Ethiopian
Ethiopia, a land that boasts of a vibrant culture and rich traditions, has produced many famous personalities in the fields of music, arts, literature, and science. Especially renowned for its diversity in music, each of the country's ethnic groups is associated with unique sounds ranging from traditional folk music to Christian and secular music. Ethiopian songwriter Zelal Mekuria, Ethio-jazz musician Mulatu Astatke and singer Alemayehu Eshete have played major roles in promoting Ethiopian music in the modern age. One of the most prominent Ethiopian singers in the contemporary world is Gigi. Hardy, well-built and athletic, Ethiopians are also famous for displaying their physical prowess in sports. The nation is best known internationally for its middle-distance and long-distance runners like Haile Gebreselassie (World champion and Olympic champion), and multi-gold medalists Meseret Defar and Tirunesh Dibaba. A multilingual nation with around 80 ethnolinguistic groups, Ethiopia has produced prominent writers like Abe Gubegna, Sebhat Guèbrè-Egziabhér, and Getatchew Haile who have published works in various languages. The nation is also the birth place of Loret Tsegaye Gabre-Medhin, an internationally respected poet, playwright, essayist, and art director. This section provides you information about the life and works of famous Ethiopians.
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1
Abebe Bikila(First African to Win Olympic Gold Medal and the First Athlete to Win Two Olympic Marathons Back-to-Back)
Birthdate: July 7, 1932
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Shewa, Ethiopia
Died: October 25, 1973
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
2
Haile Gebrselassie
(Former Ethiopian Long-Distance Track Athlete and Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist)
Birthdate: April 18, 1973
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Assela, Ethiopia
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
Birthdate: July 23, 1892
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Ejersa Goro, Ethiopia
Died: August 27, 1975
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
Birthdate: August 15, 1976
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Beshasha, Ethiopia
Birthdate: January 25, 1971
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
Birthdate: August 17, 1844
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Angolalla Tera
Died: December 12, 1913
7
Kenenisa Bekele
(Ethiopian Long-Distance Runner and 3-Time Olympic Gold Medalist)
Birthdate: June 13, 1982
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bekoji, Ethiopia
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
8
Tewodros II of Ethiopia
(Emperor of Ethiopia from 1855 to 1868)
Birthdate: 1818 AD
Birthplace: Qwara, Dembiya
Died: April 13, 1868
9
Liya Kebede(Ethiopian Model & Maternal Health Advocate Who Served as the WHO's Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health)
Birthdate: March 1, 1978
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
10
Sahle-Work Zewde
(The First Woman to Become the President of Ethiopia)
Birthdate: February 21, 1950
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Birthdate: 1986 AD
Birthplace: Ambo, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Died: June 29, 2020
Birthdate: October 25, 1986
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
13
Zewditu
(Empress of Ethiopia (1916 - 1930))
Birthdate: April 28, 1876
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Werreyimenu, Wollo
Died: April 2, 1930
14
Jawar Mohammed
(Founder of Oromia Media Network)
Birthdate: May 12, 1986
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Oromia, Ethiopia
15
Tirunesh Dibaba
(The Youngest Female World Champion in Long-Distance Track Event)
Birthdate: June 1, 1985
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bekoji, Ethiopia
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
16
Genzebe Dibaba
(Ethiopian Middle-and-Long-Distance Runner)
Birthdate: February 8, 1991
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bekoji, Ethiopia
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
18
Derartu Tulu
(Ethiopian Retired Long-Distance Runner)
Birthdate: March 21, 1972
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Bekoji, Ethiopia
Height: 5'1" (155 cm)
Birthdate: July 14, 1976
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
20
Mulatu Astatke
(Ethiopian Musician and Arranger considered as the father of Ethio-jazz)
Birthdate: December 19, 1943
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Jimma, Ethiopia
21
Taytu Betul
(Empress of Ethiopia (1889 - 1913))
Birthdate: August 17, 1851
