ETHIOPIA – General - only where you have walked have you been

Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east and northeast, Kenya to the south, South Sudan to the west, and Sudan to the northwest. Ethiopia has a total area of 1,100,000 square kilometres (420,000 square miles). The national capital and largest city, Addis Ababa, lies several kilometres west of the East African Rift that splits the country into the African and Somali tectonic plates.
Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa and the second-oldest official Christian nation in the world after Armenia. Ethiopia is also the place for the first Hijrah (615 AD) in Islamic history where the Christian king of Ethiopia accepted Muslim refugees from Mecca sent by the prophet Mohamed. Along with Liberia and Darwiish State, it was the only nation to survive the Scramble for Africa, until it was occupied by Italy and annexed to the colony of Italian East Africa, alongside Eritrea and Somalia. It was liberated during World War II, and later involved in wars against Oromo and Somali rebels and the newly annexed Eritrea, whose independence led Ethiopia to return to being a landlocked country.
Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic state with over 80 different ethnic groups. Christianity is the most widely professed faith in the country, with significant minorities of the adherents of Islam and a small percentage to traditional faiths.
Ethiopia is considered an emerging power and developing country, having the fastest economic growth in Sub-Saharan African countries because of foreign direct investment in expansion of agricultural and manufacturing industries. However, in terms of per capita income and the Human Development Index, the country is regarded as poor with high rates of poverty, poor respect for human rights, and a literacy rate of only 49%. Agriculture is the largest economic sector in Ethiopia, accounting for 36% of the country’s gross domestic product as of 2020.

Capital. Addis Ababa
Currency. Birr (ETB)
Area1,127,127km² Water: 7,444km², Land: 1,119,683km²
Population. 113.5 million (2nd in Africa)
Language. Amharic (official), Oromo, Tigrinya Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, other local languages, English (major foreign language taught in schools)
Religion. Ethiopian Orthodox, Protestantism, Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, Animism, Baha’i
Country code+251

CITIES
Addis Ababa – capital of Ethiopia and one of the biggest shopping cities in Africa
Adama (also known as Nazret or Nazareth) – a popular weekend destination near Addis
Aksum (Axum) – home of ancient tombs and stelae fields, in the far north near Eritrea
Hawassa – a town in the rift valley lake of Hawassa
Bahir Dar – the monasteries on the islands of Lake Tana and close to the beautiful Blue Nile Falls
Dire Dawa – the second largest city; in the east
Gondar – some of East Africa’s only castles
Lalibela – home to 11 astonishing rock-hewn churches
Mekele – a town in the Tigrayan Highlands in the north

