Air Travel / Packages Ethiopian Airlines Peter Tse / phone: 1-212-634-0228 Booking Info: email petertse@flyethiopian.com Airline Info: www.flyethiopian.com HOTELS - Shearaton Addis - List of other Hotels in Addis Ababa Ethiopian Historical Information The history of Ethiopia is rich and ancient. The first recorded account of the region dates back to almost 5,000 years ago during the time of the Egyptian pharaohs. The country's rich history is woven with legends of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba; the Ark of the Covenant that is said to rest in Axum; the great Axumite kingdom and the birth of Christianity; the rise of Islam; and the story of King Lalibela, who is believed to have constructed eleven rock-hewn churches, still standing today and considered the eighth wonder of the world. Ethiopia is the only African nation that was not colonized by European colonial forces. It was briefly occupied by the Italians between 1936 and 1941. Between 1889 and 1913, during the reign of Emperor Menelik II, he fended off the encroachments of European powers. Italy posted the greatest threat, having begun to colonize part of what would become its future colony of Eritrea in the mid 1880s. In 1896, Ethiopia defeated Italy at the Battle of Adwa, which was considered the first victory of an African nation over a European colonial power. Menelik's successor, Haile Selassie I (who reigned from 1930-1974) was left with the task of dealing with Italy's resurgent expansionism. In the early years of World War II, Ethiopia was liberated from the Italians by the joint forces of the Resistance Movement and the British Army. After being restored to power, Emperor Selassie attempted to implement reforms and modernize the state. There are many reminders of His move to modernization today. One of the most important legacies for the Rastafarian community is the land grant in Shashemene. There is an international community of Rastafarians there where a school, community center, and other community initiatives have been implemented.