Three million Amara are missing

Since 1984 Ethiopia conducted a full population count roughly once every decade—the newest is slated for this year. The third and last such count, Census 2007, however remains subject of much controversy following the inexplicable disappearance of three million people from the Amara ethnic group.  To date no institution, governmental or otherwise is able to come up with a convincing explanation.

In this discussion note Dr. Berhanu Abegaz, Professor and Chair of Economics at the College of William and Mary, attempts to unravel the phenomenon by analysing the 1994 and the 2007 population censuses.