Impact of Natural Events Country Profile: Ethiopia.

 Ethiopia ranks as the fourth highest at-risk country in the impact of natural events indicator, with over 80 per cent of its population residing in very high risk areas. The country’s geography and climate make it particularly vulnerable to droughts, floods, and other environmental shocks, which intersect with existing challenges such as food insecurity, conflict, and poverty. These compounding risks affect communities across both rural and urban areas, straining livelihoods, infrastructure, and essential services. The country’s risk profile is shaped by a combination of factors, including extensive reliance on rain-fed agriculture, high levels of land degradation, rapid population growth, and limited adaptive capacity. Ethiopia has faced recurrent droughts that devastate agricultural production and livestock, leading to widespread displacement and heightened food insecurity. Flooding, particularly in river basins and low-lying areas, further threatens already fragile ecosystems and communities, destroying crops, contaminating water sources, and triggering outbreaks of disease. In the Tigray region, the 2020-2022 conflict has reversed years of ecological recovery and Intensified environmental degradation. Satellite analyses show conflict-driven loss ofwoody vegetation in hotspots across the region, as communities increasingly relied on fuelwood and timber under siege and electricity blackouts. Established soil and water conservation measures deteriorated or were abandoned during active fighting, allowing erosion and topsoil loss to accelerate. In areas where ecosystem restoration had been progressing over recent decades, that progress has been undermined, weakening natural buffers against drought and flood events. Displacement adds another layer of vulnerability. Ethiopia hosts the third-largest refugee population in Africa, which by 2021, stood at more than 725,000 people – primarily from South Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea – hosted in 24 camps. Located in remote areas, they frequently lack durable infrastructure and adequate drainage, making them highly exposed to climate-related hazards such as flooding. A risk assessment of these camps found that, while not necessarily life-threatening in the short term, floods had the potential to contaminate water sources and spread disease, compounding the challenges faced by camp residents. For example, the Tierkidi camp in Ethiopia’s Gambella Region was identified as the most exposed, with nearly 29,000 residents – almost half of its population – facing significant flood risk. Ethiopia’s refugee camps illustrate the heightened vulnerability created by the displacement–natural hazard nexus. Investment in disaster risk reduction, early warning systems, better water management, and other climate adaptation strategies will be essential for protecting not only displaced populations but also the wider society. Without coordinated action, Ethiopia’s overlapping risks will continue to amplify the impact of natural events at a national scale.