Facts and Tips
Location
In the horn of Africa 3.5-15 degrees North and 33-48 degrees East.
Land
1,098,000 Sq Km in size making it the 10th largest country in Africa with diverse topography ranging from the highest pick of4620masl to one of the lowest point on earth 116mbsl
Topography
Ethiopia has an elevated central plateau varying in height between 2000 and 3000 meters. In the north and center of the country there are some 25 mountains whose peaks rise over 4000 meters. The most famous Ethiopian river is the Blue Nile(Abay)river which runs a distance of 1450 kilometers from its source lake Tana to join the white Nile at Khartoum.
Time Calendar
Ethiopians are seven years younger than the rest of the world; it?s using the Julian calendar which has 13 months and is7.5 years behind the Gregorian calendar. The Ethiopian calendar has 12 months with 30 days each and a 13th month, called Pagumen with five or six days. The Ethiopian New Year falls on 11th September. Days & nights have equal length as in every other equatorial country. One day have 12 hours. The day starts to counts at 1:00 am in the morning and ends 12pm at night. The night starts at 1:00pm at night and ends at 12am in the morning. While you are in Ethiopia, to tell the exact local time, just add 6 hours on your time reading.
Population
Economy
Agriculture being the back bone of the economy 85% of the population earns their living from the Land. The ranking export goods being coffee, flower, oil seeds and cattle, hides and skin is also contributing a lot.
Health Requirements
Prior to entry, visitors should be in possession of a valid health certificate for yellow fever. Vaccination against cholera is also required for any person who has visited or transited a cholera infected area within six days prior to arrival in Ethiopia.
Currency:
The local currency is called Birr and it is made of 100 cents. Denominations are with the biggest note of 100 birr,50 birr,10 birr,5 birr and 1 birr coins of 0.1cent,0.5cent,10cent,25cent,and 50cent are also used.
Visa and immigration
Visa can be obtained at Ethiopias diplomatic missions overseas. Also it is possible to get it on arrival in Addis Ababa for nationals who get the authentications.(check before leaving home)
Electric Supply
220 volts 50cycles Ac is used through out the country.
Ethiopian Birr Exchange Rate
Alphabet
Ge’ez (also known as Ethiopic) is a script used as an abugida (alphasyllabary) for several languages of Ethiopia. It originated as an abjad (consonant-
Meeting and Greeting
| Hello | Halo |
| Good morning | Endemen adderu/k/sh |
| Good afternoon | Endemen walu/k/sh |
| Good evening | Endemen ameshu/eh/esh |
| Good bye | Dehna hunu/hun/hugne |
| How are you? | Tenayistillign |
| I am well | Dehna negn |
| Thank you (very much) | Amesegenallehu |
| You are welcome | Minim aydel |
| Please come in | Yigbu/giba/gibi |
| Please sit down | Yekemetu/tekemet/tekemechi |
| What is your name? | Simewo/h/sh man no |
| My name is | Sime__________no |
| Where do you come from? | Keyet Metu/ah/ash? |
| I come from | Ke_________metahu |
| My country is | Hagre_______no |
| Can you speak Amharic | Amaregna Yinageralu |
| Only a little | Tinish |
| I want to learn more | Bizu memar ifelegalehu |
| How do you find Ethiopia? | Ethiopian Endet agegnuat/hat/shat? |
| I like it here | Temechetognal |
