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Addis Ababa Population

Ethiopia Addis Ababa ★ National capital Largest city in Ethiopia #94 in the world
Population · latest official estimate
3,860,000

Addis Ababa is the largest city in Ethiopia and its capital, with a population of about 3.9 million — 2.8% of the country's 139.9 million people — about as many people as the whole of Croatia. Worldwide it ranks #94 among 5,279 cities with 100,000 or more inhabitants.

Quick facts

GeoNames · UN WPP
Population
3,860,000
city proper · GeoNames
Rank in Ethiopia
#1 of 30
largest cities tracked
World rank
#94
of 5,279 cities ≥ 100k
Region
Addis Ababa
first-level division
Status
National capital
Elevation
2,405 m
above sea level
Time zone
UTC+3
Africa/Addis_Ababa
Coordinates
9.03°N 38.75°E
Share of country
2.8%
of 139.9M people

Addis Ababa overview

Updated October 2026
Jijiga · 483,000Gonder · 466,000Mek'ele · 457,900Nazrēt · 456,900Warder · 450,400Awasa · 422,200Bahir Dar · 350,000Dire Dawa · 343,000Dessie · 270,400Jimma · 250,900Shashamane · 208,400Bishoftu · 207,400Sodo · 204,100Arba Minch · 201,000Hosa’ina · 188,200Dīla · 158,800Harar · 157,000Nek’emtē · 156,000Ārabī · 148,933Debre Birhan · 146,900Debre Mark’os · 140,700Āsela · 139,500Kombolcha · 132,100Debre Tabor · 125,300Ādīgrat · 121,800Weldiya · 104,000Sebeta · 102,300Burayu · 101,400Inda Silasē · 100,100Addis Ababa · 3,860,000Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa (orange) and the other large cities of Ethiopia

Addis Ababa lies in Ethiopia at 9.03°N, 38.75°E, about 2,405 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Addis_Ababa (UTC+3); GeoNames classifies it as a national capital.

It is the biggest urban centre of Ethiopia: the next largest cities are Jijiga (483,000), Gonder (466,000), Mek'ele (457,900). Together, the three largest cities hold 3.4% of the national population.

The nearest large city is Burayu, about 10 km away, followed by Sebeta (19 km).

Ethiopia as a whole has a live population of 139,903,529 (+2.5% a year) and ranks #10 of 238 countries — see the Ethiopia population page for the full statistics and the Ethiopia atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.

Cities near Addis Ababa

Within 200 km · straight-line distance
CityDistancePopulation
Burayu
Oromiya
10 km101,400
Sebeta
Oromiya
19 km102,300
Bishoftu
Oromiya
40 km207,400
Nazrēt
Oromiya
78 km456,900
Debre Birhan
Amhara
113 km146,900
Āsela
Oromiya
127 km139,500
Debre Mark’os
Amhara
185 km140,700
Hosa’ina
Central Ethiopia Regional State
191 km188,200

Largest cities in Ethiopia

Top 10 · all 30 →
#CityRegionPopulation
1Addis AbabaCapitalAddis Ababa3,860,000
2JijigaSomali483,000
3GonderAmhara466,000
4Mek'eleTigray457,900
5NazrētOromiya456,900
6WarderSomali450,400
7AwasaSidama Region422,200
8Bahir DarAmhara350,000
9Dire DawaDire Dawa343,000
10DessieAmhara270,400

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Addis Ababa?

Addis Ababa has about 3,860,000 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.

Is Addis Ababa the capital of Ethiopia?

Yes — Addis Ababa is the national capital of Ethiopia.

How big is Addis Ababa compared with the rest of Ethiopia?

Its 3,860,000 residents are 2.8% of the 139,903,529 people living in Ethiopia today. It is the largest city in the country.

Where is Addis Ababa?

In Ethiopia, at latitude 9.03 and longitude 38.75, 2,405 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Burayu (10 km), Sebeta (19 km), Bishoftu (40 km).

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Cite or link to this page

Free to reuse with attribution
APAGlostats. (2026). Addis Ababa Population 2026 — Ethiopia. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/ethiopia/addis-ababa/
HTML<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/ethiopia/addis-ababa/">Addis Ababa Population 2026 — Ethiopia</a> — Glostats

Figures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.

City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.