Ethiopia

Ethiopia has long been a crossroads between Africa and Europe. The Axumite Kingdom (in what is now Northern Ethiopia) was a major power during the time of the Roman Empire, and reached its peak in the first century AD. One of its major achievements was the creation of the Ge'ez language -- the first written African language.

Christianity, Judaism and Islam all have deep historical roots in Ethiopia. Christianity reached Ethiopia during the time of the Apostles, and some historians believe that the Ark of the Covenant rests in the northern city of Axum. Islam arrived in the area while Mohammed was still living and the religions coexisted peacefully until the 16th century. The Portuguese, Sudanese, Egyptians, British and Italians also populated the area at times, diluting the cultural influence of the Axum kingdom. About 45 percent of the population is Muslim and 35 percent Christian, with the remainder practicing local religions.

Recent Ethiopian history has been filled with violence and uncertainty. In 1974 a Marxist government deposed and replaced the Royal family. That brutal regime collapsed after 20 years, but the country is still dealing with a lack of infrastructure as well as government bureaucracy.

Ethiopian handicraft production provides funds to build homes for families living in temporary shelters, an alternative to dangerous wood-carrying jobs held by women, and income for families with twins or other multiple births. Ten Thousand Villages carries Ethiopian crafts including jewelry (earrings and necklaces featuring traditional versions of the Christian cross), hand-woven scarves with traditional motifs, and cross pendants made from melted silver coins that were used for trading from the 1750s until recent years.