GET IN
Most visitors to Ethiopia require a visa. VOAs are no longer available and everyone must apply for an evisa. Overland travellers coming from Sudan can easily obtain a visa in the Ethiopian Embassy in Khartoum. A filled in form, a passport copy (available for S£6 at the embassy) and 2 passport photos dropped in the morning is often enough to get the visa in about an hour. A 30 day visa costs $40, a 3 month visa $60 (February 2016).
By plane. Ethiopian Airlines is the sole domestic airline operator and one of the most successful and reputable airlines in Africa and is a Star Alliance member, servicing both the USA and Europe with direct flights.
Other international airlines serviced by Bole International Airport include: Lufthansa, Sudan Airways, Kenya Airways, British Airways, KLM, Turkish Airways, Emirates, Gulf Air, Egypt Air and Fly Dubai. A new runway and international terminal, which was said to be the largest in Africa, opened in 2003.
Arriving in the country without a major currency such as euros or US dollars is not recommended. Travellers cheques and cash can be exchanged at the airport. There are several ATMs in the international airport terminal (Terminal 2) accepting VISA-branded cards (both debit and credit cards), but they’re not reliable. You should have some cash in any major currency (USD, Euro, Pounds, Swiss Franc, Japanese Yen)
By car. Since November 2022, it is extremely expensive to bring a foreign vehicle into Ethiopia, so expensive that no one would do it.
From Sudan is via the border village of Metema.
From Kenya is via the border town of Moyale on a better and well maintained road. On the Kenyan side of Moyale the road is well done with tarmac all the way from Nairobi to Moyale, at least 9 hrs hours, to travel from Moyale to Nairobi.
Though not advisable for foreigners, bush taxis oftentimes ferry people between Hargeisa and Jijiga, though it will be necessary to change busses at the border between Somaliland and Ethiopia.
By bus.
Public transportation brings you to the border. To/from Sudan or Kenya you just walk to the other side. If you arrive at the border towns late at night, try not to cross the border in the dark. Wait in the town and do your travelling in the morning.
Buses that cover some distance start in early morning. This implies that if you arrive during the day you would be stuck at least until the next morning.
From Djibouti you can take a small bus to the border (2-3h) where you will find buses to Dire Dawa. This road is a dirt track and the trip takes at least half a day, at nightfall the bus stops and you resume travel the next day. From Ethiopia into Djibouti, a bus leaves supposedly around midnight (buy tickets during the day at the office in the centre of Dire Dawa). This arrives at the Djibouti border in the morning where you change onto a different bus to get to Djibouti City. It is a good idea to take a tuk-tuk (auto-rickshaw) to the bus station as hyenas wander the streets of Dire Dawa at night.
From Khartoum, Sudan. There is an easy and comfortable route possible entirely by public bus. Take a microbus (5SDG) from any of the Khartoum bus stations to Mina Bahri (N15.527495, E32.543703). Pay 3SDG entry to the terminal, walk inside the terminal building and ask for Al Gadaref at one of the ticket windows. Once you have your ticket (100SDG) confirm the bay number and departure time. The ticket seller will then direct you to a government office where you must provide a photocopy of your passport photo and visa pages and pay 20SDG to have your ticket stamped with permission to travel. The standard permit to travel is not required on this route. Alternatively, accept the services of one of the many touts in the terminal who will organise your ticket, arrange your passport copies and travel permission, and take you to the correct bus. The journey takes around 5 hours and the bus is a comfortable AC coach. Once at Al Gadaref bus station take a microbus to the souk (2SDG) and stay overnight at one of the hotels in the city centre (100SDG for two bed private room, shared bucket showers). Leave early the next morning and take a microbus or walk to the Gallabad direction bus station, which is different to the one you arrived at (N14.024227, E35.395183). Take a bus to the border town of Gallabad (36SDG). The border crossing process involves visiting the police office to register your arrival at Gallabad, then the Sudanese immigration office to register your departure, then the Sudanese customs office. You then walk across the border and visit the Ethiopian immigration office and the Ethiopian customs office. You will be approached by touts offering to change money and direct you to the various offices. This is not necessary since each office will direct you to the next, and there are banks for changing money on the Ethiopian side. Once in Ethiopia, buses for various destinations depart from a bus station around 3km up the road (not 7km as you will be informed). A rickshaw costs 10ETB or walk. From the bus station take a bus to Gondar (100ETB) or Metema.
GET AROUND
By plane. Ethiopian Airlines is the sole operator and has fairly comprehensive domestic services and network. Flights are often overbooked and schedule adjustment occurs frequently, so show up at the airport on time! As of 2017 you don’t need to reconfirm but if you have one give Ethiopian Airlines your mobile number. They will text updates. Planes often suddenly show as due to depart early and then don’t leave for hours after they are supposed to!
By bus. There is a comprehensive network of cheap buses along the major roads, although these are slow and basic. Buses travelling shorter distances generally leave whenever they have filled up with passengers (in practice, this means once an hour or so); nearly all long-distance buses leave at dawn (06:00, and 12 o’clock according to the Ethiopian way of reckoning time). Buses do not travel at night; they will stop before sundown in a town or village with accommodation for the passengers, or, between Dire Dawa and Djibouti, by the roadside in the country. Between some cities (e.g. Adama and Addis Ababa), minibuses will run after the larger buses have stopped for the night. Everyone on the bus must have a seat by law — this prevents overcrowding, but often makes it difficult to catch a bus from an intermediate point on a route. If planning to travel by bus, keep in mind that the vehicles are old and very dusty and the roads are bad. Ethiopians do not like opening the bus windows, so it gets hot and stuffy inside by afternoon. If you like fresh air, sit as close to the driver or one of the doors as possible as the driver keeps his window open and the conductor and his assistant often have the door windows open.
The bus stations usually open somewhere around 05:00. If you are catching an early morning bus, you should get to the station at 05:00. They are very chaotic first thing in the morning, and many buses will sell out of seats before they leave at 06:00. To make things easier and less stressful, you can often buy a ticket in advance. In Addis, find the correct window at the bus station the day before you wish to travel and buy your ticket there. (You will need help finding the window unless you can read Amharic, but there are usually people around who will help if you ask.) The ticket will be in Amharic, but there will be a legible bus number written on it somewhere. Simply find that bus the next morning at the bus station. In smaller cities, you can often buy your ticket from the conductor when the bus arrives from its previous trip the afternoon before you travel. Even if you already have a ticket, arrive early and claim a seat as soon as possible. If you don’t have a ticket, you will have to ask people to show you the correct bus, unless you can read Amharic. In this case, don’t waste time trying to buy a ticket from the window or from the bus conductor: push your way on board the bus and claim a seat! The conductor will sell you a ticket later. Medium sized backpacks can usually be squeezed under the seats, but large packs and most luggage will have to go up on the roof. Claim your seat before you worry about your luggage. Anyone assisting you with your luggage, including the person passing it up to the conductor’s assistant on the roof, will expect a small tip (around 2-3 birr but as a Faranji, you won’t get away with less than 10 birr, probably 30).
On several routes (Addis – Dire Dawa, Bahardar – Addis) you may find informal traveler cars with no fixed departure; when looking around at a bus station you may be approached by somebody who offers you a faster connection via private car; this is more expensive than the normal bus but also much faster. You’ll be handed a cell phone number to call to make an appointment. These cars may leave before sundown or travel even at night. In Bahir Dar watch out for a scammer calling himself Danny. He’ll walk you to a gleaming minibus (probably not his own!) take a 100 birr deposit and agree to pick you up to take you to Lalibela the next day. What will actually happen is some bloke (not Danny, he’s long gone) will meet you, stick you on a bajaj and then put you on a local bus! The scammer will tell you that the bridge is broken, by sheer coincidence in Gashena where you usually need to change for Lalibela! However it seems I was just in time for the only direct bus to Lalibela. (The bridge miraculously repaired itself!) Upshot is you pay about 600 birr for a fare that would be pennies to to the locals and spend 10 VERY uncomfortable hours!
By car. Very expensive fees are required to bring a car into Ethiopia. One would have to rent a car there.
A good way to tour Ethiopia is by car. You can take small airplanes to expedite your tour, but you will take in more of scenery if you travel by car. Most car rentals include the driver, which is frequently, but not always, mandatory. It is now legal (since at least 2018) to drive as a tourist on a foreign driver’s license from companies such as ABC Cars and NTO Ethiopia, but most, if not all, self-drive rentals require picking up and dropping off in Addis. International Driver’s Permits are not necessary as they are not accepted (Ethiopia is not a signatory to either IDP format, and neither IDP translates into any Ethiopian language). Reasonable touring companies include Galaxy Express Services, [www.south-expedition.com NTO], Dinknesh, Focus Tours Ethiopia, Ethiopia Safaris and Journeys Abyssinia with Zawdu, Gamo Travel (specializing in southern Ethiopia) [1] and Ecotravel Ethiopia ☎ ++251 (0) 911-440-915″ [2]. They can take you off the beaten track so you can see the beauty and attractions of Ethiopia. Nevertheless, hiring a car is quite expensive (starting from around US$60-80/day depending on condition and quality of model). If hiring a car with a driver, you will also need to cover the costs for spare parts and tire repairs, and the fuel price. A driver guide’s credentials should be checked such as tourism license, insurance, engine (external and internal), and spare tire kit. Before accepting a contract, it is also a good idea to quiz the driver-guide about tourism routes via your own travel guide book (ie Lonely planet and Bradt Guide) but you must also accept that this information could be out of date. When driving to the “deep south” of Ethiopia also check the license plates, because the authorities in the south check in and log “3” plate tourism cars, take the names of the passengers and passport number. They need a letter from the tour company to show the agent is bona fide on some routes and parks. Gas costs around 22 birr a litre (Jan 2020, or $0.70). Make sure to always check that the fuel pump counter is reset to zero before refueling, or you might be overcharged. This is not a common scam, but it is always better to pay attention.
There are a several highways in Ethiopia, and the majority of the main roads in Ethiopia are paved and in adequate condition, with the exception of the road passing the Blue Nile on the A3 highway, which is paved but is in apocalyptic condition, and the roads near Lalibela which are unpaved, but are in the process of engineering and paving (still not finished in 2020, but significant progress has been made). Note that while mountainous, even unpaved roads in Ethiopia tend to be quite wide and with little traffic, with the major concerns either being driving at night, or driving in rainy season. In dry season, drivers are unlikely to encounter any particular issues in Ethiopia.
By bicycle. Road conditions vary considerably around Ethiopia; some roads are smoothly sealed while others consist mostly of large stones. Accommodation is cheap and available in almost every village (although these “hotels” usually double as bars and brothels). Food and drink are also easily available. You will attract considerable attention (it is not uncommon for whole schools to empty out as the children chase you).
By train. Ethiopia is undergoing a vast modernisation of its railways, with significant Chinese, Turkish and Brazilian investment. A new electric standard-gauge railway has recently been built from Addis Ababa to Djibouti; limited freight operations commenced on the line in 2015. The line fully opened in October 2016, and started carrying passengers in January 2018. The line includes stops at Adama, Awash, Dire Dawa and Ali Sabieh, among others.
Two other railways are currently under construction – these will link Mek’ele with Awash and Addis Ababa with Bedele.
In addition, a light rail network – also constructed by the Chinese – runs in Addis Ababa.

