Ethiopia
Ethiopia's population has grown from 33.5 million in 1983 to 87.9 million in 2014. The population was only about 9 million in the 19th century. The 2007 Population and Housing Census results show that the population of Ethiopia grew at an average annual rate of 2.6% between 1994 and 2007, down from 2.8% during the period 1983–1994. Currently, the population growth rate is among the top ten countries in the world. The population is forecast to grow to over 210 million by 2060, which would be an increase from 2011 estimates by a factor of about 2.5.
Ethiopian xeric grasslands and shrublands
Human population density is typically less than ten persons per square kilometer (km2). In some areas, there is less than one person per km2. The dominant ethnic groups are the nomadic pastoralist Afars and a Somali clan, the Issas. Human density, however, does not account for grazing animals. The conservation status of this ecoregion is not good, with few protected areas and lack of enforcement in existing ones. Habitats however have been degraded, mainly by grazing of livestock as well as cutting of trees for firewood and clearing of land for planting. The only protected area is the Mille-Serdo Wild Ass Reserve in Ethiopia although protection is planned for the Buri Peninsula and the Danakil Depression in Eritrea. Urban areas in the region include the ports of Massawa in Eritrea, Djibouti city, and Berbera in Somalia. Smaller towns include the former Afar Region capital of Asaita in Ethiopia and smaller ports along the coast such as Tadjoura in Djibouti and Zeila in Somalia. Tourism in the region includes diving in the Dahlak islands.