Amhara (also known as Bete Amhara, "The house of Amhara") was the name of a medieval province of the Ethiopian Empire, located in present-day Amhara Region, and the pre-1996 province of Wollo. And gave its name to the Amharic language, which in turn gave its name to the Amhara people. The people of this region mainly practice Orthodox Christianity and some practice Islam (Sunni). The origins of the Amhara come from the surrounding areas of Ethiopia/Eritrea as well as Yemen/Saudi Arabia.
Following the Italian conquest of Ethiopia in 1936, "Amhara" (or Italian "Amara") was used to designate the subdivision of Italian East Africa with its administrative center at Gondar.
Coordinates: 11°39′39″N 37°57′28″E / 11.6608°N 37.9578°E