To the south, the landscape is generally flatter and more suited to agriculture. Ethiopia is the only African country never to have been colonised by Europeans. Amharic is the official language, although about 80 other native tongues are spoken. English is widely used and some Arabic, Italian and French are spoken. 220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Facilities are available in major hotels.
Service to and from Europe takes up to two weeks. Newspapers published in the capital include Addis Zemen. The English-language daily in Ethiopia is The Ethiopian Herald . Other periodicals are also available. From time to time these change.