Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Click Image to Enlarge  (JPG) (1,494,024 bytes) ( 1,900 x 2,630 )

Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, was established in 1889. Major urban migration into the city began in the 1970s, driven mainly by unemployment, poverty, and declining agricultural productivity in the rural areas. The population of Addis Ababa is currently 2.9 million, and is projected to double by 2020. Twenty-seven percent of Ethiopia’s urban population lives in the capital city, and this has created substantial pressure on the city’s infrastructure, housing, and urban services. The top image was acquired by the Landsat MSS in 1973. The bottom image was acquired by ASTER on December 16, 2007. The images cover an area of 19.5 x 28.5 km, and is located at 9.1 degrees north latitude, 38.7 degrees east longitude.