Travel Advisory for Ethiopia

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What is the COVID situation in Ethiopia?

+143 New COVID cases in Ethiopia

+3 New COVID deaths in Ethiopia

1.23% Fully vaccinated

Data source: Our World In Data / Data updated on December 3, 2021

Data last reviewed on: 15 October 2021

Basic facts about Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a very large country located in Eastern Africa. The capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa and the most spoken language is Amharic. The national currency in Ethiopia is Ethiopian birr (ETB).

What taxi apps are available in Ethiopia?

Unfortunately neither Uber nor Bolt are available in Ethiopia. However, there may be also other local taxi apps available there.

Practical information

Ethiopian birr (ETB)Official currency

1 EUR~54.42 ETB

1 USD~48.1 ETB

Check with your bank to determine if there are any costs for international transactions. When you use a foreign ATM, your home bank will typically charge you a fee. While some banks don't charge a fee, some charge a fixed fees for every withdrawal or provide a limited amount of free withdrawals.

When you spend money abroad with your card, you're unlikely to get the interbank exchange rate. This implies that each time you spend in a foreign currency, you may be paying a significant fee. Varying service providers may charge different markups, but they should not exceed 3% of the transaction value on average.

To reduce the transaction costs, you may choose to consider one of the travel cards offered by the following mobile banks: Wise.com, Revolut, N26 or Monose

Do people speak English in Ethiopia?

The official language of Ethiopia is Amharic. Traveling across Ethiopia if English is your first (and only) language may be difficult due to language barriers. You can go into someone who doesn't comprehend the word that you speak. Learn a few distress phrases, such as aid, emergency, and police, as a precaution, and of course, the most important phrase to know is “Do you speak English?”

In the EF English Competency Index (EF EPI), which assesses the language proficiency of non-native speaking countries, Ethiopia was ranked 62nd out of 100 countries in 2020.

What socket types are used in Ethiopia?

There are 4 common plug types used in Ethiopia:

Type C 220 V, 50 Hz Type E 220 V, 50 Hz Type F 220 V, 50 Hz Type L 220 V, 50 Hz

The sockets' shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).

What countries need visa to enter Ethiopia?

Currently, citizens of 2 countries can enter Ethiopia without obtaining a visa. This figure includes nationals who can acquire a visa on arrival. Please note that you may be needed to get an electronic visa before arriving.

What are visa requirements to enter Ethiopia?

Use the list below to check visa requirements for your country to enter Ethiopia.

Is it safe in Ethiopia?

The U.S. State Department uses a four-level travel advisory system. The levels show how safe it is to travel throughout the world. The countries with the lowest level (1) are considered safe for visitors, while those with the greatest level (4) should be avoided, at least temporarily.

On November 6, 2021, the risk level for Ethiopia was changed to Level 4: Do Not Travel.

Emergency phones in Ethiopia

911 Police

911 Ambulance

911 Fire police

State Department Travel Advisory

Ethiopia Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State)

Travel Advice for Ethiopia (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)

Check travel information also for neighbor countries of Ethiopia:

Djibouti Eritrea Kenya Somalia South Sudan Sudan