 | WARNING: Due to the outbreak of the infectious disease COVID-19 (see coronavirus pandemic), caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, also known as coronavirus, there are travel restrictions worldwide. It is therefore of great importance to follow the advice of the official bodies of Belgium and Netherlands to be consulted frequently. These travel restrictions can include travel restrictions, closure of hotels and restaurants, quarantine measures, being allowed to be on the street for no reason and more, and can be implemented with immediate effect. Of course, in your own interest and that of others, you must immediately and strictly follow government instructions. |
 | |
| Location | |
 | |
| Flag | |
 | |
| Short | |
| Capital | Addis Ababa |
| Government | Federal Republic |
| Coin | birr (ETB) |
| Surface | total: 1,127,127 km² water: 7,444 km² country: 1,119,683 km² |
| Population | 74,777,981 (July 2006 estimate) |
| Language | Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, other regional languages, English (taught in school) |
| Religion | Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 3%-8% |
| Electricity | 220V/50Hz (European & Italian plugs) |
| Call code | 251 |
| Internet TLD | .et |
| Time zone | UTC 3 |
Ethiopia is a country in East Africa. The capital is Addis Ababa
Info
History
Addis Ababa which literally means 'new flower' is the capital of Ethiopia. The city is located at an altitude of 2500 meters in the middle of the Shoa province, surrounded by green hills planted with eucalyptus. It is one of the highest capital cities in the world. It is still a fairly young city because it was built at the end of the nineteenth century. In 1886 the wife of Menelik the Second 'Taitu' ordered that her court be moved to the Finfinne plain. She had had enough of the cold in Entoto, where Menelik had camped. The plateau had a milder climate and the hot springs, where she had enjoyed bathing several times, determined her choice. This decision ultimately created Addis Ababa.
climate
The climate fluctuates between 14°c and 25°c. In the mountain regions it can even be 5 degrees. The rainy season is from June to August.
Ethiopia, located south of the Tropic of Cancer, has a tropical climate only in the western lowlands. The high location of the country (large temperature differences, from an average of 30 degrees in the west to only 5 degrees in the mountains) and the Indian Ocean with the wet monsoon affect the temperature. The days are generally warm (November and December are the least warm), the nights are cool to cold. The warmest months on the Ethiopian plateau are October to April. Most rainfall (large amounts) falls from July to the end of September. From February to March is the so-called short rainy season, with a heavy shower with thunderstorms at the end of the day. In conclusion, we can say that the best travel time, in terms of climate, is between the end of September to February.
Geography
Ethiopia is characterized by mountains and desert.
Population
The population of Ethiopia is 71,256,000 inhabitants.
Ethiopia is a poor country with a lot of drought, resulting in many famines. There is therefore a lot of begging from tourists. If you want to give them something, don't give too much, strange as this may sound. Otherwise you run the risk that after your good deed you will have many beggars after you. Children in particular can impose themselves with their grabbing hands.
Art & culture
Ethiopia and its inhabitants are particularly photogenic. Therefore, take enough photo/film/slide rolls with you (memory sticks are still unknown in Ethiopia), the quality on the spot leaves something to be desired, as well as special batteries, charging equipment, etc. If you want to take photos of people, always ask for their permission (a small tip is appreciated, approx 2 birr per photo). It is forbidden to take pictures of government buildings, bridges, military institutions and soldiers. Photographing in monuments is often free, but for filming you can be asked for an extra entrance fee, often about 100 birr per church/monument.
Due to the large climate differences in the country, there is a very diverse (and rare!) vegetation. But Ethiopia is a wonderful destination for animal lovers. With a bit of luck you will find many endemic species, including special birds (about 800 species including the blue-winged goose, the rouget rail, the thick-billed raven, the Ethiopian lapwing, the white-necked pigeon and the black-headed canary), the mountain nyala (as well as the Ethiopian nyala ), the walia ibex, the simen fox and the wild Somali donkey. Of course you will also find other animals that belong in an African country, such as lions, elephants, zebras, hippos, monkeys and crocodiles. The chance of an 'encounter' with one or more of these animal species is greatest in the game reserves and national parks.
