5,005,524
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YEAR
POPULATION
2018
Population: 4.4M
Addis Ababa's 2021 population is now estimated at 5,005,524. In 1950, the population of Addis Ababa was 392,000. Addis Ababa has grown by 211,825 since 2015, which represents a 4.42% annual change. These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects. These estimates represent the Urban agglomeration of Addis Ababa, which typically includes Addis Ababa's population in addition to adjacent suburban areas.
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.
Addis Ababa Size
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.
Addis Ababa Demographics
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.
Addis Ababa History
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.
Addis Ababa Population Growth
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.
Country
Ethiopia
Growth Rate
4.42%
Addis Ababa Population 2021
Show Source
CSV
JSON
Year
Population
Growth Rate
Growth
2035 8,938,683 3.85% 331,674
2034 8,607,009 3.92% 324,658
2033 8,282,351 3.99% 317,559
2032 7,964,792 4.05% 309,848
2031 7,654,944 4.12% 302,675
2030 7,352,269 4.18% 295,162
2029 7,057,107 4.25% 287,507
2028 6,769,600 4.30% 279,338
2027 6,490,262 4.36% 271,187
2026 6,219,075 4.41% 262,396
2025 5,956,679 4.44% 253,051
2024 5,703,628 4.45% 243,037
2023 5,460,591 4.45% 232,797
2022 5,227,794 4.44% 222,270
2021 5,005,524 4.42% 211,825
2020 4,793,699 4.39% 201,716
2019 4,591,983 4.37% 192,309
2018 4,399,674 4.36% 183,709
2017 4,215,965 4.36% 176,038
2016 4,039,927 4.37% 169,142
2015 3,870,785 4.36% 161,843
2014 3,708,942 4.36% 155,076
2013 3,553,866 4.36% 148,391
2012 3,405,475 4.37% 142,580
2011 3,262,895 4.36% 136,426
2010 3,126,469 4.36% 130,722
2009 2,995,747 4.36% 125,087
2008 2,870,660 4.37% 120,188
2007 2,750,472 2.29% 61,563
2006 2,688,909 2.08% 54,759
2005 2,634,150 2.08% 53,571
2004 2,580,579 2.08% 52,625
2003 2,527,954 2.08% 51,481
2002 2,476,473 2.08% 50,433
2001 2,426,040 2.08% 49,339
2000 2,376,701 2.08% 48,467
1999 2,328,234 2.08% 47,414
1998 2,280,820 2.08% 46,449
1997 2,234,371 2.08% 45,441
1996 2,188,930 2.08% 44,638
1995 2,144,292 2.59% 54,236
1994 2,090,056 3.94% 79,187
1993 2,010,869 3.93% 76,083
1992 1,934,786 3.94% 73,403
1991 1,861,383 3.94% 70,523
1990 1,790,860 3.94% 67,851
1989 1,723,009 3.93% 65,191
1988 1,657,818 3.94% 62,896
1987 1,594,922 3.94% 60,427
1986 1,534,495 3.94% 58,138
1985 1,476,357 3.93% 55,859
1984 1,420,498 4.76% 64,492
1983 1,356,006 4.89% 63,182
1982 1,292,824 4.89% 60,238
1981 1,232,586 4.88% 57,354
1980 1,175,232 4.89% 54,832
1979 1,120,400 4.89% 52,204
1978 1,068,196 4.89% 49,772
1977 1,018,424 4.88% 47,388
1976 971,036 4.89% 45,306
1975 925,730 4.89% 43,133
1974 882,597 4.89% 41,124
1973 841,473 4.88% 39,155
1972 802,318 4.89% 37,433
1971 764,885 4.89% 35,639
1970 729,246 4.89% 33,979
1969 695,267 4.88% 32,352
1968 662,915 4.89% 30,929
1967 631,986 2.85% 17,508
1966 614,478 2.85% 17,023
1965 597,455 2.85% 16,529
1964 580,926 2.85% 16,116
1963 564,810 2.85% 15,647
1962 549,163 2.85% 15,214
1961 533,949 2.85% 14,772
1960 519,177 2.85% 14,403
1959 504,774 2.85% 13,984
1958 490,790 2.85% 13,596
1957 477,194 2.85% 13,202
1956 463,992 2.85% 12,872
1955 451,120 2.85% 12,497
1954 438,623 2.85% 12,152
1953 426,471 2.85% 11,798
1952 414,673 2.85% 11,504
1951 403,169 2.85% 11,169
1950 392,000 0.00%
Addis Ababa Population Data (Urban Area)
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JSON
Name
2021 Population
2021 Growth
Addis Ababa 5,005,524 4.42%
Mekele 543,622 3.76%
Dire Dawa 426,129 4.42%
Nazret 394,048 4.30%
Gondar 378,331 4.42%