Addis Ababa is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. In the 2007 census, the city's population was estimated to be 2,739,551 inhabitants. Addis Ababa is a highly developed and important cultural, artistic, financial and administrative centre of Ethiopia.
The culture of Ethiopia is diverse and generally structured along ethnolinguistic lines. The country's Oromo-speaking majority adhere to an amalgamation of traditions that were developed independently and through interaction with neighboring and far away civilizations, including other parts of Kenya, Sudan, Egypt, and other parts in East Africa. By contrast, the nation's Nilotic communities and other ethnolinguistic minorities tend to practice customs more closely linked with South Sudan and/or the African Great Lakes region.
Princess Seble Desta was a member of the Solomonic dynasty, which ruled Ethiopia until 1974. She was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and was the daughter of Princess Tenagnework Haile Selassie and Ras Desta Damtew, and granddaughter of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Empress Menen Asfaw. Princess Seble's paternal grandfather, Fitawrari Damtew Ketema, was martyred during the Ethiopian victory against the Italians at Adwa.
Elinor Catherine Hamlin, AC, FRCS, FRANZCOG, FRCOG was an Australian obstetrician and gynaecologist who, with her husband, New Zealander Reginald Hamlin, co-founded the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, the world's only medical centre dedicated exclusively to providing free obstetric fistula repair surgery to poor women with childbirth injuries. They also co-founded an associated non-profit organisation, Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia.
Berhanu Zerihun was a prolific Ethiopian writer in Amharic and journalist, noted for his clear and crisp writing style, which contrasted against the more complex writing style popular in his time.
Eskinder Nega is an Ethiopian journalist, blogger and politician who has been jailed at least ten times by the Ethiopian government on convictions for treason and terrorism.
Mohammad Abdul-Wali was a Yemeni diplomat and a prominent Yemeni writer of Ethiopian descent.
Bewketu Seyoum is an Ethiopian writer and poet from Debre Markos of Ethiopia. He studied psychology at Addis Ababa University and published his first collection of poems, Nwari Alba Gojowoch in 2000, a year after graduating. Since then, he has published two further poetry collections and two novels, and has narrated short stories on CD. In 2008, he received the best young writer award of Ethiopia from the President. Some of his poetry has appeared in Modern Poetry in Translation, The Big Green Issue (2008), and Callaloo (2011).
Andualem Aragie is an Ethiopian politician and activist who is the Deputy Leader of Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (ECSJ), an opposition party formed after the merger of 7 smaller opposition parties in May 2019. He was formerly the Vice President and Press Secretary for the Ethiopian-based Unity for Democracy and Justice Party (UDJP). Andualem was sentenced to a life sentence on terrorism charges after being imprisoned on September 14, 2011 along with prominent journalist Eskinder Nega and opposition party members and reporters. His arrest has been ascribed by human rights organizations as a crackdown on dissent. Human Rights Watch also reported his detention as well as other members of the opposition and the potential for serious abuse during his imprisonment. He is now released from prison after the government pardoned him and other prisoners of conscience.
Difret is a 2014 Ethiopian drama film written and directed by Zeresenay Berhane Mehari. The film had its premiere in-competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival where it won the World Cinematic Dramatic Audience Award. Angelina Jolie served as the executive producer of the film.
Sinknesh Ejigu Wolde-Mariam is an Ethiopian politician, chemist and businesswoman. She is currently Ethiopian Ambassador to Brazil, Argentina and Chile.
Bizunesh Bekele was an Ethiopian soul singer who was popular in the 1960s and 1970s of Golden Age. She was referred to as "Aretha Franklin of Ethiopia" due to similitude of musical style. Her songs were released in her native Amharic language.
The Jan Meda International Cross Country is an annual cross country running competition held at the Jan Meda Race Course in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Typically held in January or February, the event serves as the national championship for Ethiopia and doubles as the national trials for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships.
Senedu Gebru was an Ethiopian educator, writer and politician. In 1957, she became the first Ethiopian woman elected to Parliament.
Gibreab Teferi Dasta, also spelled Gebreab Teferi, was an Ethiopian activist, poet and playwright known for his extensive knowledge of the Ge’ez and Amharic language.
Billene Seyoum Woldeyes is an Ethiopian politician, poet, author and feminist who is serving as the Foreign Press Secretary for the Office of Prime Minister of Ethiopia since 2018. Billene speaks as the prime minister's foreign spokesperson in English.
Tsehay Melaku is an Ethiopian writer. She has been called the first contemporary Ethiopian woman novelist, part of a wave of women writers who entered the literary scene in the early 1990s.
Daniachew Worku was an Ethiopian writer whose works include novels, plays and short stories. He wrote in both Amharic and English.
Crime in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, is safer in comparison of other African cities. However, there are a number of crimes within the city including theft, scams, mugging, robbery and others. Rural-urban migration and unemployment has been preliminary factors affecting the city by elevating crime rate.
Mikaya Behailu was an Ethiopian singer who gained prominence for her 2007 album Shemametew. She was nominee of the 2009 Kora Music Award in Nigeria.
