Course 1: Geography of Ethiopia and the Horn

1. Course information
Course Title Geography of Ethiopia and the Horn
Course Code GeES 1011
Credit Hrs/ECTS
Cr Hrs = 3 L=3 T=0 P=0 H=7 CP = 5
Semester I
Year I
Pre-requisites None
Target group All first-year undergraduate students
Status of the Course Common course
Instructor’s Name and
WONDAFRASH G. (Main campus, Social Science Building, R#A311)
Address
2. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course attempts to familiarize students with the basic geographic concepts particularly in relation
to Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. It is also intended to provide students a sense of place and time
(geographic literacy) that are pivotal in producing knowledgeable and competent citizens that are able to
comprehend and analyze problems and contribute to their solutions. The course consists of four parts.
The first part provides a brief description on the location, shape, and size of Ethiopia as well as basic
skills of reading maps. Part two introduces the physical background and natural resource endowment of
Ethiopia and the Horn which includes its geology and mineral resources, topography, climate, drainage
and water resources, soil, fauna and flora. The third part of the course focuses on the demographic
characteristics of the country and its implications on economic development. The fourth component of
the course offers treatment of the various economic activities of Ethiopia and the Horn which include
agriculture, manufacturing, and service sectors. Moreover, Ethiopia in a globalizing world is treated in
the perspectives of the pros and cons of globalization on its natural resources, population, and socio-
economic conditions.
3. COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course the students will be able to:
o Describe the location, shape and size of Ethiopia and the Horn
o Explain the implications of location, shape and size of Ethiopia and the Horn on the physical
environment, socioeconomic and political aspects.
o Elaborate the major geological events; the resultant landforms and mineral resources of Ethiopia and
the Horn.
o Identify the major drainage systems and water resources of Ethiopia and their implications for regional
development and integration.
o Develop an understanding of the climate of Ethiopia, its dynamics and implications on the livelihoods
of its inhabitants.
o Examine the spatiotemporal distribution and abundance of natural vegetation, wildlife and Soil
resources of Ethiopia.
o Discuss the demographic attributes and dynamics as well as the ethnic diversity of Ethiopia.
o Read maps as well as compute basic demographic and climatic rates
o Appreciate the biophysical and socio-cultural diversities in Ethiopia and the Horn
o Explicate the major types of economic activities in Ethiopia; discern their spatiotemporal distributions
 and their contributions to the overall development of the country.
o Comprehend the effects of globalization on the socioeconomic development of Ethiopian and the Horn.
4. EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
o Acquire basic knowledge on the geographic attributes of Ethiopia and the Horn
o Develop a sense of appreciation and tolerance of cultural diversities and their interactions
o Acquire general understanding of physical geographic process, and human environment relationships
o Develop ethical aptitudes and dispositions necessary to live in harmony with the natural environment
o Develop an understanding of national population distributional patterns and dynamics
o Conceptualize the comparative advantages of economic regimes; and understand the impacts of
globalization
o Understand their country’s overall geographic conditions and opportunities; and be proud of the natural
endowments and cultural wisdom that help them develop a sense of being an Ethiopian.
5. Syllabus Components
5.1. Course content, methods & strategies, and learning outcomes
Learning Outcomes:
Methods and At the end of this
Time

Contents and sub-contents Student Task

strategies chapter students will
be able to:
 Describe the concept of
1. INTRODUCTION (5 hrs)
 Attend the lesson location, size, shape…
1.1.Geography: Definition, scope,
and take short of geographic features
themes and approaches
note, in spatial context
1.2. Location, Shape and Size of
Week 1 & 2

 Lecture  Asking and  To read and

Ethiopia and the Horn
 Group discussion answering differentiate Earth’s
1.2.1. Location and its effects
 Class work (map questions, surface features from
1.2.2. The shape of Ethiopia and its
reading)  Participating in maps
implication
1.2.3. The size of Ethiopia and its group discussion  Acquire basic
implications  Doing class work knowledge on the
1.3. Basic Skills of Map Reading and homework. geographic attributes of
Ethiopia and the horn
  Describe the concept of
geology, geological
2. The Geology of Ethiopia & the time scale and dating,
horn (5 hrs) the geologic processes
2.1. Introduction and their effects on the
2.2. The geologic process: Endogenic surface on the Earth
 Attend the lesson
and Exogenic forces (Landform
and take short
2.3. The geological time scale and age formations…)
note,
Week 2, 3 &4