Language. Amharic is the first official language of Ethiopia. The language is a Semitic language related to Hebrew, Arabic and Maltese, and if you know any of these languages you’ll recognize some cognates. In all parts of the country everyone speaks Amharic to some extent, no matter what their first language may be. The language is written in the Ge’ez script.
English is the primary foreign language taught in schools, and is medium of secondary school education. In big cities, most people under 40 speak some English. In rural areas, find local school children to translate for you for a fee that could be next to nothing. Ethiopians have a distinct way of speaking English. Because it is heavily accented, it might be a bit difficult to understand it at the beginning. However, when you get used to the way they pronounce some English words, it will become fairly understandable.
Up north in Tigray, Tigrinya is the primary language, and it’s also written in Ge’ez. However, Amharic is widely understood.
In the middle regions, Oromo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oromo_people) is widely spoken. Oromo language uses a Latin alphabet.

SEE
Historic Routes, churches and Mosques Lalibella,Axum, Gonder, Harar
Tribal region safari Lower Omo Valley
Volcanic lake Danakil depression and Ereta ale:- Other worldly Adventure
Rift valley lakes Wonchi crater lake, Lanano,abay chamo
National Parks
Towns Bahir Dar, Hawassa

Buy[edit][add listing]

The official currency is the Ethiopian birr (ETB). You are only supposed to import and export 100 birr. Cash transaction is still the norm, although credit cards (Visa & Mastercard) are becoming more widely accepted in mid & high-level hotels and service providers such as travel agency. Vendors’ credit card machined do not work most of the time so you’ll need to pay cash instead.

€1 = ~25 birr and USD1 = ~20 birr as of January 2015. Coins are available in 1, 5, 10, 25, 50-cents and 1-birr denominations, and banknotes come in values of 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 birr.

If you have Visa or MasterCard-affiliated debit card you are able to withdraw cash from most ATMs around the country (max withdrawl is 4,000birr). Plus-network connected cards are only accepted at Wegagaen Bank’s ATMs. ATMs are available in most places tourists visit (except the Simien Mountains) however Visa-connected cards remain the most easily accepted cards. Lalibela’s ATMs don’t seem to accept foreign cards for some reason. Just go into Dashen Bank and pay a 1.5% commission.