Holidays
- Ethiopian Christmas
- Id-ul-Maulid (birthday Muhammad)
- Father's Day
- Lailat-ul-Meraj (Ascension Muhammad)
- Celebrating Haile Selassie's Birthday
- Ramadan
- Id-al-Fitr (Sugar Feast)
- Neyrouz (Coptic New Year)
- Id-ul-Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)
- Eid Al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice)
Regions
Nota bene: the administrative areas of Harari, Addis Ababa, and Dire Dawa are included in Oromia for the convenience of the traveler.
Towns
- Addis Ababa - capital
- gondar — former capital, known for the great festival Timkat
Other destinations
- Omo Valley
Arrive
Passport & visa info
To travel to Ethiopia you need a passport and a visa. Attention: required period of validity of the passport is at least 6 months from the date of entry into Ethiopia. You can obtain a visa upon arrival at the airport.
To collect your visa in Belgium, you can go to the embassy at Tervurenlaan 231 in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, . Tel: 02.771.32.94.You can also have the visa arranged by the Visa Service: http://visumdienst.com/?location=visuminformatie&land=ethiopia
By plane
The airport of the capital Addis Ababa is called Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. KLM flies here three times a week, with a stopover in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. However, the return flight to Amsterdam is direct from Addis Ababa. Between Brussels and Ethiopia are not direct flights, but with Ethiopian Airlines you can fly to the Ethiopian capital with stopovers.
By train
By car
By bus
By boat
Travel around
By plane
By train
By car
By bus
By boat
Language
The official language of Ethiopia is Amharic, but in total there are about 290 languages (many tribes speak their own language, mostly with Afro-Asiatic base), some of which are not yet linguistically classified. English is only spoken in moderation.
To look at
To do
To buy
The currency of Ethiopia is the birr. One euro is approximately 33 birr (rate October 2019). There are notes of 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1 birr (50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 cent). Pins are not possible anywhere! You can go to almost all hotels in Addis Ababa with American dollars. You can also pay with euros, provided they are clean, wrinkle-free and grease-free banknotes. Traveler's checks are only exchanged in banks, but this is time consuming. Credit cards are almost not accepted. It is best to pay in cash everywhere. You can exchange money (US dollars in small denominations!) at the airport, in hotels or at banks in Addis Ababa, outside Addis Ababa there are few banks1 Please remember that you are not allowed to take back more than 10 birr from Ethiopia ( exchange the rest at the airport).
Cost
Food
Injera is on the menu at all meals (with Ethiopian families). This is a large, wet cake, with fish, meat, vegetables, herbs, butter and a spicy sauce. On Wednesday and Friday, because of the fasting days, it is eaten only with vegetables. The traditional meals are concluded with a cup of coffee (coffee ceremony). Other drinks are tea, the honey drink tej and beer. Coke, carbonated soft drinks, and the national beer are available pretty much everywhere. Major hotels and restaurants in the cities generally also serve western meals. The meals are not that varied. Breakfast consists of toast, some butter, some jam and lots of eggs. Ethiopia also produces its own wine. Goudar is dry red wine, Axumite is sweeter red wine, Cristal is dry white wine.
Going out
stay overnight
To learn
To work
Safety
 | WARNING: Consult here the current travel advice from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You can find the current travel advice from the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs here consult. There is also detailed information about safety on this one US website |  |
Ethiopia is one of the safest countries in Africa, but caution is always advised, of course. Don't keep too much money in your pocket and if possible leave important papers in hotels for safekeeping, but keep in mind that not every hotel has a safe! Also watch out for large groups of children! Pickpockets are especially active during the major religious festivals such as Timkat'.
Health
When you go on holiday to Ethiopia, you are recommended to get vaccinated against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, diphtheria - tetanus - (whooping cough), typhoid fever, poliomyelitis and yellow fever. There is also malaria for which there is no vaccine yet, but there are all kinds of variants of pills. Always inquire in advance with the tropical institutes or with your doctor about the right vaccines and other pills and medicines that are needed for travel in Africa.
respect
Contact
| Countries in Africa | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Destinations | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|