Addis Ababa (the name means 'new flower') is the capital city of Ethiopia and was founded by Menelik II in 1887. Situated in the foothills of the Entoto Mountains and standing 7874ft above sea level it is the third highest capital in the world. The city has a population of about two million. History has it that Menelik had established temporary capitals at six different locations caused by exhausting the fuel wood at each of these sites. Addis itself was in danger of being abandoned until the introduction of fast-growing eucalyptus trees from Australia provided the city with a regular source of fuel.

Addis Ababa is an important administrative centre not only for Ethiopia but also for the whole of Africa. The headquarters of the UN Economic Commission for Africa was established here in 1958 and it is the site of the OAU (Organization of African Unity).