Polity · 1272 CE – 1935 CE
Ethiopian Empire
- Peak recorded area
- 1,128,470 km²
- 1908 CE
- Rulers on record
- 61
- from 1270 CE
- Data series
- 45
- 1400 CE–1935 CE
Overview
The Ethiopian Empire, historically known as Abyssinia, the Abyssinian Empire, or simply Ethiopia, was a country that encompassed the present-day territories of Ethiopia and Eritrea. It existed from the establishment of the Solomonic dynasty by Yekuno Amlak around 1270 until the 1974 coup d'état by the Derg, which ended the reign of the final Emperor, Haile Selassie.
Lead section from Wikipedia, reused under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article.
Territory
20 dated territorial extents on record from Cliopatria. Areas are measured off the recorded polygons; the line steps because each extent holds until the next one is recorded — nothing is interpolated. CShapes 2.0 holds 5 further extents, measured on a different basis and deliberately not merged into this series.
The record
The best-attested series in each category; where several projects publish the same quantity, the one with the most observations is shown. Each row is the most recent value the record holds at or before 1935 CE, shown with the year that value belongs to. Some statistical series also publish forward projections — the year column is the honest guide. Nothing on this page is interpolated or estimated by us.
People
6 of 13 series| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Population38 obs · 1898 CE–1935 CE | 13.3Mpersons1935 CE · Correlates of War NMC v6.0 |
| Urban Population38 obs · 1898 CE–1935 CE | 128Kpersons1935 CE · Correlates of War NMC v6.0 |
| City Pop Gondar6 obs · 1699 CE–1855 CE | 14Kpersons1855 CE · Chandler/Modelski Historical Urban Population |
| City Pop Axum5 obs · 1100 CE–1838 CE | 1,700persons1838 CE · Chandler/Modelski Historical Urban Population |
| Height Men5 obs · 1860 CE–1930 CE | 167.27cm1930 CE · Clio-Infra |
| Community Size2 obs · 1920 CE–1930 CE | 6ordinal1930 CE · D-PLACE Ethnographic Atlas (Murdock) |
Economy
6 of 11 series| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| GDP per capita PPP136 obs · 1800 CE–1935 CE | 577.2int'l $ (inflation adj.)1935 CE · Gapminder |
| Total Exports38 obs · 1898 CE–1935 CE | 9million USD (current)1935 CE · CoW Bilateral Trade v4.0 |
| Total Imports38 obs · 1898 CE–1935 CE | 6million USD (current)1935 CE · CoW Bilateral Trade v4.0 |
| Trade Balance38 obs · 1898 CE–1935 CE | 3million USD (current)1935 CE · CoW Bilateral Trade v4.0 |
| Trade Openness38 obs · 1898 CE–1935 CE | 15million USD (current)1935 CE · CoW Bilateral Trade v4.0 |
| Agriculture Intensity3 obs · 1860 CE–1930 CE | 3ordinal1930 CE · D-PLACE Ethnographic Atlas (Murdock) |
Military
6 of 8 series| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| CINC Score38 obs · 1898 CE–1935 CE | 0.0043CINC (share of world capability)1935 CE · Correlates of War NMC v6.0 |
| Energy Consumption38 obs · 1898 CE–1935 CE | 1,000coal-ton equivalents1935 CE · Correlates of War NMC v6.0 |
| Iron Steel Production38 obs · 1898 CE–1935 CE | 0tons1935 CE · Correlates of War NMC v6.0 |
| Military Personnel38 obs · 1898 CE–1935 CE | 100Kpersons1935 CE · Correlates of War NMC v6.0 |
| Battle Count3 obs · 1896 CE–1935 CE | 1battles1935 CE · Historical Conflict Events Dataset (HCED v3) |
| Battle Scale Avg3 obs · 1896 CE–1935 CE | 4Lehmann-Zhukov 1-51935 CE · Historical Conflict Events Dataset (HCED v3) |
Governance
6 of 7 series| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Electoral Democracy Index147 obs · 1789 CE–1935 CE | 0.012index (0-1)1935 CE · V-Dem v15 |
| Liberal Democracy Index147 obs · 1789 CE–1935 CE | 0.021index (0-1)1935 CE · V-Dem v15 |
| Participatory Democracy Index147 obs · 1789 CE–1935 CE | 0.01index (0-1)1935 CE · V-Dem v15 |
| Rule Of Law Index147 obs · 1789 CE–1935 CE | 0.094index (0-1)1935 CE · V-Dem v15 |
| Regime Type36 obs · 1900 CE–1935 CE | 0RoW index (0-3)1935 CE · V-Dem v15 |
| Political Succession3 obs · 1860 CE–1930 CE | 1ordinal1930 CE · D-PLACE Ethnographic Atlas (Murdock) |
Development
| Series | Value · year · source |
|---|---|
| Freedom Of Expression Index147 obs · 1789 CE–1935 CE | 0.059index (0-1)1935 CE · V-Dem v15 |
| Tech Railway Line Km74 obs · 1862 CE–1935 CE | 784km1935 CE · CHAT (Comin-Hobijn) |
| Tech Railway Passenger Km45 obs · 1860 CE–1909 CE | 1.3passenger-km1909 CE · CHAT (Comin-Hobijn) |
| Tech Radios16 obs · 1898 CE–1913 CE | 0count1913 CE · CHAT (Comin-Hobijn) |
| Tech Railway Freight Tkm15 obs · 1900 CE–1935 CE | 39tonne-km1935 CE · CHAT (Comin-Hobijn) |
| Class Stratification3 obs · 1860 CE–1930 CE | 1ordinal1930 CE · D-PLACE Ethnographic Atlas (Murdock) |
Rulers
61 on record with dated reigns. Reign years follow the house convention: BCE years are negative.
- Yekuno AmlakEmperor of Ethiopia1270 CE – 1285 CE
- Yagbe'u SeyonEmperor of Ethiopia1285 CE – 1295 CE
- Senfa Ared IVEmperor of Ethiopia1294 CE – 1295 CE
- Qedma AsgadEmperor of Ethiopia1296 CE – 1297 CE
- Saba AsgadEmperor of Ethiopia1298 CE – 1299 CE
- Wedem AradEmperor of Ethiopia1299 CE – 1314 CE
- Amda Seyon IEmperor of Ethiopia1314 CE – 1344 CE
- Newaya KrestosEmperor of Ethiopia1344 CE – 1372 CE
- Newaya MaryamEmperor of Ethiopia1371 CE – 1380 CE
- Dawit IEmperor of Ethiopia1382 CE – 1413 CE
- Tewodros IEmperor of Ethiopia1413 CE – 1414 CE
- Yeshaq IEmperor of Ethiopia1414 CE – 1429 CE
- AndreyasEmperor of Ethiopia1429 CE – 1430 CE
- Takla MaryamEmperor of Ethiopia1430 CE – 1433 CE
- Amda IyasusEmperor of Ethiopia1433 CE – 1434 CE
- Sarwe IyasusEmperor of Ethiopia1433 CE
- Zara YaqobEmperor of Ethiopia1434 CE – 1468 CE
- Baeda Maryam IEmperor of Ethiopia1468 CE – 1478 CE
- EskenderEmperor of Ethiopia1471 CE – 1494 CE
- Amda Seyon IIEmperor of Ethiopia1494 CE
- Na'odEmperor of Ethiopia1494 CE – 1508 CE
- Lebna DengelEmperor of Ethiopia1508 CE – 1540 CE
- GelawdewosEmperor of Ethiopia1540 CE – 1559 CE
- Menas of EthiopiaEmperor of Ethiopia1559 CE – 1563 CE
- Sarsa DengelEmperor of Ethiopia1563 CE – 1597 CE
- YaqobEmperor of Ethiopia1597 CE – 1607 CE
- Za DengelEmperor of Ethiopia1603 CE – 1604 CE
- SusenyosEmperor of Ethiopia1606 CE – 1632 CE
- FasiladasEmperor of Ethiopia1632 CE – 1667 CE
- Yohannes IEmperor of Ethiopia1667 CE – 1682 CE
- Iyasu IEmperor of Ethiopia1682 CE – 1706 CE
- Tekle Haymanot IEmperor of Ethiopia1706 CE – 1708 CE
- TewoflosEmperor of Ethiopia1708 CE – 1711 CE
- YostosEmperor of Ethiopia1711 CE – 1716 CE
- Dawit IIIEmperor of Ethiopia1716 CE – 1721 CE
- BakaffaEmperor of Ethiopia1721 CE – 1730 CE
