Ethiopia

At a glance

Capital	Addis Ababa
Region	East Africa
Area	1,104,300 km² (#10 of 54 in Africa)
Size vs Kenya	About 1.9× bigger
Languages	Amharic, Afaan Oromo, Tigrinya, Somali and Afar are federal working languages; more than 80 languages are spoken
Currency	Ethiopian birr (ETB)
Independence	Never colonised; Italy occupied the country from 1936 to 1941

The capital: Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, whose name means "new flower" in Amharic, was founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taytu. At around 2,350 metres above sea level it is one of the highest capitals in the world, which keeps it mild all year.

It is also a diplomatic capital: the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa have their headquarters here, which is why the city is sometimes called the political capital of Africa.

What to see in Addis Ababa

• National Museum of Ethiopia

  Home to the 3.2-million-year-old fossil skeleton known as Lucy, or Dinkinesh, along with art and royal treasures.

• Holy Trinity Cathedral

  The country's most important Orthodox cathedral, where Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Menen are buried.

• Merkato

  One of the largest open-air markets in Africa, where you can buy anything from spices and coffee to recycled metalwork.

• Unity Park

  Opened in 2019 in the grounds of the National Palace, with restored royal buildings, gardens and a zoo.

• Entoto Hills

  The forested hills above the city, where Menelik first set up his capital, with walking trails and views over Addis.

How big is Ethiopia?

Ethiopia covers 1,104,300 km², making it Africa's #10 largest country out of 54. That's about 1.9 times the size of Kenya. One place above it is South Africa (1,221,037 km²) and one place below is Mauritania (1,030,700 km²).

Places to visit in Ethiopia

• Lalibela

  Eleven medieval churches carved down into solid rock and still used for worship today.

• The Simien Mountains

  Jagged peaks and deep gorges, home to gelada monkeys and the rare Ethiopian wolf.

• The Danakil Depression

  One of the hottest places on Earth, with colourful sulphur springs and salt flats.

• Gondar

  The 17th-century castles of Fasil Ghebbi, sometimes called the Camelot of Africa.

• Aksum

  Giant carved stone obelisks from one of the great kingdoms of the ancient world.

Did you know?

• Ethiopia uses its own calendar with 13 months, running about seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar.
• Ethiopia has its own alphabet, Ge'ez, which is used to write Amharic, Tigrinya and other languages.
• Coffee is believed to have first been used in Ethiopia's south-western highlands, and the coffee ceremony remains central to daily life.
• Ethiopia defeated an invading Italian army at the Battle of Adwa in 1896, a victory celebrated across Africa.

Planning a visit

The dry season from October to March is the best time to visit, with clear skies and green landscapes after the rains. The main rains fall from June to September.

Festivals are worth planning around: Meskel in late September and Timkat (Epiphany) around 19 January are spectacular. Check current travel advice, as some regions have been affected by conflict.