Aug 21 (Reuters) - Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi,
praised for economic reform but criticised for authoritarianism
during his 21-year rule of one the world's poorest countries,
died overnight in a Brussels hospital after a long battle with
illness.
Here is a look at Ethiopia and its economy:
* Ethiopia's economy is expected to maintain a growth rate
of 7 percent in 2012/2013, the International Monetary Fund said
in June, raising its earlier forecast of 5.5 percent owing to
slowing inflation. However at $390, Ethiopia's per capita income
is much lower than the Sub-Saharan African average of $1,165 in
2010, ranking it as the sixth poorest country in the world,
according to a method used by the World Bank.
* Ethiopia has embarked on ambitious infrastructure
investment projects to improve its economic competitiveness,
including a multi-billion dollar plan to scale up energy
generation. It aims to produce 20,000 megawatts (MW) of
hydro-power within the next 10 years, part of a plan to spend
$12 billion over 25 years to raise power generating capability.
* Ethiopia is Africa's biggest coffee producer, and higher
earnings from coffee have boosted its economy as have rising
gold, oil seed and livestock exports.
* The country is ranked 174 out of 187 in the U.N.'s Human
Development Index, but there has been significant progress in
key human development indicators: child mortality has been cut
in half, and the number of people with access to clean water has
more than doubled.
Yet schooling indicators are still poor and below regional
averages. Ethiopia is ranked 27th out of 28 countries in terms
of the African Education for All (EFA) development index.
SOME NUMBERS
GDP per Capita (US$) 2010 $373.0
Population (mln) 2011 83.223
Primary School-Aged Population
(Percentage) 2011 21.6 percent
HIV/AIDS Prevalence (15-49 years) 2012 1.5 percent
* Ethiopia ranks joint 120th in Transparency International's
latest Corruption Perceptions Index which ranks 183 countries
and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is
perceived to be. Ethiopia is ranked alongside eight other
countries including Iran, Guatemala, Ecuador and Bangldaesh.
Sources Reuters/World Bank/UNESCO/UNAIDS/http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2011/results/
(Reporting by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit;
Editing by Peter Graff)