Ethiopia travel safety advice
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Risks in Ethiopia
Crime/violence: Low
Alcohol-related violence, petty theft
HIV/AIDS: Low
(2-3�% of the adult population or 1 in 50 infected)
Authorities/corruption: Low - Middle
Security guards might be rude
Transportation: Low - Middle
Wild animal crossings everywhere, bad roads
Health: Middle
Flea, tick and mosquito bites
Nature: Low
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For the most part, Ethiopia is safe. Avoid traveling to the eastern part of the country beyond the city of Harar. The Somali separatist groups occasionally launch a guerilla attack. Remember that Ethiopia is a relatively low-crime country compared to Kenya, Mexico and South Africa. Most expats who go there are US military personnel actively training the Ethiopian army's anti-terrorism unit. Many others are Chinese, Indian or Malaysian representatives of oil companies, who have been targeted in major guerilla attacks resulting in dozens of casualties.
Armed insurgent groups operate within the Oromiya and Afar regions of Ethiopia.
In 2008, a hotel in the town of Jijiga was bombed and two hotels in the town of Negele Borena were bombed.
Organized crime and gang violence are very unusual in most parts of the country. However, in the border areas of Sudan (Gambella Region) and Kenya, there are some reports indicating occurrences of banditry. Avoid these areas.
Though Ethiopia has a secular government, the Ethiopian people are very religious. The two dominant religions (the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Islam) strongly influence people's day-to-day life. Therefore, according to their influence the government implements certain rules and laws that could appear unsettling to westerners. In particular, homosexuality is illegal, and not tolerated.
Compared to other African countries, robbery is not a major problem in the cities and towns. However, travelers are advised to look after their belongings. Travelers should be cautious at all times when traveling on roads in Ethiopia. There have been reports of highway robbery, including carjacking, by armed bandits outside urban areas. Some incidents have been accompanied by violence. Travelers are cautioned to limit road travel outside major towns or cities to daylight hours and travel in convoys, if possible.
Travellers with vehicles and cyclists may often be the target of stoning by local youths when driving in rural areas.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Ethiopia
