Back to Headlines
World Wide
May 29, 2026
Analyzed by Llama- 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct

Ethiopia's Ethnic Groups and Conflict Areas: A Visual Guide

AI Summary
Ethiopia is set to hold its first nationwide elections since the end of the Tigray war. The country is ethnically diverse, with over 80 distinct groups, and has experienced near-continuous conflict since 2020.

The Lead-Up to Ethiopia's Elections

Ethiopia will head to the polls on June 1 for its first nationwide elections since the formal end of the Tigray war, a devastating two-year conflict from 2020 to 2022 that concluded with a peace agreement between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

Ethiopia at a Glance

Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa, covering an area of 1,104,300sq km (426,400sq miles) and bordered by Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti.

The country has sustained notable economic growth over the past two decades, with the IMF projecting a 9.2 percent expansion in 2026, the highest on the continent. Yet persistent challenges remain, including high inflation (11.7 percent as of April 2026), foreign exchange shortages, and the costly burden of post-war reconstruction.

Ethiopia's Ethnic Groups

The East African country is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world, with more than 80 distinct groups.

  • The Oromo are the largest, making up about 35 percent of the population, concentrated largely in the south and central regions.
  • The Amhara are the second-largest, about 24 percent, and have historically been the politically dominant group.
  • Other significant groups include the Somali (7 percent), in the east; the Tigrayan (6 percent), concentrated in the northern Tigray region; and the Sidama (4 percent), in the southern highlands.

Armed Violence Across the Country

Ethiopia has been in near-continuous conflict since 2020, across several fronts:

  • Tigray (2020-22): Ethiopian forces (ENDF) and their allies, including Eritrean forces, fought the Tigray defence forces (TDF).
  • Oromia (2019-present): Conflict between Oromia regional forces, the ENDF, and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) has killed thousands of civilians.
  • Amhara (2023-present): Amhara militias fought alongside federal troops in the Tigray war, but that alliance collapsed when the federal government reached a peace deal with the TPLF.

According to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), an independent conflict monitor, between January 1, 2022 and May 15, 2026, more than 7,400 attacks have been recorded across the country.