dating techniques  Lecture

 Group discussion  Asking and  Acquire general
2.4. Geological processes and the
answering understanding of
resulting landforms  Class work (map questions, physical geographic
2.4.1. The Precambrian Era geologic reading)
 Participating in process, and human
processes and resultant features  Home work group discussion environment
2.4.2. The Paleozoic Era geologic
 Doing class work relationships
processes and resultant features
and homework.  Acquire basic
2.4.3. The Cenozoic Era geologic
knowledge on major
processes and resultant features
rock types and mineral
2.5. Rock and Mineral resources of
resources in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
and the horn

 Describe the concept of

physiography and
physiographic divisions
3. The Topography of Ethiopia and  Attend the lesson  Acquire general
the horn (3 hrs) and take short understanding
3.1. Introduction topographic conditions
 Lecture note,
3.2. Physiographic divisions of Ethiopia
Week 4 & 5

 Group discussion  Asking and

3.2.1. The western highlands and  Acquire basic
answering
lowlands  Class work (map questions, knowledge on the
3.2.2. The southern highlands and reading) geographic location and
 Participating in
lowlands  Home work areal extent Ethiopian
group discussion
3.2.3. The rift valley highlands
3.3. The impact of relief on biophysical  Doing class work
 Understand the effect of
and socioeconomic conditions and homework.
topography on climate
and socioeconomic
conditions of the
settlers.
4. Drainage systems and water
resources of Ethiopia and the horn  Attend the lesson
(5 hrs) and take short  Acquire basic
4.1. Introduction  Lecture note, knowledge on water
Week 6 & 7

4.2. Major drainage systems of  Asking and resources of Ethiopia

 Group discussion
Ethiopia answering  Describe the concept of
4.3. Water resources: Rivers, Lakes,
 Class work (map questions, drainage and drainage
reading)
and subsurface water  Participating in systems
4.4. General characteristics of  Home work group discussion  Characterize the major
Ethiopian rivers  Doing class work river basins of Ethiopia
4.5. Water resources potentials and and homework.
development in Ethiopia
 5. The climate of Ethiopia and the
horn (7 hrs)  Describe the concept
5.1. Introduction climate and weather
 Attend the lesson
5.2. Element and controls of weather  Understand weather and
and take short
and climate note, climatic conditions of
Week 8 and 9

5.3. Spatiotemporal patterns and  Lecture Ethiopia (climatic

 Group discussion  Asking and
distribution of temperature and zonation and zoning in
answering
rainfall in Ethiopia  Class work (map questions,
Ethiopia)
5.4. Agro-ecological zones of Ethiopia reading)  Describe the concept of
 Participating in
5.5. Climate and its implications on  Home work agroecology and agro-
group discussion
biophysical and socioeconomic ecological zonation’s
aspects  Doing class work
 Understand agro-
5.6. Climate change/ global warming: and homework.
ecological zones of
causes, consequences and response Ethiopia
mechanisms
6. Soils, Natural vegetation and  Describe the concept
Wildlife resources of Ethiopia and natural resources
the horn (6 hrs)  Attend the lesson  Explain the major types
6.1. Introduction and take short on natural resources of
6.2. Ethiopian soils: types, degradation note, Ethiopia
Week 10 & 11

 Lecture
and conservation  Group discussion  Asking and  Understand the
6.3. Types and distribution of natural answering geographic distribution
vegetation in Ethiopia
 Class work (map questions, of major natural
reading)
6.4. Natural vegetation: Uses,  Participating in resources of Ethiopia
degradation and conservation  Home work group discussion  Acquire knowledge on
strategies  Doing class work natural resources
6.5. Wildlife resources of Ethiopia: and homework. degradation and
Types, Importance, and conservation, and their
conservation strategies extent in Ethiopia
  Describe the concept
population, population
dynamics, distributions
and sociocultural
aspects of Ethiopian
7. Population of Ethiopia and the population
horn (8 hrs)  Attend the lesson  Acquire general
7.1. Introduction and take short understanding of
7.2. Population data: uses and sources note, physical geographic
Week 12 &13

