Quick answerAddis Ababa is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia, with 6,287,000 people inside the city limits in 2025. The wider metropolitan area had about 6.0 million people in 2025. It is best known for the African Union headquarters. Its official languages include Afar, Amharic and 3 others, and its currency is the Ethiopian birr.
Addis Ababa is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia, with about 6.3 million people in 2025. It stands on the high plateau at 2,355 metres above sea level and is home to the African Union headquarters and the National Museum.
Key facts
| Country | Ethiopia |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 6,287,000 (2025) |
| Population (metro) | 5,956,680 (2025) · Addis Ababa metropolitan area (2025) |
| Elevation | 2355 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Africa/Addis_Ababa |
| Language | Afar, Amharic, Oromo, Somali, Tigrinya |
| Currency | Ethiopian birr (ETB, Br) |
| Coordinates | 9.036° N, 38.752° E |
Overview
Addis Ababa is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia, on the high plateau in the centre of the country. It had an estimated 6,287,000 inhabitants in 2025, while the metropolitan area held about 5,956,680 people, making it the tenth-largest city in Africa. The city stands at 2,355 metres above sea level, at the foot of Mount Entoto, which makes it the highest capital in Africa and the fourth-highest capital city in the world.
The city was founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II, after his wife Taytu Betul chose the site for its hot springs. Its landmarks include the National Museum of Ethiopia, home to the 3.2-million-year-old skeleton Lucy, the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Meskel Square and the Lion of Judah Monument. The Merkato, the great open market, is one of the largest in Africa.
Today Addis Ababa is the diplomatic capital of Africa: it hosts the headquarters of the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Its light rail, opened in 2015, was the first in sub-Saharan Africa, and the city is Ethiopia's financial, cultural and transport centre.
What Addis Ababa is known for
- African Union headquarters
- National Museum and Lucy
- Merkato market
- Meskel Square
- Entoto Hill
- Addis Ababa Light Rail
Landmarks
- National Museum of Ethiopia
- Holy Trinity Cathedral
- Merkato
- Meskel Square
- Lion of Judah Monument
- Entoto Hill
- St. George Cathedral
- Addis Ababa Light Rail
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Addis Ababa?
About 6.3 million people live in Addis Ababa (6,287,000 in 2025), while the metropolitan area had about 6 million people. That makes Addis Ababa by far the largest city in Ethiopia, about ten times the size of Dire Dawa, and the tenth-largest city in Africa.
What is Addis Ababa famous for?
Addis Ababa is famous as the diplomatic capital of Africa, home to the headquarters of the African Union. It is known for the National Museum, where the 3.2-million-year-old skeleton Lucy is kept, for the Merkato, one of Africa's largest markets, and for Meskel Square.
Where is Addis Ababa located?
Addis Ababa is in central Ethiopia, on the high plateau at the foot of Mount Entoto, at 2,355 metres above sea level. It is the highest capital in Africa and the fourth-highest capital city in the world. Its coordinates are 9.04° N, 38.75° E.
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Keep exploring
- Ethiopia — the country Addis Ababa is in
- Dire Dawa — another city in Ethiopia
- Mekelle — another city in Ethiopia
- Adama — another city in Ethiopia
- All cities in Ethiopia
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.