Waking up, disoriented after a long flight and a late-night arrival, the first question on my mind is not “where?” but “when?”

Where is easy. From my hotel window, I look down on a road busy with modern Japanese vehicles, 1970s Ladas, vintage Fiats, and the occasional donkey-drawn cart. Some of the pedestrians are wearing Western clothing, others are swaddled in “biblical” robes. Shop signs are written in ancient Amharic. The morning light filters through a distinctive hanging pall of mist and wood smoke bathing the buildings — a clutter of tower blocks and tin-roofed huts — in pastel hues. This could only be Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

When is more challenging. Ethiopia operates on the Coptic calendar, in which a year consists of 12 months of 30 days and a 13th month of five days (or six in a leap year). Working out today’s date requires a tricky mental calculation, for the country lags approximately seven years and eight months behind the rest of us.

Addis Ababa feels remote, not only in time, but also in geography. Situated at an altitude of 7,724 feet, making it Africa’s highest capital, the city is ringed by the Entoto Hills, which serve as natural fortifications. When I take my first walk after arrival, I am soon breathless in the thin air and have to zip up my coat to fend off the montane chill, compounding the sense that I am in a place that sits somewhat apart from the rest of the continent.

But that is not the case. As the headquarters for the African Union, Addis Ababa is effectively Africa’s capital. Smart, flag-fluttering vehicles shuttle between the major hotels and convention centers, carrying high-ranking dignitaries to a never-ending succession of conferences. The decisions made here have an impact on the lives of people from Cairo to the Cape.

Power and governance is what Addis Ababa has always been about. The city was founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II, who claimed to be a descendant of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. The Solomonic Dynasty ruled Ethiopia from the 13th century until 1974, when the last emperor, Haile Selassie, was overthrown by a Marxist coup.

The contrasting legacies of Imperialism and Marxism have left their indelible marks on the fabric of the city. Even the proudest inhabitants would be hard pushed to call the place beautiful, despite the romance of its name, which translates as “new flower.” Addis Ababa has evolved unevenly — partly by royal or presidential decree, and partly by unchecked grassroots expansion, which has caused the population to swell to 4 million.

“The city looks as if it has been dropped piece-meal from an aeroplane carrying rubbish,” wrote American journalist John Gunther in 1955.

The epitome of Gunther’s city is the Mercato, a sprawling, chaotic open-air market that claims to be the largest of its kind in Africa. Here you can buy just about anything, from an MP3 player to a donkey. You can also immerse yourself in Ethiopia’s diversity, for the country encompasses myriad ethnic groups and religions. Close to the Mercato is the main mosque, which serves as the focal point for the sizable Muslim population.

The dominant religion, however, is Ethiopian Orthodox, which is practiced by more than 80 percent of inhabitants. This indigenous form of Christianity has defined Ethiopia’s national identity for more than 1,500 years. For almost the entire duration of its long history, the country has remained independent.

The one interruption to sovereignty came between 1936 and 1941, when Mussolini’s Italy briefly colonized Ethiopia, establishing Addis Ababa as the capital of Italian East Africa. Other than the 60-year-old blue Fiat taxis that still ply the streets, Italy’s influence was short-lived.

Traces of Ethiopia’s experiment with Marxism, led by the tyrannical Col. Haile Mengistu Mariam, can also be seen on the streets. Lada taxis are an enduring symbol of the close ties with the former Soviet Union. When communism collapsed in Europe, Mengistu was left without international support, and was ousted in 1991. Since then, Ethiopia has ostensibly been a free-market democracy, though an ingrained culture of centralization, which goes back to the reign of the emperors, continues to inhibit economic growth and political freedom. All land in the country is owned by the government, and can only be leased.

Agriculture is the dominant economic sector, accounting for 80 percent of total employment and 60 percent of exports. Under the current government there have been efforts to liberalize and diversify the economy, and inward investment is actively encouraged, especially in manufacturing, telecommunications, real estate development and construction.

In 2005-06, the country’s export earnings exceeded $1 billion, and GDP growth has consistently been in double-digit figures since 2000. Yet many underlying problems remain. The most recent elections, in 2005, were bitterly contested and were followed by riots and bloodshed. A regular cycle of drought and famine continues to plunge Ethiopia into periodic humanitarian emergencies. And recent wars with neighboring Eritrea and Somalia have impacted investor confidence. The continuing border dispute with Eritrea may have been the root cause of a spate of fatal bomb attacks in Addis Ababa in 2006.

For all its shortcomings, this disorganized yet endearing city is remarkably resilient, and offers enormous potential for foreign investors. Confidence is riding high with the approach of Ethiopian millennium, which, due to the vagaries of the Coptic calendar, will be held on Sept. 11. During the buildup to the millennium celebrations, Addis Ababa is benefiting from a host of infrastructure and tourism projects, including the construction of new hotels. The sense of optimism for the future is palpable. As a relatively young city in a very ancient country (Ethiopia is one of the cradles of civilization), Addis Ababa is finally coming of age. The next time I wake up here, the disorientation will no doubt persist, but the city will have taken a significant leap forward — it will have joined the rest of the world in the 21st century.

Entry Requirements

U.S. citizens require a valid passport and visa for entry to Ethiopia. The visa can be obtained on arrival, though the U.S. Department of State recommends that prospective travelers should secure it in advance from the Embassy of Ethiopia in Washington, D.C. (tel 202 364 1200, http://www.ethiopianembassy.org). Business and tourist visas cost $70.

For information about festivities related to the Ethiopian millennium, visit http://www.ethiopianmillennium.com.

More Information

Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectorial Associations
P.O. Box 2458
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
tel 251 11 5518055
fax 251 11 5511479
http://www.addischamber.com

Ethiopian-America Chamber of Commerce
P. O. Box 470913
Los Angeles, CA 90047
tel 310 645 0197, fax 310 645 0198
http://www.eacoc.org