 2007 | 1994 | 2007 | 1994 | 2007 | 1994 | 2007 | 1994 | 2007 | 1994 | 2007 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | Christians | Ethiopian Orthodox | Protestants | Catholics | Muslims | Animists | Other | |||||||
| Addis Ababa | 86.65% | 83.0% | 82.0% | 74.7% | 3.87% | 7.77% | 0.78% | 0.48% | 12.7% | 16.2% | 0.8% | |||
 Afar
|
4.4% | 4.7% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 95.6% | 95.3% | ||||
 Amhara
|
81.6% | 82.7% | 81.5% | 82.5% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 18.1% | 17.2% | 0.1% | |||||
 Benishangul-Gumuz
|
40.6% | 46.5% | 34.8% | 33.0% | 5.8% | 13.5% | 44.1% | 45.4% | 13.1% | 7.1% | ||||
| Dire Dawa | 36.7% | 28.8% | 34.5% | 25.71% | 1.5% | 2.81% | 0.7% | 0.4% | 63.2% | 70.9% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ||
| File:Et gambella.png Gambela | 71.35% | 90.2% | 24.13% | 16.8% | 44.01% | 70.0% | 3.21% | 3.4% | 5.15% | 4.9% | 10.28% | 3.8% | 1.1% | |
 Harari
|
39.49% | 30.8% | 38.09% | 27.1% | 0.94% | 3.4% | 0.46% | 0.3% | 60.28% | 69.0% | 0.2% | |||
| File:Et oromo.png Oromia | 49.9% | 48.2% | 41.3% | 30.5% | 8.6% | 17.7% | 44.3% | 47.5% | 4.2% | 3.3% | 1.1% | |||
| File:Regió Somali.svg Somali | 0.9% | 0.6% | 98.7% | 98.4% | 0.3% | 1.0% | ||||||||
 SNNPR
|
65.4% | 77.8% | 27.6% | 19.9% | 34.8% | 55.5% | 3.0% | 2.4% | 16.7% | 14.1% | 15.4% | 6.6% | 1.5% | |
 Tigray
|
95.9% | 96.1% | 95.5% | 95.6% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 4.1% | 4.0% | |||||
Christianity
Islam
According to the most recent 2007 CSA governmental data, Muslims are 33.9% of the population ,[1] up from 32.8% in 1994 (according to the census data of that year).[2][3] The U.S. State Department, however, estimates that Muslims constitute about 40-45% of the population [4][5] Most Ethiopian Muslims are Sunni, and some belong to various Sufi orders. Islam first arrived in Ethiopia in 614 with the First Migration to Abyssinia. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital city, is home to about 1 million Muslims.[6] While believers can be found in almost every community, Islam is most prevalent in the Somali (98.4%), Afar (95.3%) and Oromia (47.5%) Regions.[1]
Judaism
>
Animism
An estimated 2.6% of the Ethiopian population holds traditional Animist beliefs, according to the 2007 census (down from 4.6% in the 1994 census data). The largest numbers of practitioners of traditional beliefs are in the SNNPR (about 993,000 people) and Oromia (895,000).[1][1][1]
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith in Ethiopia begins after `Abdu'l-Bahá wrote letters encouraging taking the religion to Africa in 1916.[7] It is not known who the first Bahá'í was to settle in the country, but the first Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assembly of the country was elected November 1934 in Addis Ababa.[8] In 1962 Ethiopia Bahá'ís had elected a National Spiritual Assembly.[9] By 1963 there were seven localities with smaller groups of Bahá'ís in the country.[10] The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated some 27,000 Bahá'ís in 2005.[11] The Ethiopian community celebrated its diamond jubile in January 2009.[12]
Religious politics
Freedom of religion is provided by the constitution of 1995, although in certain localities this practice is not always respected. There is no state religion, it is forbidden to form political parties based upon religion, and all religious groups are required to register with the government (and renew their registration once every three years). It is a crime in Ethiopia to incite one religion against another. There is some tension between members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Protestant Christians, as well as between the Ethiopian Orthodox and Muslims.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f 2007 Ethiopian census, first draft, Ethiopian Central Statistical Agency (accessed 6 May 2009)
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Religion-1994was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ CIA Factbook - Ethiopia
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Ethiopiawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Ethiopia (03/08)
- ^ Ethiopia: International Religious Freedom Report, 2005 U.S. State Department (accessed 6 May 2009)
- ^ `Abdu'l-Bahá (1991). Tablets of the Divine Plan (Paperback ed.). Wilmette, IL: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. pp. 47–59. ISBN 0877432333.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|origdate=ignored (|orig-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Hassall, Graham. "Ethiopia". Research notes. Asia Pacific Bahá'í Studies. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
- ^ Rabbani, Ruhiyyih, ed. (1992). The Ministry of the Custodians 1957-1963. Bahá'í World Centre. p. 398. ISBN 085398350X.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|editorlink=ignored (|editor-link=suggested) (help) - ^ Compiled by Hands of the Cause Residing in the Holy Land. "The Bahá'í Faith: 1844-1963: Information Statistical and Comparative, Including the Achievements of the Ten Year International Bahá'í Teaching & Consolidation Plan 1953-1963". pp. 28, 55.
- ^ "Most Baha'i Nations (2005)". QuickLists > Compare Nations > Religions >. The Association of Religion Data Archives. 2005. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
- ^ "North American Bahá'í Choir in Ethiopia 2009". 2009-01. Retrieved 2009-08-30.
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This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook (2024 ed.). CIA. (Archived 2006 edition.)
External links
- Berhanu Abegaz, "Ethiopia: A Model Nation of Minorities"