Addis Ababa (also spelled Addis Abeba) is the capital city of Ethiopia.[3] It is also the political capital of the African Union.[4]
History
Addis Ababa is both a city and a state. The city has people living in it from as many as 40 different countries speaking 80 different languages. There are many different communities in the city including Christian, Muslim, and Jewish communities. Addis Ababa is about 2,500 m above sea level. It has about five million people.
The site was chosen by Empress Taytu Betul. The city was founded in 1886 by her husband, EmperorMenelik II. The city is at the foot of Mount Entoto. In 1935 the city (renamed Addis Abeba) was conquered by the Italians and was made the capital of their empire in eastern Africa until 1941. Italians made huge improvements and modern projects to the city.
The city has grown since World War II and is now a huge metropolis that has nearly 9.98 million people living there as of 2019.
Addis Ababa University is in the city. Addis Ababa University was formerly known as Haile Selassie I University. It was named after the former Emperor of Ethiopia, who gave his palace to be used the main campus of the university in 1961.
