Electricity: 330,000 kW capacity; 700 million kWh produced, 14 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: cement, textiles, food processing, oil refinery
Agriculture: accounts for 45% of GDP and is the most important sector of the economy even though frequent droughts, poor cultivation practices, and state economic policies keep farm output low; famines not uncommon; export crops of coffee and oilseeds grown partly on state farms; estimated 50% of agricultural production at subsistence level; principal crops and livestock—cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseeds, potatoes, sugarcane, vegetables, hides and skins, cattle, sheep, goats
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $471 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.6 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $8 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $2.0 billion
Currency: birr (plural—birr); 1 birr (Br) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: birr (Br) per US$1—2.0700 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 8 July-7 July
- Communications Railroads: 988 km total; 681 km 1.000-meter gauge; 307 km 0.950-meter gauge (nonoperational)
Highways: 44,300 km total; 3,650 km bituminous, 9,650 km gravel, 3,000 km improved earth, 28,000 km unimproved earth
Ports: Aseb, Mitsiwa