- Iyasu IIEmperor of Ethiopia1730 CE – 1755 CE
- Tekle Haymanot IIEmperor of Ethiopia1769 CE – 1777 CE
- Yohannes IIEmperor of Ethiopia1769 CE
- Susenyos IIEmperor of Ethiopia1770 CE
- Salomon IIEmperor of Ethiopia1777 CE – 1779 CE
- Tekle Giyorgis IEmperor of Ethiopia1779 CE – 1800 CE
- Iyasu IIIEmperor of Ethiopia1784 CE – 1788 CE
- HezqeyasEmperor of Ethiopia1789 CE – 1794 CE
- Baeda Maryam IIEmperor of Ethiopia1795 CE
- Salomon IIIEmperor of Ethiopia1796 CE – 1799 CE
- YonasEmperor of Ethiopia1797 CE – 1798 CE
- DemetrosEmperor of Ethiopia1799 CE – 1801 CE
- Egwale SeyonEmperor of Ethiopia1801 CE – 1818 CE
- Iyoas IIEmperor of Ethiopia1818 CE – 1821 CE
- GigarEmperor of Ethiopia1821 CE – 1830 CE
- Iyasu IVEmperor of Ethiopia1830 CE – 1832 CE
- Gebre KrestosEmperor of Ethiopia1832 CE
- Sahle DengelEmperor of Ethiopia1832 CE – 1855 CE
- Yohannes IIIEmperor of Ethiopia1840 CE – 1851 CE
- Tewodros IIEmperor of Ethiopia1855 CE – 1868 CE
- Yohannes IVEmperor of Ethiopia1871 CE – 1889 CE
- Menilek IIEmperor of Ethiopia1889 CE – 1913 CE
- Iyasu VEmperor of Ethiopia1913 CE – 1916 CE
- Zewditu I of EthiopiaEmperor of Ethiopia1916 CE – 1930 CE
- Haile Selassie IEmperor of Ethiopia1930 CE – 1974 CE
Language & currency
- Official & national languages
- Ge'ez
- Currency
- bir (ETB)
Memberships
- Italy–Ethiopia Non-Aggression Pact (1928)Historical alliance · member1928 CE – 1935 CE
Sources
Every figure above comes from one of these. Nothing on this page is estimated, interpolated or model-generated.
Chandler/Modelski Historical Urban PopulationChandler 1987 / Modelski 2003
Chandler, T. (1987). Four Thousand Years of Urban Growth; Modelski, G. (2003). World Cities: -3000 to 2000.
Compiled from published works (Chandler 1987; Modelski 2003)
CHAT (Comin-Hobijn)2009 (FinalCHAT_72909)
Comin, D. & Hobijn, B. (2009). The CHAT Dataset. NBER Working Paper 15319.
NBER research data, freely downloadable
Clio-Infra2017 datasets
Clio-Infra project (2017). Reconstructions of global inequality and well-being. International Institute of Social History.
Academic use, attribution
Seshat Global History Databank. Cliopatria: a historical basemap of polity borders (cliopatria.geojson).
Correlates of War NMC v6.0v6.0
Singer, J.D. (1987). National Material Capabilities Data (NMC), v6.0. Correlates of War Project.
Free academic use, citation
Barbieri, K. & Keshk, O. (2016). Correlates of War Project Trade Data Set, v4.0.
Free academic use, citation
D-PLACE Ethnographic Atlas (Murdock)Ethnographic Atlas (D-PLACE 2.3)
Kirby, K.R. et al. (2016). D-PLACE: A Global Database of Cultural, Linguistic and Environmental Diversity. PLoS ONE 11(7).
CC BY 4.0
Gapminderv14 / systema globalis
Gapminder Foundation. Gapminder systema globalis dataset.
CC BY 4.0
Historical Conflict Events Dataset (HCED v3)v3
Brecke, P. Conflict Catalog (Historical Conflict Events Dataset), digitized v3.
Academic use, attribution
V-Dem v15v15
Coppedge, M. et al. (2025). V-Dem Country-Year Dataset v15. Varieties of Democracy Project.
Free academic/non-commercial use, attribution
Wikipedia contributors. Article lead sections, reused under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Ethiopian Empire is one of the polities with a sourced record deep enough to publish.