Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa (አዲስ አበባ) or Addis Abeba, also known as Finfinne, is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia.

As a chartered city, Addis Ababa also serves as the capital city of the Oromia Region. It is where the African Union is headquartered and where its predecessor the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was based. It also hosts the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), as well as various other continental and international organizations.

Addis Ababa is therefore often referred to as "the political capital of Africa" for its historical, diplomatic and political significance for the continent. The city lies a few miles west of the East African Rift which splits Ethiopia into two, through the Nubian Plate and the Somali Plate.

The city lies at the foot of Mount Entoto and forms part of the watershed for the Awash. From its lowest point, around Bole International Airport, at 2,326 metres (7,631 ft) above sea level in the southern periphery, Addis Ababa rises to over 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) in the Entoto Mountains to the north.

CLIMATE

Addis Ababa has a subtropical highland climate with precipitation varying considerably by the month. The city has a complex mix of highland climate zones, with temperature differences of up to 10 °C (18 °F), depending on elevation and prevailing wind patterns.

The high elevation moderates temperatures year-round, and the city's position near the equator means that temperatures are very constant from month to month. As such the climate would be maritime if its elevation was not taken into account, as no month is above 22 °C (72 °F) in mean temperatures.

TOURISM

Tourism is a growing industry within Addis Ababa and Ethiopia as a whole. In 2015, the European Council on Tourism and Trade named Ethiopia the Number One tourist spot in the world.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Public transport is through public buses from three different companies (Anbessa City Bus Service Enterprise, Sheger, Alliance), Light Rail or blue and white taxis. The taxis are usually minibuses that can seat at most twelve people, which follow somewhat pre-defined routes.

The minibus taxis are typically operated by two people, the driver and a weyala who collects fares and calls out the taxi's destination. Sedan taxis work like normal taxis, and are driven to the desired destination on demand. In recent years, new taxi companies have appeared, which uses other designs, including one large company using yellow sedan taxis.

The construction of the Addis Ababa Ring Road was initiated in 1998 to implement the city master plan and enhance peripheral development.

BUSES

Intercity bus service is provided by the Lion City Bus Services.

RAILWAYS

Addis Ababa opened its light rail system to the public on 20 September 2015. The system is the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa.

The new Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway started operation in September 2016, running parallel to the route of the original railway line.

AIRPORTS

The city is served by Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, where a new terminal opened in 2003.