Number of armed conflicts in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Number of armed conflicts was 3 conflicts in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Number of armed conflicts in Ethiopia, 1989–2025
Source: Uppsala Conflict Data Program and Peace Research Institute Oslo (2026); geoBoundaries (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in conflicts.
Analysis
In 2025, number of armed conflicts in Ethiopia stood at 3 conflicts.
That represents a change of up 200.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of armed conflicts in Ethiopia peaked at 6 conflicts in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0 conflicts, in 1992.
That places Ethiopia 9th out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of armed conflicts in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | conflicts | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 2 conflicts | — |
| 1990 | 1 conflicts | -50.0% |
| 1991 | 1 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0 conflicts | -100.0% |
| 1993 | 1 conflicts | — |
| 1994 | 0 conflicts | -100.0% |
| 1995 | 0 conflicts | — |
| 1996 | 0 conflicts | — |
| 1997 | 0 conflicts | — |
| 1998 | 0 conflicts | — |
| 1999 | 0 conflicts | — |
| 2000 | 0 conflicts | — |
| 2001 | 0 conflicts | — |
| 2002 | 1 conflicts | — |
| 2003 | 1 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0 conflicts | -100.0% |
| 2006 | 1 conflicts | — |
| 2007 | 2 conflicts | +100.0% |
| 2008 | 1 conflicts | -50.0% |
| 2009 | 0 conflicts | -100.0% |
| 2010 | 0 conflicts | — |
| 2011 | 0 conflicts | — |
| 2012 | 1 conflicts | — |
| 2013 | 0 conflicts | -100.0% |
| 2014 | 0 conflicts | — |
| 2015 | 1 conflicts | — |
| 2016 | 1 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 5 conflicts | +400.0% |
| 2021 | 6 conflicts | +20.0% |
| 2022 | 5 conflicts | -16.7% |
| 2023 | 3 conflicts | -40.0% |
| 2024 | 3 conflicts | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 3 conflicts | +0.0% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 3 conflicts is above the median for low income countries, which is 1 conflicts, 3.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of armed conflicts in Ethiopia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +400.0% | 1 conflicts | 5 conflicts |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2 conflicts | 2 conflicts | 2 conflicts | 1 |
| 1990s | 0.3 conflicts | 0 conflicts | 1 conflicts | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7 conflicts | 0 conflicts | 2 conflicts | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6 conflicts | 0 conflicts | 1 conflicts | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.17 conflicts | 3 conflicts | 6 conflicts | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 9 Afghanistan 3 conflicts compare
- 9 Burkina Faso 3 conflicts compare
- 9 Cameroon 3 conflicts compare
- 9 Niger 3 conflicts compare
- 9 Pakistan 3 conflicts compare
More social development data for Ethiopia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.01 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 164,215 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0012 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 164,215 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0075 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of armed conflicts in Ethiopia?
- Number of armed conflicts in Ethiopia was 3 conflicts in 2025, according to Uppsala Conflict Data Program and Peace Research Institute Oslo (2026); geoBoundaries (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of armed conflicts recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 6 conflicts in 2021.
- What is the lowest number of armed conflicts recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 conflicts in 1992.
- How does Ethiopia rank for number of armed conflicts?
- Ethiopia ranks 9th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of armed conflicts rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 200.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from Uppsala Conflict Data Program and Peace Research Institute Oslo (2026); geoBoundaries (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of armed conflicts. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Included is one-sided violence that was ongoing that year.