Capital City: Addis Ababa
Location: Ethiopia is located in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Sudan on the west, Somalia and Djibouti on the east, Eritrea on the north and Kenya on the south.
Area: 1.1 million km²
Landscape: Ethiopia provides a wide range of landscapes including rugged mountains, flat-topped high plateaus, deep river canyons, rolling plains and dry lowlands.
Highest elevation: Ras Dejen (alternatively Ras Dashan) is the highest mountain in Ethiopia and tenth highest mountain in Africa. Part of Simien Mountains National Park located in Gondar, Amhara Region, it reaches an elevation of 4,550 metres (14,928 ft)
Languages: Amharic (official), Afan Oromo, Tigrinya, Gurage, Somali and about 80 other local languages.
Currency: Ethiopian Birr (ETB)
Time: UTC +3h
Country Calling Code: +251
When to Travels
The best time to visit the country is during the high season, from January until March. At this time of year you can expect sunny skies and warm temperatures. This is also a particularly good time for wildlife watching as well as a chance to experience Ethiopia’s most colourful festivals, including Ethiopian Epiphany and Christmas.
The shoulder season in Ethiopia is from October until December, when the country is at its greenest. Fewer travellers visit Ethiopia during this season, meaning it is not overcrowded, making it a perfect time for trekking. The shoulder season is also the time of year where wildflowers begin to bloom and birds arrive en masse.
The low season in Ethiopia is from April until September. This is the rainy season in southern Ethiopia, with hot temperatures in the lowlands. Furthermore, due to overcast conditions, spotting wildlife can prove challenging. However, within this period the country does celebrate Ethiopian festivals such as Easter (Fasika) and New Yew Year.
Visa
The Ethiopian government issues a tourist visa, which is an electronic single-entry visa for tourists who wish to visit the country solely for tourism or other non-business purposes. Tourist visas are available to citizens of any country in the world who meet the criteria mentioned below.
- Recent passport-size photo of the applicant.
- Passport valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry to Ethiopia.
You can also apply for your e-visa on https://www.evisa.gov.et/apply.
