The Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) has approximately 100,000 personnel, which makes it one of the largest military forces in Africa. This number is significantly smaller than the 250,000 plus troops that existed during the Derg regime that fell to the rebel forces in 1991. The United States was Ethiopia's major arms supplier from the end of World War 2 until 1977, when Ethiopia began receiving massive arms shipments from the Soviet Union. These shipments, including armored patrol boats, transport and jet fighter aircraft, helicopters, tanks, trucks, missiles, artillery, and small arms have incurred an unserviced Ethiopian debt to the former Soviet Union estimated at more than $3.5 billion. Since the early 1990s, the ENDF has been in transition from a rebel force to a professional military organization with the aid of the U.S. and other countries. Training in demining, humanitarian and peace-keeping operations, professional military education, and military justice are among the major programs sponsored by the U.S.

Military branches: Ground Forces, Air Force, Police, Militia
note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the independence of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession and ships which belonged to the former Ethiopian Navy and based at Djibouti have been sold

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 15,748,632 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 8,234,442 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 760,868 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $345 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.2% (2003)

References and Links

• Ethiopia