Ethiopian Plateau
What is the Ethiopian Plateau?
Why are the Ethiopian Plateau highlands economically important?
What efforts have been made to restore the Ethiopian Plateau?
What historical kingdom emerged in the Ethiopian highlands?
Ethiopian Plateau, highlands in eastern Africa that cover much of Ethiopia and central Eritrea. Sometimes referred to as the “Roof of Africa,” they comprise about half of all the highlands on the African continent and form a sharp contrast with the surrounding lowlands. The highlands are densely populated and are important economic regions in Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Topography
The region consists of the rugged Western Highlands and the more limited Eastern Highlands. The two sections are separated by the vast Eastern Rift Valley, which cuts across Ethiopia from southwest to northeast. The Western Highlands extend from central Eritrea and northern Ethiopia to the basin of Lake Turkana in the south and include the traditional lands of the Amhara and Tigray peoples. Within this section the Simien Mountains are marked by Mount Ras Dejen (15,157 feet [4,620 meters]), the highest peak in Ethiopia. Among the peaks of the Eastern Highlands stands Mount Batu at 14,127 feet (4,307 meters).
Economic, political, and cultural importance
The highlands are the most agriculturally productive and densely populated areas of both Eritrea and Ethiopia, largely because their relatively moderate climate, fertile soils, and access to water make them more suitable for farming and settlement than surrounding lowland regions. As a result, the highlands have long supported agricultural communities and continue to serve as the economic and demographic cores of both countries, even as economic activity has diversified in the plateau’s urban areas over time.
The concentration of population in the highlands has also influenced patterns of political developments over time, such as with the emergence of the powerful kingdom of Aksum (c. 100–1000 ce) and subsequent dynasties and governments. It has also influenced religious and cultural traditions. One of the oldest organized Christian congregations, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, was founded on the Ethiopian Plateau in the 4th century under Aksum. Christian traditions continued after the demise of the kingdom, shaping the religious and cultural development of the region. An example of this can be found in the impressive rock-hewn churches at Lalībela, named after the late 12th–early 13th-century monarch who had them constructed. The churches are carved out of solid rock, entirely below ground level, in a variety of styles; Lalībela is now a religious and pilgrimage center.
A history of aggressive cultivation practices, overgrazing by livestock, and deforestation, along with climatic conditions, have led to the degradation and erosion of the soil on the Ethiopian Plateau. This has been cited as a contributing factor to the region’s vulnerability to famine, such as Ethiopia’s devastating famine in 1984–85. Restoration efforts, including tree planting, terrace cultivation, crop rotation, and water management, have been successfully undertaken in much of the area since the late 20th century.