The flag of Ethiopia is composed of three equal horizontal bands of green, yellow and red, with the national emblem superimposed at the center of the field. The national emblem comprises a light blue circle bearing a golden-yellow pentagram with single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points of the pentagram.

Ethiopia

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

People: Ethiopian

🏛️CapitalAddis Ababa

💰CurrencyEthiopian birr (Br)

🗣️LanguageAmharic

📞Dialling Code+251

🌍RegionEastern Africa

👥Population111,652,998

Ethiopia is Africa's oldest independent country and the only one never formally colonised, following its own 13-month calendar. Ethiopia is located in Eastern Africa and has a population of around 111.7 million. Its capital city is Addis Ababa, and the most widely spoken official language is Amharic. Ethiopia is landlocked, sharing borders with 6 neighbouring countries.

Ethiopia — key facts at a glance

Official Name	Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Capital City	Addis Ababa
Continent	Africa
Region	Eastern Africa
Population	111,652,998
Area	1,104,300 km²
Currency	Ethiopian birr (ETB) Br
Official Language	Amharic
Dialling Code	+251
Internet TLD	.et
Timezone	UTC+03:00
Drives on the	Right side
Emergency Number	112 (works on most mobile networks worldwide)
ISO Code	ET / ETH
Borders	Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan

Travelling to Ethiopia?

Driving side: Right

Emergency number: 112 (works on most mobile networks worldwide)

Calling from abroad: +251 then the local number

Before you fly, run through a free packing checklist for Ethiopia. You can also check clothing and shoe sizes in Ethiopia before you shop, and look up popular foods from Ethiopia if you want to know what's on the menu.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ethiopia

What is the capital of Ethiopia?

The capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa.

What currency does Ethiopia use?

Ethiopia uses the Ethiopian birr (ETB, symbol: Br).

What language do they speak in Ethiopia?

The official language of Ethiopia is Amharic.

What is the dialling code for Ethiopia?

The international dialling code for Ethiopia is +251.

What side of the road does Ethiopia drive on?

Ethiopia drives on the right-hand side of the road.

Countries bordering Ethiopia

Planning a trip to Ethiopia?

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Ethiopia Travel Guide
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Amharic Phrasebook
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Universal Travel Adapter
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Last updated: 13 July 2026