Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia, a country on the Horn of Africa; the city's elevation makes it the fifth highest capital in the world. It is the country's economic, political, and educational center. Since 1991, with the fall of the dictatorship of Mengistu Haile Mariam and the subsequent institution of a federal republic, Addis Ababa has made progress toward becoming a modern, economically developing city. However, the country's struggle to modernize and attract international aid and investment is undermined by its widespread poverty and periodic unrest.

Landscape

Addis Ababa is located in the Ethiopian highlands, a large plateau that accounts for much of the nation's territory. It is situated at an elevation of 2,400 meters (7,874 feet) above sea level, in the center of the country. The Entoto Hills, site of an earlier Ethiopian capital, rise to the north of the city. They are wooded with eucalyptus trees, a nonindigenous type of vegetation that was imported from Australia to satisfy the need for a fast-growing source of fuel.

The modern city spreads over an area of 527 square kilometers (203 square miles), a small portion of which is rural. It grew chaotically during the twentieth century, and parts of the city, home to the poorest sectors of the population, consist of informal neighborhoods. Socioeconomics also make for a significant division of the local population, with a few areas occupied by gated compounds and others by shantytowns.

The temperature in Addis Ababa remains fairly constant throughout the year. The warmest months are March through May, while September through December are slightly cooler. The average temperatures range from 10 to 21 degrees Celsius (50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit) in July and from 6 to 24 degrees Celsius (42 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) in January. The rainiest months are from June through September, with August typically experiencing the most rainfall. Annually, the city receives an average of 123 centimeters (48 inches) of rain and is not as prone to the drought that other areas of the country face cyclically.

Addis Ababa has been impacted by global warming and climate change. The city has had three months of extreme drought over the past two decades. Because of increasing temperatures, the city is expected to have an additional 1.6 months of extreme drought in the mid-2020s. Flooding is also a concern. About 67 percent of the population lives in a flood prone zone.

People

Addis Ababa has a population of approximately 5.228 million (2022 estimate), making it the largest urban center in the country. The population grew rapidly during the twentieth century as a result of urban migration from rural areas.

In ethnic terms, the capital reflects the diverse population of the country as a whole. Though it is situated in an area that traditionally belongs to the Oromo people, the largest ethnic group is the Amhara, comprising approximately 47 percent of the total population. Other major ethnic groups include the Oromo (19 percent), the Gurage (16 percent) and the Tigray-Tigrinya (8 percent). The Amhara, Tigrinyan, and Gurage are Semitic people, while the Oromo are Cushitic. The languages of the first three ethnic groups are related Semitic languages; the Oromo speak Oromo, a Cushitic language. Amharic is the capital's working language and the nation's official language.

Ethiopia is one of the world's oldest Christian nations, and the population of Addis Ababa reflects the religion's long, deeply embedded history; nearly 75 percent of the city's residents are affiliated with the Ethiopian Orthodox religion. Approximately 16 percent of Addis Ababa's residents are Muslim and nearly 8 percent are Protestant Christian.

Economy

Addis Ababa is the capital of one of the poorest countries in the world and has suffered from war, poor governance, and natural disasters. Since beginning the transition in 1991 to a market-based economy from a socialist economy, the overall outlook has improved. Nonetheless, poverty and unemployment in Addis Ababa remain widespread, and the unofficial black-market economy has grown rapidly. Famine and drought also remain a chronic drain on public resources.

According to data from the federal government of Ethiopia, the two largest sectors in Addis Ababa are commerce and manufacturing, followed by civil administration and transportation. Many products grown or made in Ethiopia pass through the Mercato, one of the largest markets in Africa, located in Addis Ababa. These include processed food and beverages, coffee, and khat, a mildly intoxicating fresh leaf.

Foreign aid to Ethiopia remains high, accounting for 15 percent of the country's total gross domestic product (GDP) by some estimates. Some critics have argued that donations and loans from foreign governments and international agencies have had only a modest positive effect. They claim that Ethiopia has become reliant on aid and, as a result, is not moving toward self-sustenance. Some critics have also pointed out that aid is mismanaged and does not always reach undeveloped areas stricken by unrest and social problems. According to critics, international aid has made the national government less responsive to the will of the citizenry. International aid is often dispensed via nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), many of which have branches in the capital.

In addition to being the national capital, Addis Ababa is home to the secretariat of the African Union, an organization of African countries that establishes economic, political, and social development goals for the continent.

Landmarks

Addis Ababa is a modern city. It also has some colonial-style buildings erected during the Italian occupation, and a host of churches, squares, and monuments commemorating Ethiopian history.

Among the important religious buildings are St. George's Cathedral, named after the country's patron saint, and the Holy Trinity Cathedral. St. George's Cathedral commemorates the 1896 victory over Italy at the Battle of Adwa, while Trinity Cathedral serves as the holiest Orthodox site in the capital. It commemorates the Ethiopians who were killed in Addis Ababa by Italian fascists and is the burial place of important clergymen and members of the royal family, including Ethiopia's last emperor, Haile Selassie.

Other important landmarks include Addis Ababa University, the Mercato, and the National Museum of Ethiopia. The museum houses one of the oldest hominid fossils ever discovered, nicknamed "Lucy." A plaster cast of the fossil is on permanent view.

History

Addis Ababa was founded at the end of the nineteenth century. The decision was partially based on the presence of natural springs and the possibility for expansion. The city's population and public institutions grew quickly during the first decades of the twentieth century as the royal family consolidated control over Ethiopian territory and expanded its reach. By the 1930s, Addis Ababa was the largest city in Ethiopia.

Several factors led to Addis Ababa remaining the capital. First, the establishment of railway links to eastern cities as well as to Djibouti improved trade routes. Second, Ethiopia's 1896 victory over Italian forces at the Battle of Adwa lent Ethiopia, and by extension its capital, enormous prestige that attracted a variety of merchants. Third, the introduction of the eucalyptus tree ensured that the city had ample fuel to sustain its growth.

Ethiopia is one of the few African countries never colonized by Europeans. Italian forces, under the direction of Benito Mussolini, were rebuffed by Ethiopian forces, though the country was briefly occupied by the Italians. Addis Ababa was occupied from 1936 to 1941. Emperor Haile Selassie fled into exile shortly before the arrival of the Italians, and the city easily fell.

Mussolini's goal was to make Addis Ababa the capital of an Italian empire on the Horn of Africa. In order to subjugate the local population, he ordered the symbols of the royal family to be removed and made significant changes to the city's infrastructure. Roads, administrative centers, and other modern amenities were constructed at this time.

Haile Selassie returned to the capital in 1941 and ruled until 1974, when he was deposed by a socialist junta. The coup ushered in a dark period in Ethiopian history, during which opponents of the regime were routinely murdered and the population was subjected to strict repression and multiple failed economic experiments. The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front captured Addis Ababa in 1991, ushering in a new political and economic era.

Bibliography

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Yimere, Abay. "Addis Ababa Faces Growing Climate Change Risks Like Heat, Drought, and Floods, Study Warns." Prevention Web, 13 Sept. 2023, www.preventionweb.net/news/addis-ababa-faces-growing-climate-change-risks-heat-drought-and-floods-study-warns. Accessed 23 Feb. 2024.