Amhara

Amhara

People of the Ethiopian central highlands. The Amhara number some 18 million and compose almost three-tenths of Ethiopia's population. Their language is Amharic, a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic family, and their religion is Ethiopian Orthodox. The Amhara, who have dominated the history of their country, descend from ancient Semitic conquerors who mingled with indigenous Cushitic peoples. They are agriculturalists and place great value on land ownership.

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Amhara

1. a region of NW Ethiopia: formerly a kingdom

2. an inhabitant of the former kingdom of Amhara

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Amhara 

the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia. The Amhara live primarily in the central and northern regions of the country—the provinces of Shoa, Gojjam, and Bagēmder—and also the provinces of Wallo, Arusi, Kaffa, Walagā, Harar, and Sidamo. They speak Amharic. Their numbers have been estimated at 6–7 to 10–11 million people. (More precise calculations are difficult, since today many other peoples speak Amharic.) The Amharas are Monoph-ysitie Christians. (Christianity entered Ethiopia as early as the fourth century A.D.) Their main occupation is farming (maize, sorghum, and legumes); some raise cattle.

REFERENCES

Narody Afriki. Moscow, 1954.
Rait, M. V. Narody Efiopii. Moscow, 1965.
Ullendorff, E. The Ethiopians. London, 1960.