Ethiopia is an ancient country located in the Horn of Africa. It has a long, rich history and culture that lends itself well to riddles. In the sections below, you will find 49 riddles about Ethiopia covering various topics such as geography, food, animals, culture, and history. Some are quite easy while others may take more thought. See how many you can get right!
Geography Riddles
What is Ethiopia’s largest lake?
Lake Tana is Ethiopia’s largest lake. It is the source of the Blue Nile and is located in the northwest of the country at an elevation of 1,800 meters above sea level. The lake covers an area of 3,673 square km and has a maximum depth of 14 meters. There are 37 islands on Lake Tana, many with historic churches and monasteries dating back to the 14th century.
What mountain range divides Ethiopia?
The Great Rift Valley bisects Ethiopia into eastern and western halves. This vast geological rift runs for over 6,000 km from Lebanon in the Middle East to central Mozambique in East Africa. In Ethiopia, part of the valley contains a chain of lakes including Lake Tana. The contrasting landscapes on either side of the valley range from rugged mountains to flat-topped plateaus.
Which major river originates in the highlands of Ethiopia?
The Blue Nile originates in the Ethiopian Highlands, specifically at Lake Tana. It then flows into Sudan where it meets the White Nile before flowing onward as the Nile River through Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. About 80% of the Nile’s water and over 90% of the transported sediment comes from the Blue Nile, making it incredibly important for supporting agriculture downstream.
Food Riddles
What is Ethiopia’s national grain?
Teff is considered Ethiopia’s national grain. The tiny gluten free grains are used to make injera, the spongy fermented flatbread that is a staple of Ethiopian cuisine. Teff is high in protein, calcium, iron, and other nutrients. Its ability to grow in a range of environments makes it an important crop for feeding Ethiopia’s people.
What spice blend is an essential ingredient in Ethiopian cooking?
Berbere is the quintessential spice blend used in Ethiopian cuisine. It typically contains chili peppers, garlic, ginger, basil, rue seed, ajwain, nigella seed, and other spices. This complex blend gives many Ethiopian meat and vegetable dishes their characteristic red color and flavor.
What traditional alcoholic drink is popular in Ethiopia?
Tella is a home-brewed beer with low alcohol content that is an integral part of Ethiopian culture. It is usually made from teff or other grains such as barley, maize, or sorghum. The brewing process involves allowing the grain to ferment for several days which gives tella its signature sour yet sweet flavor. Sharing tella is a way to welcome guests and bring people together.
Animal Riddles
Which member of the canid family is Ethiopia’s most endangered carnivore?
The Ethiopian wolf is the country’s most threatened carnivore species. Once widespread in the Ethiopian Highlands, habitat loss and disease spread by domestic dogs have reduced their population to under 450 individuals scattered across a handful of remote areas. These elegant, long-legged canids hunt rodents and stare intently with amber eyes, earning them the name “Ky Kebero” meaning red jackal.
What is Ethiopia’s largest native land animal?
The gelada baboon is Ethiopia’s largest native land animal. These huge monkeys have muscular bodies; red patchy fur; and a distinctive “bleeding heart” pattern on their chests. They live in extremely large groups (up to 800 members) among the alpine grasslands of the Semien Mountains. Geladas spend their days grazing and socializing while perched on steep cliffs nearby their sleeping caves.
Which bird known for its black and white plumage is Ethiopia’s national bird?
The handsome black-and-white striped thick-billed raven is considered Ethiopia’s national bird. In Ethiopian culture, these social, intelligence birds are seen as astute animals that offer guidance and make excellent messengers. Ethiopians call the thick-billed raven “wodaabe” – a poetic symbol of good fortune when sighted.
Culture Riddles
What system does Ethiopia use to mark the passing of time?
Ethiopia uses a calendar system that is about seven years behind the Gregorian calendar used widely across the world. Their system has 13 months divided into 30 days each and a 13th month called Pagume with five or six days for a total of 365 days. September 11th in the globally used Gregorian calendar is equivalent to the start of Ethiopia’s New Year on September 11, 2017.
In what language is Ethiopia’s epic national poem “Kebra Negast” written?
Ge’ez is the ancient language used to pen Ethiopia’s national epic poem “Kebra Negast” which translates to “Glory of Kings”. This work narrates Ethiopia’s ancient roots connected the legendary Queen of Sheba and King Solomon while weaving a spiritual prestige that justified ruling power for centuries. The Ge’ez language pre-dates Amharic languages and has its own elegant script and rich literary history.
What traditional handmade craft is a symbol of Ethiopia?
Intricately handwoven baskets represent Ethiopia’s artisanal heritage. These multifunctional vessels crafted from palm fibers demonstrate incredible skill passed down generations. Double-walled baskets come in round bee hive and cylindrical shapes while others have lids. One unique basket variety called a messob resembles a woven table often topped with injera flatbread.
History Riddles
Which 3,000 year old kingdom was based in Northern Ethiopia?
The Kingdom of Aksum ruled northern Ethiopia and the surrounding Horn regions from 100-940 AD. This powerful kingdom grew wealthy from Red Sea and Nile trade built lavish stone palaces and granite obelisks in Aksum. At its peak, the Kingdom of Aksum even minted coins and conquered nearby southern Arabia. Scholars consider Aksum to be one of four great early civilizations along with Persia, Rome, and China.
Who is Ethiopia’s last emperor?
Haile Selassie I was Ethiopia’s last emperor, reigning from 1930 to 1974 before he was overthrown by a people’s revolution. Selassie claimed lineage from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, served as a driving force in the pan-African movement, and considered by Rastafarians as divine. His imperial leadership sought to rapidly modernize Ethiopia through social reforms. Today, he remains an iconic figure in Ethiopian history.
When did Italy first attempt to colonize Ethiopia?
In 1895, Italy attempted to colonize Ethiopia after recently acquiring neighboring coastal lands. However, Ethiopia successfully defended its territory during the First Italo-Ethioian War forcing Italy to recognize Ethiopia as independent. Four decades later in October 1935, Mussolini invaded Ethiopia again, using superior weaponry and eventually occupied the country up through 1941 until their East Africa collapse.
Conclusion
By making your way through these 49 riddles about Ethiopia, hopefully you have garnered a wider glimpse into this ancient country’s rich culture and history along with its landscapes and wildlife. From the rugged Great Rift Valley, to Aksumite obelisks, to brewing tella beer – Ethiopia offers no shortage of topics around which riddles can be spun. Learning a country’s riddles creates a colorful lens to better understand what shapes national identity. How many riddles did you know the answers to beforehand vs. had to discover through contextual clues? Are there other Ethiopian riddles missing from this list? Let us know!