Foreign exchange[edit]

Any major bank branch in Ethiopia can change foreign currency into Ethiopian Birr. The rates are the same everywhere. There are dozens of commercial banks in Addis, including in the Sheraton and Hilton hotels, and in the corner of the baggage claim hall at the airport. Most cities and towns that tourists visit will have at least one commercial bank, except for villages in the Omo valley. US dollars, euros, or British pounds are the best currencies to carry.

It is illegal to change money on the black market although the rates are about 10% better than what you can get from the banks (USD1 = 28 birr Jan 2019).

If you change money officially, it’s imperative to keep all the exchange slips in case you want to re-convert any left-over Birr back into foreign currency. However, bear in mind that changing money back into foreign hard currency is not easy and you need to go to a branch of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopian in a major city. Leaving from Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, only Dashan Bank (airside of Terminal 2 next to immigration at arrivals, two floors below the departure lounge) changes birr back into foreign currency. However, you would need a receipt from Dashan Bank showing the original conversion into birr.

As Birr has the tendency to be devaluated over time, change/withdraw from ATM what you need on a regular basis instead of change a large stash of cash.

Costs[edit]

Ethiopia is relatively cheap for tourists, compared to other African countries.

Hotel room prices indication: Luxury USD 150+, mid-range USD 40-120, budget 10-30 USD

Talk[edit]

Amharic is the first official language of Ethiopia. The language is a Semitic language related to Hebrew, Arabic and Maltese, and if you know any of these languages you’ll recognize some cognates. In all parts of the country everyone speaks Amharic to some extent, no matter what their first language may be. The language is written in the Ge’ez script.

English is the primary foreign language taught in schools, and is medium of secondary school education. In big cities, most people under 40 speak some English. In rural areas, find local school children to translate for you for a fee that could be next to nothing. Ethiopians have a distinct way of speaking English. Because it is heavily accented, it might be a bit difficult to understand it at the beginning. However, when you get used to the way they pronounce some English words, it will become fairly understandable.

You may occasionally meet some older people who speak a basic Italian, a result of the short-lived Italian occupation before World War Two. Accordingly, every city of some size has its “Piazza” (main square) and “Mercato” (market) area.

Up north in Tigray, Tigrinya is the primary language, and it’s also written in Ge’ez. However, Amharic is widely understood.

In the middle regions, Oromo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oromo_people) is widely spoken. Oromo language uses a Latin alphabet.

See[edit][add listing]

Historic Routes, churches and Mosques Lalibella,Axum, Gonder, Harar
Tribal region safari Lower Omo Valley
Volcanic lake Danakil depression and Ereta ale:- Other worldly Adventure
Rift valley lakes Wonchi crater lake, Lanano,abay chamo
National Parks
Towns Bahir Dar, Hawassa

Do[edit][add listing]

Go trekking in Bale Mountains, and Simien Mountains National Parks. While getting the glimpse of the red fox is a fortunate experience in the mountains, they offer one of the most spectacular landscapes, beautiful vistas and a thrilling experience of trekking at above 4000m. As you can see from the picture on top of this page, trekking over the Geralta mountains’ range allows you to watch one of the most spectacular landscapes in Africa. Enjoy bird watching at the Rift Valley lakes and white water rafting on the Omo River. See the Azmari-bet(traditional dance) in Bahir Dar, Dessie and other cities; attend the traditional coffee ceremony.
A tour around Southern Ethiopia will allow you to experience the lifestyles of ancient tribes and local nature. In Arba Minch, you can take a boat trip on Lake Chamo and see the crocs, hippos and pelicans and visit the 40 natural springs. Cross the bridge of the god (a natural bridge dividing two lakes) to the local savannah and stand amongst the zebras. Close by Arba Minch, you can visit the mountain villages of Dorze and Chencha where you can visit the traditional markets, visit the homes of potters and weavers and enjoy treks through the pleasant green countryside. Arba Minch is also the gateway to Omo Valley where you can visit local tribes and see their local ways of life, for example, attend the traditional bull jumping ceremony with the Hamer tribe.
Currency. The official currency is the Ethiopian birr (ETB). You are only supposed to import and export 100 birr. Cash transaction is still the norm, although credit cards (Visa & Mastercard) are becoming more widely accepted in mid & high-level hotels and service providers such as travel agency. Vendors’ credit card machined do not work most of the time so you’ll need to pay cash instead.
If you have Visa or MasterCard-affiliated debit card you are able to withdraw cash from most ATMs around the country (max withdrawl is 4,000birr). Plus-network connected cards are only accepted at Wegagaen Bank’s ATMs. ATMs are available in most places tourists visit (except the Simien Mountains) however Visa-connected cards remain the most easily accepted cards. Lalibela’s ATMs don’t seem to accept foreign cards for some reason. Just go into Dashen Bank and pay a 1.5% commission.
Foreign exchange. Any major bank branch in Ethiopia can change foreign currency into Ethiopian Birr. The rates are the same everywhere. There are dozens of commercial banks in Addis, including in the Sheraton and Hilton hotels, and in the corner of the baggage claim hall at the airport. Most cities and towns that tourists visit will have at least one commercial bank, except for villages in the Omo valley. US dollars, euros, or British pounds are the best currencies to carry.
It is illegal to change money on the black market although the rates are about 10% better than what you can get from the banks (USD1 = 28 birr Jan 2019).
If you change money officially, it’s imperative to keep all the exchange slips in case you want to re-convert any left-over Birr back into foreign currency. However, bear in mind that changing money back into foreign hard currency is not easy and you need to go to a branch of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopian in a major city. Leaving from Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, only Dashan Bank (airside of Terminal 2 next to immigration at arrivals, two floors below the departure lounge) changes birr back into foreign currency. However, you would need a receipt from Dashan Bank showing the original conversion into birr.
As Birr has the tendency to be devaluated over time, change/withdraw from ATM what you need on a regular basis instead of change a large stash of cash.

