Ethiopia is a large, landlocked nation in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Kenya. It contains remnants of some of the oldest civilizations in the world and was once a center for the early church.
Despite remaining almost entirely free from colonial invasion, in the twentieth century the nation was torn apart by wars and political upheaval, refugee crises (which continue to the present day) and critical environmental disasters including drought and deforestation.
Over 100 million people live in Ethiopia, making it one of the most populous nations in Africa. Of this population, in a trend seen across the African continent, over 60 percent of the nation is under the age of 25. HIV/AIDS affects nearly 1 million Ethiopians.
Ethiopia is the world’s 31st largest country, and the population numbers coincide with the overall size of the country, as Ethiopia is the 14th most populous country. Despite its larger cities and the populations within those boundaries, a large number of residents live in the country’s rural areas. In fact, 81 percent of the population live in rural areas.
Unfortunately, however, the population of the country has been cause for concern, with many believing that the country is overpopulated. Famine, war, poverty, deforestation and soil erosion have occurred while the country is developing and as it becomes more populated. Others, however, believe that poor governance has led to these problems.
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Ethiopia’s largest city is Addis Ababa, which has a population of 5,228,000 and is the only city in the country that has hit this milestone. There are nine total cities that each have a population of at least 100,000. There are also 83 cities that have populations of over 10,000.
Here are some of the major cities in Ethiopia and their key characteristics:
- Addis Ababa - 5,228,000
Capital and largest city; political, economic, and cultural hub.
- Mekelle - 545,000
Capital of the Tigray Region.
- Gondar - 463,000
Historic city known for its castles and churches.
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- Adama - 455,000
Major transport and trade center in Oromia Region.
- Hawassa - 445,000
Capital of Sidama Region, located on Lake Hawassa.
- Dire Dawa - 341,000
Industrial and commercial hub in eastern Ethiopia.
- Bahir Dar - 341,000
Capital of Amhara Region, near Lake Tana.
- Jijiga - 324,000
Capital of Somali Region.
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- Shashamane - 250,000
Market city in Oromia Region.
- Sodo - 220,000
Administrative center of Wolayita Zone.
- Dessie - 219,000
Commercial city in Amhara Region.
- Bishoftu - 199,000
Town known for crater lakes, near Addis Ababa.
- Hosaena - 180,000
Commercial and administrative center in SNNPR.
- Nekemte - 170,000
Trade center in western Oromia.
- Dilla - 165,000
Coffee-growing and trade center.
Here is a table with a summary of some major cities and their populations:
| City | Population (2021) | Region | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addis Ababa | 5,228,000 | Addis Ababa | Capital and largest city |
| Mekelle | 545,000 | Tigray | Capital of Tigray Region |
| Gondar | 463,000 | Amhara | Historic city |
| Adama | 455,000 | Oromia | Major transport hub |
| Hawassa | 445,000 | Sidama | Capital of Sidama Region |
The table below shows cities and towns with more than 40,000 inhabitants (from the projection for 2016 by using the 2007 census data). The population numbers are referring to the inhabitants of the cities themselves; suburbs and the metropolitan area outside the city area are not taken into account. Given the suburbs and the metropolitan area, the number of inhabitants might be much larger in several cases.
Some towns which should be beyond a number of 40,000 inhabitants (like Holeta) are not shown as the last census happened in 2007. At that time, the area of some towns was different which makes it hard to provide numbers. Also, the last census happened in 2007, which results in major uncertainties.
Ethiopia | Heritage Sites of Ethiopia | World Of Heritage
Only the future will tell how Ethiopia’s cities will handle further population growth.
Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia.
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