Ethiopia flag

Ethiopia

History

The Aksumite empire minted its own coinage and adopted Christianity in the 4th century.
The rock-hewn churches of Lalibela were cut from living stone.
Ethiopian forces defeated Italy at Adwa, preserving independence.
Italian occupation interrupted sovereignty until liberation.
The Derg deposed Haile Selassie and installed a military government.
The Derg fell; a federal constitution followed in 1995.
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CapitalAddis Ababa
Population111.7M
Area1.1M km2
CurrencyEthiopian birr

Short facts

RegionEast Africa / Horn of Africa
LanguageAmharic
Time zoneEAT (UTC+3)
Drives onRight

Worth seeing

  • Lalibela: Eleven monolithic rock-hewn churches, still an active pilgrimage site.
  • Simien Mountains: Escarpments and gelada troops above 4,000 m, a UNESCO site.
  • Danakil Depression: Sulphur springs and salt flats in one of the hottest places on earth.

Find a city in Ethiopia

Showing all cities

Addis Ababa thumbnailAddis AbabaCity

Planning questions

What is Ethiopia known for?Lalibela, Simien Mountains, Danakil Depression.
What is the capital?Addis Ababa.
Which language is useful?Amharic.
When is the national day?28 May.
How should I browse it here?Start with the facts, jump to linked cities, then check events and topics.

Upcoming events

Use Addis Ababa as the first planning anchor for Ethiopia, then compare the city, food and worth-seeing notes on this page.

Food & drink

Street food thumbnailStreet foodSignature dishCoffee thumbnailCoffeeLocal drink

Known for

LalibelaSimien MountainsDanakil DepressionAddis AbabaStreet foodCoffee
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