Addis Ababa's 2026 population is now estimated at 4,229,569.In 1984, the population of Addis Ababa was 1,412,575.Addis Ababa has grown by 95,584 in the last year, which represents a 2.31% annual change.These population values and projections come from Ethiopian Statistics Service census city/town counts (via CityPopulation extraction), Ethiopian Statistics Service 2022 city/town projection (via CityPopulation extraction) and World Population Review Internal Projections.
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia. It is also the largest city in the country by population, with a total population of 3,384,569 according to the 2007 census. However, it is believed that this number was inaccurate when recorded and underestimated the city’s population. The city has through recent years seen a robust annual growth rate, and population counts as of 2017 are growing closer to 4 million. The most recent census was scheduled for the 2018 to 2019 fiscal year, as security concerns between 2017 and 2018 delayed it. Addis Ababa is a chartered city and as such, is considered both a city and a state. It is the largest city in the world located in a landlocked country.
This capital city holds 527 square kilometers of area in Ethiopia. The population density is estimated to be near 5,165 individuals per square kilometer available.
Per the population recorded at the last census, the city of Addis Ababa has a higher population of female residents than male residents. Almost one-quarter of all people in Ethiopia that live in urban areas live in the capital city.
Close to half of the population is of the ethnic group Amhara, while the majority of the remaining population is split among the groups Oromo, Gurage, and Tigray.
71% of the population use Amharic, Oromo is in use with just over 10% of the people, with four additional languages ranking more than 1% use among the population.
Approximately 82% of the population is of the Orthodox Christian religion. 12.7% of residents are Muslim, 3.9% Protestant, less than 1% Catholic, and a smaller percentage following other faiths.
Adult literacy in the capital city is the highest among all of the country’s cities, at over 93% for males and almost 80% for females.
The city has a lower rate of infant mortality than the national average, and over 98% of homes in the city have access to clean drinking water.
It is thought that the land that is the current site of Addis Ababa was first occupied and made a settlement in the early to mid-15th century, although the city as it is known today was not founded until 1886. It’s interesting to note that evidence of humans living in the area up to 100,000 years ago has been discovered.
Emperor Menelik II founded the city. When Menelik II was named as the emperor of Ethiopia, the first capital area of Entoto was wrought with extreme cold and a scarcity of firewood - the empress pushed to have the city moved to a warmer area nearby, and the city that developed was designated as the capital city.
In 1936, the city was invaded by Italian troops and was liberated again five years later in 1941. The Organisation of African Unity was headquartered in Addis Ababa upon its creation in 1963. When it was replaced by the African Union in 2002, the headquarters remained in the city.
Today, the city’s government is headed by the mayor and the city council. The city is considered to be one of the safest in Ethiopia. In terms of the economy, Addis Ababa is very diverse. Trade and commerce are the most popular industries, followed by manufacturing and production, homemaking, and civil administration. Tourism is a growing industry in the area as more shopping centers, restaurants and attractions are built.
Population in the near future is expected to grow to exceed 6.5 million residents. The annual growth rate of the city has been estimated in recent years to be 3.8%. In prior years, growth has been as much as 8%. The city is a thriving urban area in Ethiopia, and the jobs available in Addis Ababa, the availability of clean drinking water and plumbing, and the many shops and businesses ensure that growth will continue to be steady in this capital city well into the future.
City | 2026 Pop.↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Addis Ababa | 4,229,569 | 2.31% |
| Gonder | 578,547 | 5.56% |
| Mekele | 559,544 | 5.14% |
| Adama | 555,072 | 4.99% |
| Awasa | 549,516 | 6.81% |
| Bahir Dar | 434,588 | 5.56% |
| Dire Dawa | 380,160 | 2.6% |
| Dese | 335,739 | 5.56% |
| Jima | 304,787 | 4.98% |
| Sodo | 265,567 | 6.8% |
| Arba Minch | 261,548 | 6.8% |
| Shashemene | 253,170 | 4.99% |
| Bishoftu | 251,985 | 4.99% |
| Hosaena | 245,000 | 6.82% |
| Jijiga | 223,421 | 3.07% |
| Dila | 206,643 | 6.8% |
| Nekemte | 189,497 | 4.98% |
| Debre Birhan | 182,406 | 5.56% |
| Harar | 177,367 | 3.1% |
| Debre Markos | 174,693 | 5.56% |
