Polygamy in Ethiopia
Encyclopedia
Polygamy
in Ethiopia
has been formally abolished in the Africa
n nation, and there is no official recognition for polygamous marriages under civil law or any form of customary law. Ethiopia is the only nation in the Horn of Africa
that does not grant any form of legal recognition to polygamous marriages.
Despite such illegalities, the practice reportedly remains intact, with several tales of polygamous groupings making international news. The most recent story covered the life of a polygamous man who is currently married to twelve wives with whom he bore a total of 78 children.
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
has been formally abolished in the Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n nation, and there is no official recognition for polygamous marriages under civil law or any form of customary law. Ethiopia is the only nation in the Horn of Africa
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
that does not grant any form of legal recognition to polygamous marriages.
Despite such illegalities, the practice reportedly remains intact, with several tales of polygamous groupings making international news. The most recent story covered the life of a polygamous man who is currently married to twelve wives with whom he bore a total of 78 children.