Accommodation
There is a wide range of accommodation in Ethiopia. There is a luxurious Sheraton hotel in Addis Ababa. You can also find a “hotel” that is nothing more than a small room with a tiny bed, and no running water, in the border town of Moyale.
Staying in tourist areas generally results in a broader range of choices, but watch out for tourist prices. It is acceptable to bargain with the hotel owner, for they usually tend to charge you “faranji” (foreigner) prices at first, which are often twenty times the local rate. You won’t be able to bargain down to local prices (close to nothing) but you can bargain down a lot. This is not true at the government run Ghion chain, and the fancier private chains as well, where prices for foreigners are fixed (Bekale Mola, for example).
To escape from the busy capital, many foreign residents escape now in the weekend to Debre Zeit, at only 50km. With 7 crater lakes and a nice climate, by which you can sit outside, day and night, the whole year, Debre Zeit gets the place to be. The new highway from the Addis will link Debre Zeit in 25 minutes. Most scenic are Babogaya Lake and the Green crater Lake. At Babogaya Lake, Viewpoint Lodge offers an amazing view, very good value, and the lake water is used for swimming by many people. Green crater lake, behind the militairy airport, offers a deep hole of 150m, in which you can go down.
Outside Addis
In the north, in every city (Axum, Lalibella, Bahir Dar, Gondar) one can find hotels, from overpriced ones such as the government-run Ghion chain hotels to cheaper ones. Smaller places on the major roads offer cheap places if you do not mind the most basic rooms. A tourist town like Debark that serves for trekking the Simien Mountains also offers a range of rooms, with the most popular being the Simien Park Hotel (25/30 birr), where you could also pitch a tent for 20. It meets the normal standards for food, electricity, water, cleanliness and hygiene.
In the south, all the cities (Shashemane, Wondo Genet, Awasa, Arba Minch, Jinka…) have decent, cheap hotels. The most basic rooms start at 15 birr for a single and 20 birr for a double. Many of them don’t have hot water and electricity all hours of the day, so you should schedule time for a shower in advance. There are also three fairly expensive resort hotels on the shore of Lake Langano. In the smaller villages in and around the Omo valley (Weyto, Turmi, Key Afar, Dimeka, Konso, etc.) there are usually few (very basic) or no hotels, but if you are travelling through the valley to see the tribes, there is always a campground or a restaurant that offers beds. If you camp out at one of these villages, you should hire a guard to watch over your stuff overnight.

HEALTH
Be careful of the food you eat, and don’t stay in the sun too long. If you get sick, go to one of the big private hospitals, eg. Korean, Hayat, St Gabriels.
Do not drink tap water. Bottled water for drinking is available almost everywhere in small, medium and big bottles. Addis tap water is better than in many other cities, but even the hotels generally recommend that guests do not drink it, nor eat salads or other uncooked food that is commonly washed in tap water. However, do make sure you drink enough water, especially when the weather is hot.
Consult a doctor before going to Ethiopia and stock up on prescription drugs you require. The risk of malaria is low in the capital and the highlands, but high in the lake regions and lowlands. Doxycycline for malaria prevention is cheap in Addis.

RESPECT
Ethiopians are very proud of their culture, identity, and country. Avoid criticizing their cultural lifestyle, especially their brand of Christianity (Oriental Orthodox). Avoid all contentious religious discussion, or you may risk all good will and hospitality you could have been afforded. Rather than argue about the merits of Orthodoxy or Islam, it’s best to ask friends to explain their customs, festivals and beliefs and to listen with respect.
The Ethiopians’ relationship with the Westerners is generally free of racial animosity. However, there is considerable suspicion and even xenophobia toward foreigners in the countryside. Ethiopians can be short-fused if they feel they are not treated as equals.
If a woman is with a man, ask the man’s permission to talk to her beforehand. For a man to avoid eye contact with a woman is considered a sign of respect. If you’re a foreign woman and are in public with a man, don’t be upset if Ethiopian men address all questions to him. They will do this not to slight you but to show respect. This will be the case on public transport and in restaurants. Likewise, if you are a foreign man, maintaining a formal distance from women will be seen as good manners.
It is very important that you remove your shoes when entering a home.

