Transportation
There are approximately 4,200 km of asphalt roads and 20,000 kilometers of gravel and dirt roads. There is a 778 km railway line that links Addis Ababa with Djibouti that carries both freight and passengers.
The main airline is Ethiopian Airlines which has an extensive domestic network covering more than 42 airfields and 21 smaller landing strips.
Taxis
There are no fixed tariff’s for fares and therefore you should negotiate and agree upon a price before you begin a journey.
Driving
Ethiopians drive on the right and to drive yourself, you will need a valid International Driving Licence. This you can arrange before you arrive or obtain at the Transport and Communications office in Addis Ababa.
Electricity & Communications
Ethiopia has a 220 volt at 50Hz electricity supply with three main different types of electrical fittings:
- 3 Round pins with an earth ground (common throughout Africa, Middle-East and India)
- 3 Round pins with earth ground pin offset (standard in Switzerland)
- 3 Round pins in line (standard in Italy)
You will need a travel adaptor and transformer if you have equipment that is not capable of working at 220 volts (US travellers with 110 volt equipment please note).
If you are expecting to connect to the Ethiopian telephone system with your own equipment you will also need to bring a telecoms adaptor that caters for a 3 round pin plug standard common in Italy.
An international direct dialing telephone service, Telex, Fax, Internet and Airmail connects Ethiopia to all parts of the world. Services are available at Post Office Telecommunication branches, Internet Cafes and hotels.
The television standard is the European PAL B.
Ethiopian Facts
Agriculture: cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, potatoes, qat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish.
Industries: food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals, metals processing, cement.
