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Amhara (Ethiopia)

Amhara National Regional State

Last modified: 2011-09-10 by bruce berry
Keywords: amhara | ethiopia |
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Image by Jaume Ollé, 18 Dec 1999

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Background

Amhara, according to the Ethiopian Parliament website "consists of 10 administrative zones, one special zone, 105 woredas, and 78 urban centers.  The capital city of the State of Amhara is Bahir-Dar and the State of Amhara is located in the north western and north central part of Ethiopia. The State shares common borders with the state of Tigray in the north, Afar in the east, Oromiya in the south, Benishangul/Gumuz in the south west, and the Republic of Sudan in the west. Finally, the State of Amhara covers an estimated area of 170,752 square kilometers.

This is an ethnic state with 91.2% of the population (of 13,834,297) belonging to people of Amhara ethnicity.

Ethiopia changed it's internal administrative divisions when it changed regime and flag in 1996.  Previously, the city of Bahir-Dar made the border between the former provinces of Gojam to the south and Gonder to the north. It also means that the change was not simply a rearrangement of the internal borders, but whole new borders where created because Gonder bordered Eritrea and Amhara does not.
Jorge Candeias, 15 Dec1999


Flag of Amhara

The flag of Amhara is golden with a broad red diagonal across the center, charged with a golden star in the center. There's no information on the symbolism, but it's interesting to note that the neighbouring state of Tigray has the same colours.
Jorge Candeias, 15 Dec 1999

The traditional colours of Amhara are yellow and red.  The colours probably originate from medieval Catalan and are widely used, including for the main Amharic football team. The Tigray colours are derived from the flag of the main revolutionary party and symbolise socialism and progress - same colours but different meaning.

The flag image as published in Flagmaster nr. 93 (Spring 1999) [fLm] is incorrect in the size of the diagonal stripe.
Jaume Ollé, 18 Dec 19999