Travellers’ Tips
General information for your journey to Ethiopia
Overview
Located in the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is 1,100,000 square kilometres (420,000 square miles) in size. The capital city is Addis Ababa and the population was recorded as 94.1 million in 2013.
Climate
Ethiopia’s high altitude, ensures a temperate, moderate climate – certainly not tropical. There are two rainy seasons: the irregular short rains from late January to early March, and the long rains that stretch from June until mid-September. May is the warmest month and is usually a time of bright sunny days. Daytime temperatures in January run just as high, but the nights are cooler. June, July, and August are wet and cool.
Topography
The country has an elevated central plateau varying in height between 2,000 and 3,000 metres. To the north and centre of the country, there are 25 mountains with peaks ranging in height to over 4,000 metres. The most famous Ethiopian river is the Blue Nile (or Abay). It runs a distance of 1,450 kilometres from it’s source at Lake Tana to join the Nile at Khartoum.
Language
Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic state with over 83 languages and 200 dialects spoken in the country,. The two main languages are Amharic (the official language) and Oromigna. English is also widely spoken.
Time
Ethiopia is in the GMT+3 hour time zone. Ethiopia follows the Julian calendar that consists of twelve months of 30 days each and a thirteenth month of five or six days.
Electrical Supply
Ethiopia uses 220 volts and 50 Hz. It is best to bring your own round, two-prong adapter.
Daylight
Being relatively close to the Equator, there is an almost constant twelve hours of daylight. In Addis Ababa, the sunrise and sunset start at around 06.30 and 18.45 respectively.
Currency
The local currency is the Ethiopian Birr. One Birr is made up of 100 cents.
Visa & Health Requirements
Visas are required for all visitors to Ethiopia. An entry visa valid for 3 months can be issued upon arrival at Bole International Airport for certain nationalities only or they can be purchased from your nearest Ethiopian Embassy in advance. For more detailed information, please contact your nearest Ethiopian Embassy. Yellow fever immunisation is recommended and you should have your certificate available upon arrival in Ethiopia.
