EN
Islam and Christianity have been present in Ethiopia from its beginning. The history of the religions and their interconnections in this area has been very eventful. It is a history shaped by conflicts as well as times of peace. The aim of the article is to analyse the common areas and border lines between Islam and Christianity in Ethiopia. Another aim is to discuss the main features indicating the close relations in everyday life and culture of Muslims and Christians in this part of Africa. This article, the first part of two, addresses the question from a geographical and historical perspective.