Akaky Kaliti is the southernmost sub-city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, covering 118.08 km². It recorded 181,270 residents at the 2007 census, projected to 255,348 for 2022 by the Ethiopian Statistics Service. It is the second-largest sub-city by area and the least crowded, at about 1,500 people per km².
This is the industrial end of the capital. Factories, the Kaliti bus terminal and the Addis Ababa–Adama Expressway all sit inside it. The sub-city borders Nifas Silk-Lafto and Bole to the north, and the Oromia region on its southern and eastern sides.
Neighborhoods & Areas
- Akaki Beseka
- Akaki Bota
- Endorro
- Gelan Bota
- Kaliti
- Koye Feche
- Saris
- Saris Abo
- Selbane
- Tulu Dimitu
Koye Feche and Tulu Dimitu are recent condominium sites, built on former farmland at the city edge under the government housing programme. Saris and Saris Abo, closer to the centre, are older mixed residential and workshop districts.
Districts
Akaky Kaliti has 13 woredas, numbered 1 to 13, per the Addis Ababa Civil Registration and Residency Service Agency. The sub-city administration office stands in front of the Kality bus station. Before the sub-city system was introduced, this area was administered as Woreda 26.
Landmarks & Institutions
The Akaki River crosses the sub-city and gives it half its name. Akaki Beseka, the settlement on the river, predates most of modern Addis Ababa’s southern expansion and was a railway stop on the original Franco-Ethiopian line.
Manufacturing is concentrated here: metalworks, textile plants, breweries and warehousing line the expressway corridor. Kaliti prison, one of Ethiopia’s best-known detention facilities, is also in the sub-city. Kaliti holds the southern intercity bus terminal, where coaches leave for Adama, Hawassa and the Rift Valley towns.
Population
The 2007 census counted 181,270 residents. The 2022 official projection is 255,348, and it is a projection rather than a count — Ethiopia’s last full census was 2007. Population growth here is driven by condominium construction rather than by births, so the real figure moves with each housing handover.
Getting Around
The Addis Ababa Light Rail Blue Line terminates at Kaliti, 16.9 km from its northern end at Menelik II Square, which makes this the only sub-city with a light rail terminus at its own name. The line opened on 20 September 2015.
The Addis Ababa–Adama Expressway begins in Akaky Kaliti and runs south-east toward Adama, passing Galan and Dukem just outside the city boundary. Bole International Airport is roughly 12 km north-east. Minibus taxis run constantly along the Debre Zeit road spine.
FAQ
Where is Akaky Kaliti?
Akaky Kaliti forms the southern edge of Addis Ababa, between Nifas Silk-Lafto and Bole to the north and the Oromia region to the south.
How many woredas does Akaky Kaliti have?
Thirteen, numbered 1 to 13.
What is the population of Akaky Kaliti?
181,270 at the 2007 census; 255,348 in the 2022 official projection.
What is Akaky Kaliti known for?
Industry. It holds much of the capital’s manufacturing, the Kaliti bus terminal, the light rail southern terminus and the start of the Addis Ababa–Adama Expressway.
Why is it called Akaky Kaliti?
The name joins two places: Akaki, the river and old settlement on it, and Kaliti, the area around the southern terminal and prison.
How big is Akaky Kaliti?
118.08 km², second only to Bole among Addis Ababa’s sub-cities.