<P> In the southern parts of the Ethiopian Highlands once was located the Kingdom of Kaffa, a medieval early modern state, whence the coffee plant was exported to the Arabian peninsula . The land of the former kingdom is mountainous with stretches of forest . The land is very fertile, capable of three harvests a year . The term "coffee" derives from the Arabic qahwah (قهوة) and is traced to Kaffa . </P> <P> The Highlands are divided into northwestern and southeastern portions by the Main Ethiopian Rift, which contains a number of salt lakes . The northwestern portion, which covers the Tigray and Amhara Regions, includes the Semien Mountains, part of which has been designated the Semien Mountains National Park . Its summit, Ras Dashan (4550 m), is the highest peak in Ethiopia . Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, also lies in the northwestern portion of the Ethiopian Highlands . </P> <P> The southeastern portion's highest peaks are located in the Bale Zone of Ethiopia's Oromia Region . The Bale Mountains, also designated a national park, are nearly as high as those of Semien . The range includes peaks of over 4000 m . Among these are Mount Tullu Demtu (4337 m), which is the second - highest peak in Ethiopia, and Mount Batu (4307 m). </P> <P> Most of the country's major cities are located at elevations of around 2,000--2,500 m (6,562--8,202 ft) above sea level, including historic capitals such as Gondar and Axum . </P>

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