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Oromia, Ethiopian Empire
Died: February 11, 1918
22
Menen Asfaw
(Empress consort of Ethiopia (1930 - 1962))
Birthdate: April 3, 1891
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Wollo, Ethiopian Empire
Died: February 15, 1962
23
Makonnen Wolde Mikael
(Shum of Harar (1887 - 1906) and a Noted General during the First Italo-Ethiopian War)
Birthdate: May 8, 1852
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Sheno, Shewa, Ethiopia
Died: March 21, 1906
24
Almaz Ayana
(Two-Time World Champion Ethiopian Long-Distance Runner Who Is Also an Olympic Gold Medalist)
Birthdate: November 21, 1991
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Benishangul-Gumuz, Ethiopia
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
25
Mengistu Haile Mariam
(Former President of Ethiopia (1987 - 1991))
Birthdate: May 21, 1937
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ethiopia
Birthdate: 1958 AD
Birthplace: Gondar, Ethiopia
Birthdate: 0330 AD
Birthplace: Ethiopia
28
Abraha
(Aksumite Army General and King of Himyar)
Birthplace: Kingdom of Aksum, Ethiopia
Died: 0570 AD
29
Meles Zenawi
(Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia (1995 - 2012))
Birthdate: May 8, 1955
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Adwa
Died: August 20, 2012
30
Letesenbet Gidey
(Ethiopian Long-Distance Runner)
Birthdate: March 20, 1998
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Endameskel, Tigray Region, Ethiopia
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
Birthdate: 1974 AD
Birthplace: Ethiopia
32
Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou
(Nun)
Birthdate: December 12, 1923
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Ethiopia
33
Miruts Yifter
(Ethiopian Long-Distance Runner)
Birthdate: May 15, 1944
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Adigrat, Ethiopia
Died: December 23, 2016
34
Meseret Defar
(Ethiopian Long-Distance Runner and Two-Time Olympic Gold Medallist)
Birthdate: November 19, 1983
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Adis Abeba, Ethiopia
Height: 5'1" (155 cm)
35
Hailemariam Desalegn
(Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia)
Birthdate: July 19, 1965
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Boloso Sore
36
Zera Yacob Amha Selassie
(Prince)
Birthdate: August 17, 1953
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
37
Yohannes IV
(Emperor of Ethiopia (1871 - 1889))
Birthdate: July 11, 1837
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: May Beha, Tembien, Ethiopia
Died: March 10, 1889
38
Prince Alemayehu
(Son of Emperor Tewodros II and Empress Tiruwork Wube of Ethiopia)
Birthdate: April 23, 1861
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Magdala, Ethiopia
Died: November 14, 1879
39
Selemon Barega
(Ethiopian Long-Distance Runner ana Olympic Gold Medalist)
Birthdate: January 20, 2000
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Gurage, Ethiopia
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
40
Rediet Abebe
(Computer scientist)
Birthdate: 1991 AD
Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
41
Prince Sahle Selassie
(Prince)
Birthdate: February 27, 1932
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Menelik Palace, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Died: April 24, 1962
42
Zinash Tayachew
(The First Lady of Ethiopia)
Birthdate: January 13, 1978
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Gondar, Ethiopia
43
Lelisa Desisa
(World Champion Ethiopian Long-Distance Runner)
Birthdate: January 14, 1990
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Shewa, Oromia, Ethiopia
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
44
Fasilides
(Emperor of Ethiopia (1632 - 1667))
Birthdate: 1603 AD
Birthplace: Shewa, Ethiopia
Died: October 18, 1667
45
Yomif Kejelcha
(Ethiopian Middle-and-Long-Distance Runner)
Birthdate: August 1, 1997
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Oromia, Ethiopia
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
Birthdate: September 27, 1940
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Died: April 19, 2009
Birthdate: October 16, 1924
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Died: May 13, 1957
Birthdate: March 3, 1965
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Asmara, Eritrea
49
Mamo Wolde
(Ethiopian Long Distance Runner and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Birthdate: June 12, 1932
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ada'a, Ethiopia
Died: May 26, 2002
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
Birthdate: May 8, 1941
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia