Ethiopia is a country that in many ways doesn’t fit the average African profile. We have focussed on Addis Ababa here because most advertising happens in the city.   Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia is a colourful and vibrant city with a gorgeous climate, perpetual blue skies and cool highland air. Situated on the southern slopes of the Entoto Mountains at an altitude ranging from 2300 to 2500m above sea level Addis Ababa is the third highest capital in the world.   Emperor Menilek founded Addis Ababa in 1887. Emperor Menilik had the tendency of establishing temporary capitals. Before moving the capital to Addis Ababa the Emperor had established temporary capitals at six different locations. The reason behind this constant move was in search of abundant firewood for fuel. In the Emperors desire to remain in Addis Ababa a solution to this problem was initiated by introducing a tree that would grow fast enough to meet the city’s demand for fuel. This tree was the eucalyptus tree from distant Australia. Addis Ababa translated into English means “New Flower” the first permanent Capital city of Ethiopia since the decline of Gondar   Ethiopia is the “Cradle Of Mankind” a country of historical importance with a favourable location and terrain, a land of stunning natural beauty, fascinating mountains, lakes, and rivers. Ethiopia is situated between 4 degrees and 18 degrees north of the Equator in Eastern Africa. Bordered by the Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti, it is the tenth largest country in Africa and 26th biggest country on earth, covering 1,127,127 sq Km and it is as large as France and Spain combined.   Ethiopia has two principal seasons; the rainy season from June through October; and the dry season for the rest of the year. The average temperature during the hottest season is 18°C falling to 14°C in the rainy season. The wettest months are July and August, while November and December have the coldest nights. Ethiopia’s unit of currency is Birr. It is issued by the National Bank of Ethiopia and denominations are Notes 1,5,10,50,100 birr and Coins 1,5,10,25,50 cents. On average 8.66 birr equals USD 1. Other banks include Commercial Bank of Ethiopia and various other private banks, which have started in the past few years and provide excellent services. Credit cards are not yet used as a popular payment method, only a few hotels and travel agencies offer this service. Travellers in need of cash can withdraw 500$/day in the Sheraton, at Dashen Bank.   The Ethiopian economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for half of the gross domestic product and 80% of total employment. The major export of the Ethiopian economy is coffee.   Ethiopia’s rich cultural and traditional heritage is structured by deep-rooted religious beliefs. The two basic faiths are Christianity and Muslim. The Amharas and Tigras are predominantly Christian and adhere to the Orthodox Church. The Oromos, the largest ethnic groups in the country are more mixed, with Christian, Muslim and traditional communities. For more details on the media scene in the country, visit the media scene page.