Ethiopia is one of the great destinations in world travel with a wealth of attractions but well off the tourist trail. Its image in the west may be blighted by drought and famine but this masks a fascinating country, the only African state never to be fully colonised and a country with a unique culture. Ethiopia has a historical heritage unparalleled in sub-Saharan Africa, most notably in the extraordinary rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, stunning scenery and great trekking in the Simien Mountains, one of the most diverse and colourful tribal cultures in Africa and some absorbing religious destinations such as the Muslim city of Harar and the Orthodox monasteries of Lake Tana. Some day this country will be overrun with tourists – get there before this happens. Explore in depth highlights of Ethiopia.
| Tours | Unesco WHS | Guidebooks |
|---|---|---|
| groups tours with set departures |
World Heritage Sites | country, regions and cities |
| Time zone: | GMT +3 (Eastern Africa time) | Daylight savings: None |
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| Main languages: | Amharic, Oromigna |
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| Other languages: | Guragigna, Hadiyigna, Sidaminga, Somaligna, Tigrinya |
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| Currency: |
birr (ETB) €1 = Br25.01, $1 = Br22.42, £1 = Br29.81 (rates as of Sep 2016) |
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| Internet Domain: | .et | International Dialling Code: 251 |
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For help planning your trip to Ethiopia including visas, vaccinations, currency exchange, flights, accomodation and insurance, see our Ethiopia trip planning page.
Further information on Ethiopia
Discover more about Ethiopia - the country's geogrpahy and natural features, an assessment of its status on freedom and rights and data on the country's population and economy.
Geography & Natural Features
Total area: 1,127,127 sq km (7,444 sq km under water)
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Neighbours (border lengths): Djibouti (349km), Eritrea (912km), Kenya (861km), Somalia (1,600km), Sudan (769km), South Sudan (837km)
Climate: Tropical monsoon climate with huge variation due to elevation - cool highlands and hot semi-desert lowlands. Rainy season usually between mid-June and mid-September, preceeded by intermittent showers from March. The months following the rainy season are the best time to visit.
Highest mountain: Ras Dejen (4,533m) - Climb this mountain!
Freedom & Rights
Summary status and rankings for Ethiopia from classifications of different organisations measuring political and economic freedom, democracy and civil rights. See more details of these rankings.
| Index | Status | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Freedom in the World | Not Free | - |
 | Democracy Index | Authoritarian regime | 124/167 |
 | Economic Freedom | Mostly Unfree | 149/179 |
 | Press Freedom | Difficult situation | 140/179 |
 | ILGA LGBT rights | No rights | - |
 | Corruption Perceptions | Medium corruption | 110/174 |
| Overall Ranking: | 167/195 | ||
Other Data & Links
Full name: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) Status: Independent Country
Population: 96,633,458 (rank: 13/196) Density: 85.7 people/sq km (rank: 93/196)
Ethnic groups: Oromo 32.1%, Amara 30.1%, Tigraway 6.2%, Somalie 5.9%, Guragie 4.3%, Sidama 3.5%, Welaita 2.4%, other 15.4% (1994 census)
Religions: Christian 60.8% (Orthodox 50.6%, Protestant 10.2%), Muslim 32.8%, traditional 4.6%, other 1.8% (1994 census)
GDP (PPP): $118.2 billion GDP per capita: $1,300 (rank: 179/195)
Information derived from the CIA World Factbook. Other country profiles: BBC News.