CONTACT
The country code for calling Ethiopia is 251. The Ethiopian dialing plan changed on 17 September 2005, such that the two-digit city code changed to three digits (or, from outside the country, one to two digits) and six-digit telephone numbers changed to seven digits. The city code for Addis Ababa, as of 17 Sep 2005, is 011 (or 11 from outside Ethiopia). An on-line telephone number converter, which will convert an old number to the new number, is available here:
Mobile. Ethiopia uses GSM (as in Europe/Africa), operated by Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC), offering 3G and limited 4G. Currently there is decent coverage around the big cities such as Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Adama, Bahir Dar, Awasa, Harar, Dese, Gonder, Mekele, and Nekemete. Coverage is expanding into small cities.
Roaming charges are steep. For a short visit, your best option for mobile access is to purchase a sim card. While roaming arrangements are said to be in place in practice you may find it impossible to get a connection that works reliably, or at all.
A sim card with unlimited data can be purchased from Ethio Telecom. They have an office in Arrivals at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, and throughout Addis and other cities in Ethiopia. Unlimited (sluggish) 4G data and local texting costs ETB 520 (including the sim card and registration). Weekly, fortnightly, and monthly top ups are ETB 490, 990, and 1,900, respectively. A passport is required for the initial registration.
Internet. There are numerous internet cafes in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Nazret, Bahir Dar, Gonder, Awasa and other cities. In Addis Ababa, connection speeds are more than adequate for performing tasks such as checking e-mail most of the time. A typical internet cafe will have a dozen computers using one broadband (usually starts from 128kbps) connection. Ethiopia’s international connection is unstable: On bad days, even a broadband connection will only deliver dial-up speed, because the whole country’s traffic is running via an undersized backup satellite connection.

History. Several important finds have propelled Ethiopia and the surrounding region to the forefront of palaeontology. The oldest hominid discovered to date in Ethiopia is the 4.2 million-year-old Ardipithicus ramidus (Ardi) found by Tim D. White in 1994. The most well-known hominid discovery is Australopithecus afarensis (Lucy). Known locally as Dinkinesh, the specimen was found in the Awash Valley of Afar Region in 1974 by Donald Johanson, and is one of the most complete and best preserved adult Australopithecine fossils ever uncovered. Lucy’s taxonomic name refers to the region where the discovery was made. This hominid is estimated to have lived 3.2 million years ago.
Ethiopia is also considered one of the earliest sites of the emergence of anatomically modern humans, Homo sapiens. The oldest of these local fossil finds, the Omo remains, were excavated in the southwestern Omo Kibish area and have been dated to the Middle Paleolithic, around 200,000 years ago. Additionally, skeletons of Homo sapiens idaltu were found at a site in the Middle Awash valley. Dated to approximately 160,000 years ago, they may represent an extinct subspecies of Homo sapiens, or the immediate ancestors of anatomically modern humans. Archaic Homo sapiens fossils excavated at the Jebel Irhoud site in Morocco have since been dated to an earlier period, about 300,000 years ago, while Omo-Kibish I (Omo I) from southern Ethiopia is the oldest anatomically modern Homo sapiens skeleton currently known (196 ± 5 ka).Today, Ethiopia maintains strong relations with China, Israel, Mexico, Turkey and India as well as neighboring countries. The relationship with Sudan and Egypt is somewhat in dispute situation owing to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project, which was escalated in 2020. Despite six upstream countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania) signed Nile Basin Initiative in 2010, Egypt and Sudan rejected water sharing treaty citing the reduction of amount of water to the Nile Basin challenges their historic connection of water rights. In 2020, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed warned that “No force can stop Ethiopia from building a dam. If there is need to go to war, we could get millions readied.”

REGIONS
Ethiopia is divided into eleven ethnically based and politically autonomous regional states and two chartered cities, Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa. At 1,104,300 square kilometres (426,372.61 sq mi),^[9] Ethiopia is the world’s 28th-largest country, comparable in size to Bolivia. It lies between the 3rd parallel north and the 15th parallel north and longitudes 33rd meridian east and 48th meridian east.

GEOGRAPHY. The major portion of Ethiopia lies in the Horn of Africa, the easternmost part of Africa. The territories that have frontiers with Ethiopia are Eritrea to the north and then, moving in a clockwise direction, Djibouti, Somaliland, Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan and Sudan. Within Ethiopia is a vast highland complex of mountains and dissected plateaus divided by the Great Rift Valley, which runs generally southwest to northeast and is surrounded by lowlands, steppes, or semi-desert.
Ethiopia is an ecologically diverse country, ranging from the deserts along the eastern border to the tropical forests in the south to extensive Afromontane in the northern and southwestern parts. Lake Tana in the north is the source of the Blue Nile. The wide range of altitude has given the country a variety of ecologically distinct areas, and this has helped to encourage the evolution of endemic species in ecological isolation.
The nation is a land of geographical contrasts, ranging from the vast fertile west, with its forests and numerous rivers, to the world’s hottest settlement of Dallol in its north. The Ethiopian Highlands are the largest continuous mountain ranges in Africa, and the Sof Omar Caves contains the largest cave on the continent. Ethiopia also has the second-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa.Climate

The predominant climate type is tropical monsoon, with wide topographic-induced variation. The Ethiopian Highlands cover most of the country and have a climate which is generally considerably cooler than other regions at similar proximity to the Equator. 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.
The modern capital, Addis Ababa, is situated on the foothills of Mount Entoto at an elevation of 2,400 metres (7,900 ft). It experiences a mild climate year round. With temperatures fairly uniform year round, the seasons in Addis Ababa are largely defined by rainfall: a dry season from October to February, a light rainy season from March to May, and a heavy rainy season from June to September. The average annual rainfall is approximately 1,200 millimetres (47 in). The average annual temperature in Addis Ababa is 16 °C (60.8 °F), with daily maximum temperatures averaging 20–25 °C (68.0–77.0 °F) throughout the year, and overnight lows averaging 5–10 °C (41.0–50.0 °F).
Dallol, in the Danakil Depression in this eastern zone, has the world’s highest average annual temperature of 34 °C (93.2 °F).
Diversity. Ethiopia has 31 endemic species of mammals. The African wild dog prehistorically had widespread distribution in the territory. 856 bird species have been recorded in Ethiopia, twenty of which are endemic to the country.
Ethiopia loses an estimated 1,410 km² of natural forests each year due to firewood collection, conversion to farmland, overgrazing, and use of forest wood for building material.

