According to computergees, Ethiopia (Amharic: ኢትዮጵያ?, ʾĪtyōṗṗyā) is a country in Africa bordering Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya and Sudan. Ethiopia has been independent from Italy since 1941. The capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa. A number of large cities in Ethiopia are: Gondar (Gonder), Adama, Dire Dawa, Mekele, Bahir Dar and Harar.
Ethiopia is known for nature. There are 14 National Parks in the country. In these National Parks you will find rare animal species, such as: lions, hippos, leopards, elephants, zebras and hyenas. You will also find waterfalls, volcanoes, mountains, salt lakes, hot springs and canyons. The country also has several deserts. In some of these deserts, nomadic tribes still exist. Also known is Lake Tana. In this lake there are 37 islands with monasteries on which you can go by boat. You will also find 99 mosques in the city of Harar. These mosques represent the 99 names of Allah.
Where is Ethiopia located?
Travel information of Ethiopia
Official name: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Continent: Africa
Area: 1,104,300 km²
Capital: Addis Ababa
Country code: ET, ETH
Population: 108,113,150 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 4,550 m (Ras Dashan)
Distance (Amsterdam – Addis Ababa): 5,693 km
Flight time: approximately 7 hours
Travel advice
Current status: All travel to certain areas in Ethiopia is discouraged.
Current color code: None, orange and red.
Due to this status, a partially negative travel advice is in effect for Ethiopia.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Ethiopia that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs in Ethiopia, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Ethiopia. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compile your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, hiking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Ethiopia?
Weather and climate
Ethiopia has a temperate climate. In the higher areas the temperatures are between 5 and 20 degrees. In the lower areas, temperatures are around 30 to 40 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Ethiopia can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Ethiopia can be found at Climate info.
Best time
January, February, October, November and December are the best months to travel to Ethiopia. This avoids the prolonged rainy season.
Language
Amharic (Amharic) is the official language in Ethiopia. In addition, there are 80 different languages and 200 dialects (including English, French and Italian).
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Ethiopia.
An e-visa is required to visit Oman. This can be applied for online at the official website evisa.gov.et.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Ethiopia: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Ethiopia in Belgium (also for the Netherlands): ethiopiaembassy.be.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Ethiopia, it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria
Malaria occurs in Ethiopia (with the exception of Addis Ababa). Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Ethiopia, people pay with the Ethiopian Birr (ETB).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Kenya can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Ethiopia are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -35% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (71% cheaper), food (29% cheaper), imported beer in catering (57% cheaper), cigarettes (74% cheaper) and public transport (92% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Ethiopia it is customary, especially in the big cities, to tip because wages are very low. Good service is about 10% tip.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 1 hour later in Ethiopia.
During our winter time it is 2 hours later in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia has no difference in winter time and summer time.
Find the local time, date, time zone and exceptions for Ethiopia on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Ethiopia you must drive on the right.
You must apply for a temporary driver’s license to drive a motor vehicle upon arrival in Ethiopia.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Ethiopia.
Electricity In Ethiopia you may need a travel plug
in some cases. More information about common plugs and sockets in Ethiopia can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 91
– Fire: 93
– Ambulance: 92
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Ethiopia can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Ethiopia can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Ethiopia end in.et.
Ethiopia’s official website: ethiopia.travel.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Ethiopia is 00251 or +251.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Ethiopia? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Company details can be found in the Ethiopia Yellow Pages.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Ethiopia.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Ethiopia.
Public holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Ethiopia can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Ethiopia, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Ethiopia?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Ethiopia. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Ethiopia can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Ethiopia can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Ethiopia? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, perfume, alcohol and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business in or do business with Ethiopia, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Ethiopia, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Ethiopia.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: No maximum permitted alcohol content.
– Tobacco: Buy from the age of 18, smoke from the age of 15.
– Smoking ban: No
– Homosexuality: Not allowed. Prison sentence more than 10 years.
Did you know that…
…“Abyssinia” was the official name of Ethiopia until the Second World War?
…The population in Ethiopia is growing explosively (33.5 million to 90 million in 28 years)?
…Ethiopians are very successful in athletics, especially long-distance running?
…A year in Ethiopia has 13 months?
…The clock in Ethiopia only starts when it gets light?
…Coffee was discovered in Ethiopia?
