Amhara Region

The Amhara Region (Amharic: አማራ ክልል, romanized: Åmara Kilil), officially the Amhara National Regional State (Amharic: የአማራ ብሔራዊ ክልላዊ መንግሥት), is a regional state in northern Ethiopia and the homeland of the Amhara, Awi, Argobba, and Qemant people. Its capital is Bahir Dar which is the seat of the Regional Government of Amhara. Amhara is the site of the largest inland body of water in Ethiopia, Lake Tana (which is the source of the Blue Nile), Grand Renaissance Dam and Semien Mountains National Park (which includes Ras Dashan, the highest point in Ethiopia). Amhara is bordered by Sudan to the west and northwest and by these regions of Ethiopia: Tigray to the north, Afar to the east, Gambela region to southwest, and Gurage to the south. Towns and cities in Amhara include: Dessie, Gonder, Debre Birhan, Debre Tabor, Kombolcha, Weldiya, Debre Markos, Seqota, Kobo, and Metema.^{[citation needed]}

During the Ethiopian Empire, Amhara included several provinces (such as Bete Amhara, Gojjam, Gonder, Angot, Dembiya, Bezemo, Shewa and Lasta), most of which were ruled by native Ras or Negus. The current Amhara region corresponds to often large parts of the former provinces of Begemder, Dembiya, Angot, Bete Amhara,Bezemo, Gojjam and Shewa. With the rise of the Solomonic Dynasty in 1270 under Emperor Yekuno Amlak in Bete Amhara near town Dessie around Lake Hayk (born in the Maqdalla region) and until the establishment of Gondar as the new imperial capital around 1600, the Debre-Birhan to Mekane-Selassie region was the primary seat of the roving Wolloye-Shewan emperors. This period is most significant in the formation of the medieval Ethiopian state, the spread and consolidation of Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity (following the example set by the Zagwe kings in preserving the Axumite heritage) and propagating to the core provinces (besides Tigray/Eritrea, and Lasta) of Bete Amhara, Gojjam, Begemder, northern Shewa, Gafat, and Damot

The region's recorded history, in fact, goes back to the early 13th century. For example, St. George's Church in the town of Woreilu (whose Tabot is reputed to have been carried by Emperor Menelik at the Battle of Adwa) was established around 1200.

The parish of Mekane Selassie (መካነ ሥላሴ), near Neded and the home of the cathedral by the same name, served as a favourite royal playground. The construction of Mekane Selassie (meaning: the abode of the Trinity) was begun by Emperor Naod (1494-1508) and completed by his son Emperor Lebna Dengel. This was a year before the church (along with a large number of monasteries in the region) was sacked and burned down in 1531 by the invasion led by Ahmad bin Ibrahim. Francisco Alvarez, who had earlier visited the church, confirms that its size was some 150 feet by 150 feet — wholly covered in gold leaf, inlaid with gems, pearls and corals

After the social movements of 2014–2017, Amhara nationalism developed strongly in the region, with a discourse that includes both issues of power balance between elites and territorial claims. Several local politicians, such as Dejene Maru backed by General Asaminew Tsige, were able to control armed factions.

On 22 June 2019, factions of the security forces of the region attempted a coup d'état against the regional government, during which the President of the Amhara region, Ambachew Mekonnen, was assassinated. A bodyguard siding with the nationalist factions assassinated General Se'are Mekonnen – the Chief of the General Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Force – as well as his aide, Major General Gizae Aberra. The Prime Minister's Office accused Brigadier General Asaminew Tsige, head of the Amhara region security forces, of leading the plot, and Tsige was shot dead by police near Bahir Dar on 24 June.

In April 2023, a strife occurred between the regional special forces of federal government and Fano militia units, advancing to large scale protests in Gondar, Kobo, Seqota, Weldiya on 9 April. Further insurgency was escalated between the two belligerents, resulted in War in Amhara. Since August 2023, Fano militants and ENDF troops intermittently controlled most part of the region, leading to major human rights violations and subsequent state of emergency. Since the outbreak of the war, the region experienced internal displacements, extrajudicial killings and extensive property damages. According to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) reports, 45 civilians were killed in Amhara region by security forces for allegedly supporting Fano in late January 2024.

The Amhara region is home to five lakes: Lake Tana, Lake Hayq, Lake Hardibo, Lake Zengena and Lake Tirba.