ECONOMY. Ethiopia registered the fastest economic growth under Meles Zenawi’s administration. It was one of the fastest growing economies in the world, registering over 10% economic growth from 2004 through 2014.
In spite of fast growth in recent years, GDP per capita is one of the lowest in the world, and the economy faces a number of serious structural problems. However, with a focused investment in public infrastructure and industrial parks, Ethiopia’s economy is addressing its structural problems to become a hub for light manufacturing in Africa.
Energy. Ethiopia has 14 major rivers flowing from its highlands, including the Nile. It has the largest water reserves in Africa. As of 2012, hydroelectric plants represented around 88.2% of the total installed electricity generating capacity.
Ethiopia delivers roughly 81% of water volume to the Nile through the river basins of the Blue Nile, Sobat River and Atbara. Ethiopia is in the process of constructing a large 6,450 MW hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile river and will be the largest hydroelectric power station in Africa.
Agriculture constitutes around 85% of the labour force. However, the service sector represents the largest portion of the GDP. Production is overwhelmingly by small-scale farmers and enterprises. Principal crops include coffee, legumes, oilseeds, cereals, potatoes, sugarcane, and vegetables. Exports are almost entirely agricultural commodities (with the exception of Gold exports), and coffee is the largest foreign exchange earner. Ethiopia also has large mineral resources and oil potential in some of the less inhabited regions.
Transport. Ethiopia has 926 km of electrified railways, 656 km for the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway between Addis Ababa and the Port of Djibouti (via Awash) and 270 km for the Awash–Hara Gebeya Railway between Addis Ababa and the twin cities of Dessie/Kombolcha (also via Awash). Expected travel time from Addis Ababa to Djibouti City for passengers would be less than twelve hours
Air. Ethiopia had 61 airports in 2016. Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa and the Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport in Dire Dawa accommodate international flights. Ethiopian Airlines, a member of the Star Alliance, is the country’s flag carrier, and is wholly owned by the Government of Ethiopia.
Tourism. There are nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ethiopia: Ruins of Aksum, Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela, Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region, Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town, Konso Cultural Landscape, Lower Valley of the Awash, Lower Valley of the Omo, Tiya, Simien Mountains National Park.

DEMOGRAPHICS
Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world. Its total population was 109.5 million in 2018 and is forecast to grow to over 210 million by 2060. Life expectancy had improved substantially in recent years with male life expectancy reported to be 56 years and for women 60 years.
Ethiopia’s population is highly diverse, containing over 80 different ethnic groups, the four largest of which are the Oromo, Amhara, Somali and Tigrayans. Oromo are the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, at 34.4%, the Amhara 27.0%, Somalis and Tigrayans represent 6.2% and 6.1%
In 2009, Ethiopia hosted a population of refugees and asylum seekers numbering approximately 135,200. The majority of this population came from Somalia (approximately 64,300 persons), Eritrea (41,700) and Sudan (25,900).
Languages. 90 individual languages. English is the most widely spoken foreign language.
Script. Ethiopia’s principal orthography is the Ge’ez script employed since the 6th and 5th centuries BCE as an abjad to transcribe the Semitic Ge’ez language.
Religion. Ethiopia has close historical ties with all three of the world’s major Abrahamic religions. In the 4th century, the Ethiopian empire was one of the first in the world to officially adopt Christianity as the state religion. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church remains the majority Christian denomination. There is also a substantial Muslim demographic, representing around a third of the population. Ethiopia was the destination of the First Hijrah, a major emigration in Islamic history. A town in the Tigray Region, Negash is the oldest Muslim settlement in Africa.
Christians make up 62.8% (43.5% Ethiopian Orthodox, 19.3% other denominations), Muslims 33.9%, practitioners of traditional faiths 2.6%, and other religions 0.6%. Sunnis form the majority. The large Muslim population in the northern Afar region has resulted in a Muslim separatist movement called the “Islamic State of Afaria” seeking a sharia-compliant constitution.
Until the 1980s, a substantial population of Ethiopian Jews resided in Ethiopia. About 4,000 Jews, who claim to be one of the lost tribes of Israel are estimated to still live in Ethiopia. The Falash Mura are Beta Israel who, while identifying as Jews, adopted elements of Christianity due to missionary efforts, and now practice a syncretic form of Ethiopian Judaism mixed with Christianity; they number about 150,000 people. The Beta Abraham are regarded as a medieval offshoot of the Beta Israel, having incorporated elements of traditional African religion, and number about 8,000. While both still identify as Beta Israel, they exist outside the main community. The official Beta Israel community leaders tentatively accept the Falash Mura, and have requested they be allowed to migrate to Israel. The Beta Abraham have historically been shunned by most other communities, having had a reputation of being “sorcerers”. In certain Ethiopian towns and villages such as Wolleka, near the Ethiopian city of Gondar, the concentration of Ethiopian-Jews is still significant but the US now has a significantly greater numbers of Ethiopian-Jews than that of Ethiopia.
Demographics. Migration to urban areas is usually motivated by the hope of better lives. In peasant associations daily life is a struggle to survive. About 16% of the population in Ethiopia lives on less than one dollar per day (2008). Only 65% of rural households in Ethiopia consume the minimum standard of food per day. Most poor families (75%) share their sleeping quarters with livestock, and 40% of children sleep on the floor, where nighttime temperatures average 5 degrees Celsius in the cold season.^[396] The average family size is six or seven, living in a 30 square metre mud and thatch hut, with less than two hectares of land to cultivate.
The peasant associations face a cycle of poverty. Since the landholdings are so small, farmers cannot allow the land to lie fallow, which reduces soil fertility. This land degradation reduces the production of fodder for livestock, which causes low milk yields. Since the community burns livestock manure as fuel, rather than plowing the nutrients back into the land, the crop production is reduced. The low productivity of agriculture leads to inadequate incomes for farmers, hunger, malnutrition and disease. These unhealthy farmers have difficulty working the land and the productivity drops further.
Sanitation is the most pressing need in the city, with most of the population lacking access to waste treatment facilities.
Health. 1,936 physicians (for 2003), which comes to about 2.6 per 100,000. A brain drain associated with globalization is said to affect the country, with many educated professionals leaving Ethiopia for better economic opportunities in the West.
Ethiopia’s main health problems are said to be communicable (contagious) diseases worsened by poor sanitation and malnutrition. Over 44 million people (nearly half the population) do not have access to clean water.
Birth rates, infant mortality rates, and death rates are lower in cities than in rural areas due to better access to education, medicines, and hospitals. The average Ethiopian living to be 62.2 years old, Infant mortality rates are relatively high, as 41 infants die per 1,000 live births. Birth-related complications such as obstetric fistula affect many of the nation’s women. HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia stood at 1.1% in 2014,
One common cultural practice, irrespective of religion or economic status, is female genital mutilation (FGM). The practice was made illegal in 2004. FGM is a pre-marital custom mainly endemic to Northeast Africa and parts of the Near East that has its ultimate origins in Ancient Egypt. Encouraged by women in the community, it is primarily intended to deter promiscuity and to offer protection from assault. The national prevalence rate is 74% among women ages 15–49. The practice is almost universal in the regions of Dire Dawa, Somali, and Afar. In the Oromo and Harari regions, more than 80% of girls and women undergo the procedure.
76% of Ethiopia’s male population is reportedly circumcise.

