Practical information

Area: 1,127,127 km², approximately twice the size of France.

Population: 129 million inhabitants.

Time difference: +2 hours in winter, +1 hour in summer. Please note, Ethiopia follows the Julian calendar (-7 years) and Ethiopian time is calculated based on sunrise. At 6:00 AM European time, it is noon in Addis Ababa. Be sure to clarify which time system is being used for your appointments to avoid any confusion.

Languages: In Ethiopia, over 80 ethnic groups coexist and more than 200 dialects are spoken. Amharic has been the official language of Ethiopia since 1991, Tigrinya is spoken in the northern regions, and Oromiffa are the main languages in Ethiopia. In addition to their own language, many Ethiopians are fluent in English.

Entry requirements: A visa is mandatory to enter Ethiopia, along with a passport valid for at least 3 months after the return date. To obtain one, apply directly online through the official website https://www.evisa.gov.et/ or contact the embassy. For the time being and until further notice, visa on arrival at the airport is suspended. We will keep you informed when this service is restored. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory.

Religions: In the country, many faiths coexist peacefully. In Ethiopia, one of the oldest Christian lands in the world, over 45% of the population belongs to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (mainly in the north of the country), and over 40% are Muslim. The remainder are divided between Catholicism, Protestantism, and Animism.

Currency: The currency is the Ethiopian Birr (130 Birr = approximately 1 Euro), but the US dollar remains the most commonly used foreign currency in Ethiopia. In addition to cash, credit cards (Mastercard, Diners Club, and Visa) are accepted in hotels, major cities, and banks throughout the country.

Climate and seasons: The year is divided into two seasons in Ethiopia: a rainy season from June to September, and a dry season from October to May. The country’s geography explains the existence of four distinct climate zones: the highlands (between 1,400 and 4,620 meters altitude) with average temperatures ranging from 22°C in regions below 2,400 meters altitude to 5°C in the mountains (above 3,800 meters altitude); the savanna region, with average temperatures around 25°C and little rainfall; a tropical zone with heavier rainfall and an average temperature of 15°C; and desert regions (from 130 to 800 meters altitude) surrounding the Ethiopian plateau, with a semi-arid to arid climate and extreme temperatures reaching up to 49°C in the Danakil Desert.

Electricity: 220 V. Bring an adapter (available for purchase in hotels and shops).

Cuisine: Hands are always washed before meals, as the right hand is used to eat. Meals are a social occasion par excellence — diners share dishes served on a large communal platter. These dishes are mostly accompanied by injera (a flatbread that serves as both bread and cutlery), which each guest tears off to eat the various foods offered. Ethiopians enjoy wats (meat, chicken, or vegetable dishes) with spicy sauces and tibs (grilled meat pieces). Other specialties include shiro (a chickpea dish) and misir (cooked lentils). Ethiopians also eat a lot of fish, such as trout, perch, tilapia, and shrimp. In Ethiopia, of course, people drink a lot of coffee, renowned worldwide, largely sourced from the legendary province of Kaffa. They also drink talla (beer) with a very distinctive taste, kaitaka (a type of grain spirit), local wines — Dukam, Axumite, Goudar, Gebeta (red or white) — local cognac, tej (a type of mead, an alcoholic drink made from fermented honey), and of course, shai (tea).

Shopping: Textiles, coffee, religious figurines, gold or silver jewelry, rugs, icons, parchments, old books, pottery, and carved wood are all part of a sophisticated and original craftsmanship renowned far beyond the country’s borders.

Telephone: To call Ethiopia from France, dial 00 + 251 + the local number. From Ethiopia to France, dial 00 + 33 + your contact’s number without the initial 0.
Calendar of events: January is the month with the most religious celebrations:

• Ethiopian Epiphany (Baptism of the Lord): during this sacred celebration, Ethiopian Christians commemorate the baptism of Christ. Priests carry the Tablets of the Law out of the churches and bring them to the Sacred Water. This procession is followed by the faithful who dance and sing late into the night.
• Battle of Adwa, March 2 (between the Italians and Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia)
• May 1: International Workers’ Day
• May 5: Patriots’ Day
• May 28: National Day, End of the Derg military regime
• September 11–12: Ethiopian and Coptic New Year (Enkutatash)
• September 27: Meskel, Discovery of the True Cross
• December 20: Eid al-Adha