 Lecture
7.3. Population dynamics: Fertility,  Group discussion  Asking and process, and human
Mortality and migration answering environment
7.4. Population distribution and
 Class work (map questions, relationships
reading)
composition  Participating in  Develop ethical
7.5. Sociocultural aspects of Ethiopian  Home work group discussion aptitudes and
population: Education, health and  Doing class work dispositions necessary
languages and homework. to live in harmony with
7.6. Settlement types and patterns the natural environment
 Develop an
understanding of
national population
distributional patterns
and dynamics
8. Economic activities in Ethiopia (9
hrs)
8.1. Introduction
8.2. Mining, fishing and forestry
8.3. Agriculture in Ethiopia
8.3.1. Contributions, potentials &
characteristics of agriculture in  Describe the concept
Ethiopia socioeconomic
8.3.2. Agricultural systems in Ethiopia activities
8.3.3. Major problems of Ethiopian  Attend the lesson  Understand agricultural
agriculture and take short systems of Ethiopia
Week 14, 15 & 16

8.4. Manufacturing in Ethiopia  Lecture note,  Develop a sense of

8.4.1. Manufacturing: essence and  Group discussion  Asking and appreciation and
contributions answering tolerance of cultural
8.4.2. Types, characteristics and
 Class work (map questions, diversities and their
reading)
distributions of manufacturing  Participating in interactions
8.4.3. Industrial development in  Home work group discussion  Conceptualize the
Ethiopia: Challenges and  Doing class work comparative advantages
prospects and homework. of economic regimes;
8.5. The service sector in Ethiopia and understand the
8.5.1. Transportation and impacts of globalization
communication in Ethiopia:
types, roles and characteristics
8.5.2. Trade in Ethiopia: Types,
contributions and characteristics
8.5.3. Tourism in Ethiopia: Types,
major tourist attraction sites,
challenges and prospects
4.2. Assessment strategies and techniques and course policy
 Assignment ………………………………………………………………………………15%
 Mid …………………………………………………………,,,,,,,,……………………,,,, 35%
Assessment
 Final Exam …………………………………………………,,,,,,,,,,,…………………...,, 50%
Total ………………………………………………………..,,,,,,,,,…………………..,,,, 100%
A student has to:
 Attend at least 85% of the classes.
Course policy  Take all continuous assessments and mid exam.
 Take final examination.
 Respect all rules and regulations of the university.

4.3. Instructional resources

Textbooks:
Addis Ababa University (2001). Introductory geography of Ethiopia, Teachers Text, Department of Geography
Awulachew S.B., et al (2007). Water resources and irrigation development in Ethiopia. Colombo, Srilanka:
IWMI (working paper 123)
Paolo Billi (2015). Landscape and Landforms of Ethiopia. Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg New York, London.
Module of Geography of Ethiopia and the Horn
Reference:
Abbate E., Bruni P., Sagri M. (2015) Geology of Ethiopia: a review and geomorphological perspectives.
Assefa M., Melese W., Shimelis G. (2014). Nile river Basin; Ecohydrological challenges, climate change and
hydropolitics. Springer International Publishing, Switzerland.
Engdawork Assefa (2015). Characterization and classification of major agricultural soils in CASCEP
intervention Wereda’s in the central highlands of Oromia Region, Ethiopia, Addis Ababa University
Eyasu Elias (2016). Soils of the Ethiopian Highlands: Geomorphology and properties. CASCAPE Project,
ALTRA, Wageningen University and Research Center (Wageningen UR). The Netherlands. 385 pp
Laurence G., Jeremias M., Tilahun A., Kenneth M. (2012). Integrated Natural Resource Management in The
Highlands of Eastern Africa; From Concept to Practice. New York, Earthscan.
Ministry of Agriculture/MOA/ (1998). Agro-ecological zones of Ethiopia: Natural Resources Management and
Regulatory Department, Addis Ababa
Robert, E.G, James, F.P & Michael T. (2007). Essentials of physical geography. Thomson Higher education,
Belmont, 8th edition.
Solomom T., Jean-Pierre M., Yves D., (2003). Geology and mineral potential of Ethiopia: a note on geology and
mineral map of Ethiopia. Elsever Ltd.
UNDP, FAO (1984) Ethiopia Forest Resources and Potential for Development; An assistance to land use
planning.