CULTURE. Ethiopia’s rich and diverse culture heavily influenced by the local population, an interaction of Semitic, Cushitic and less populous Nilo-Saharan speaking people, which evolved from first millennium BCE. Semitic Tigrayans and Amharas, who dominated the politics in the past, distinguished from other population by hierarchical structure and agrarian life derived partly from South Arabia as a result of back migration, while the southern Cushitic (Oromo and Somali) are strong adherents to egalitarianism and pastoral life. Others including Kaffa, Sidamo, and Afar tradition derived from the latter people.
The most common recognized culture observed in coffee ceremony. Unlike most countries, coffee is served in presence of social gathering, in family, friend or neighborhood level. There are three rounds of coffee drinking:
Art. Arts of Ethiopia were largely influenced by Christian iconography throughout much of its history. This consisted of illuminated manuscripts, painting, crosses, icons and other metalwork such as crowns.
Architecture. Perhaps the most impressive architecture in antiquity was founded during Dʿmt period. Ashlar masonry was an archetype of South Arabian architecture with most architectural structure similarity.
Calendar. The Ethiopian calendar, also known as the Ge’ez calendar, and written with the ancient Ge’ez script, one of the oldest alphabets still in use in the world. Like the Coptic calendar, the Ethiopian calendar has twelve months of exactly 30 days each plus five or six epagomenal days, which form a thirteenth month. Like the Julian calendar, the sixth epagomenal day—which in essence is a leap day—is added every four years without exception on 29 August of the Julian calendar. Thus, the first day of the Ethiopian year, 1 Mäskäräm, for years between 1901 and 2099 (inclusive), is usually 11 September (Gregorian), but falls on 12 September in years before the Gregorian leap year. It is approximately seven years and three months behind the Gregorian calendar because of an alternate calculation in determining the date of the Annunciation of Jesus.
Cuisine. The best-known Ethiopian cuisine consists of various types of thick meat stews, known as wat in Ethiopian culture, and vegetable side dishes served on top of injera, a large sourdough flatbread made of teff flour. This is not eaten with utensils, but instead the injera is used to scoop up the entrées and side dishes. Almost universally in Ethiopia, it is common to eat from the same dish in the middle of the table with a group of people. It is also a common custom to feed others within a group or own hands—a tradition referred to as “gursha”.^[444] Traditional Ethiopian cuisine employs no pork or shellfish of any kind, as both are forbidden in the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian, Islamic and Jewish faiths.
Media. The sole internet service provider is the national telecommunications firm Ethio telecom.
Sport. The main sports in Ethiopia are track and field (particularly long distance running) and football. Ethiopian athletes have won many Olympic gold medals in track and field, most of them in long distance running. Abebe Bikila became the first athlete from a Sub-Saharan country to win an Olympic gold medal when he won the Marathon at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games in a world record time of 2:15:16. Haile Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele, and Tirunesh Dibaba are all world-renowned long distance runners, each with multiple Olympic and World Championship gold medals. Letesenbet Gidey holds the world records in both the women’s 5,000 metre and 10,000 metre run.

ETHIOPIA – General