Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa is the national capital of Ethiopia, set in the central highlands in the valley below Mount Entoto. No other capital in Africa lies higher.

Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taytu Betul established the settlement in 1886 around the natural hot springs of Finfinne. Taytu chose the site and persuaded Menelik to move his capital down from cold, windy Entoto; the imperial palace followed a year later. St. George Cathedral arose in 1896 in an octagonal neoclassical form to commemorate victory at the Battle of Adwa. The Franco-Ethiopian Railway reached the city from the Red Sea coast during the First World War, connecting highland traders with maritime shipping lanes. A municipal administration followed early in the 20th century.

The city serves as the diplomatic seat for the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Light manufacturing, leather processing, and food production form the core of local industry, alongside financial institutions such as the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia. The flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines directs passenger transport and international cargo distribution through the local airport. The state telecommunications provider Ethio telecom manages national digital networks from its headquarters in the central district. Textile factories and beverage bottling operations line industrial zones along the southern transit route toward neighboring agricultural towns.

Traditional dining across the capital centers on sourdough injera flatbread served alongside spiced pulses and meat stews. Addis Ababa University opened in the middle of the century within a former imperial estate, providing professional training in medicine, law, and engineering. The National Museum of Ethiopia preserves historic artifacts, royal ceremonial regalia, and ancient hominin fossils recovered from river basins. Commuters move across the city on an electrified light rail transit system, which runs along two transit corridors. Public gatherings, national celebrations, and athletic processions convene on the paved terraced grounds of Meskel Square.