The Federal Republic of Ethiopia (formerly the Peoples Democratic Republic and the Empire of Ethiopia) is located in east-central Africa. The country has an area of 424,214 sq. mi. (1,099,900 sq. km.) and a population of 66.18 million people who are divided among 40 tribes that speak some 270 languages and dialects. The economy is predominantly agricultural and pastoral. Gold and platinum are mined and petroleum fields are being developed. Coffee, oilseeds, hides and cereals are exported.,,,,, ,Legend claims that Menelik I, the son born to Solomon, King of Israel, by the Queen of Sheba, settled in Axum in northern Ethiopia to establish the dynasty which then reigned ? with only brief interruptions ? until 1974. Modern Ethiopian history began with the reign of Emperor Menelik II (1889-1913) under whose guidance the country emerged from medieval isolation. Ethiopia was invaded by fascist Italy in 1935, and together with Italian Somaliland and Eritrea became part of Italian East Africa until liberated by British and Ethiopian troops in 1941. Haile Selassie I, 225th consecutive Solomonic ruler, was deposed by a military committee on Sept. 12, 1974. In July 1976, Ethiopia?s military provisional government referred to the country as Socialist Ethiopia. After establishing a new regime in 1991, Ethiopia became a federated state.,,,,,,, ,Eritrea, a former Ethiopian province fronting on the Red Sea, was an Italian colony from 1890 until its incorporation into Italian East Africa in 1936. It was under British military administration from 1941 to Sept. 15, 1952, when the United Nations designated it an autonomous unit within the federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea. On Nov. 14, 1962, it was fully integrated with Ethiopia. On May 24, 1933, Eritrea became an independent nation.,,,,,,, Rulers:,,,,,,,, ,Menelik II, 1889-1913,,,,,,, ,Lij Yasu, 1913-1916,, ,Zauditu, Empress, 1916-1930,, ,Haile Selassie I, 1930-1936, 1941-1974,, Monetary System:,,, ,1 Thaler = 1 Gersh (Piastres) to 1930,, ,1 Thaler = 100 Matonas, 1931-1935,, ,1 Birr (Dollar) = 100 Santeems (Cents), since 1944,,