Gullele is a sub-city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, covering 30.18 km² on the northern edge of the capital. It counted 267,624 residents at the 2007 census, projected to 377,032 for 2022 by the Ethiopian Statistics Service. The sub-city runs from dense inner-city quarters up the slopes of Mount Entoto, the ridge that closes Addis Ababa to the north.
Gullele borders four sub-cities: Kolfe Keranio, Addis Ketema, Arada and Yeka. Its northern boundary is the Entoto escarpment, above which the land falls away into the Oromia region.
Neighborhoods & Areas
- Addisu Gebeya
- Entoto
- Gullele Bota
- Shiro Meda
Addisu Gebeya is the commercial and administrative centre of the sub-city and its main transport interchange. Shiro Meda, on the road climbing toward Entoto, is the traditional weaving quarter and the place most people in Addis Ababa go to buy hand-woven cotton dresses and shawls. Entoto covers the upper slopes, still partly forested with eucalyptus planted in the late nineteenth century.
Districts
Gullele is divided into 10 woredas, numbered 1 to 10, according to the Addis Ababa Civil Registration and Residency Service Agency. The sub-city administration office stands at Addisu Gebeya, behind the NOC filling station.
Landmarks & Institutions
Mount Entoto rises to about 3,200 metres above the sub-city and is the highest ground in the Addis Ababa area. Emperor Menelik II founded his capital on this ridge before moving down to the warmer plain, and the Entoto Maryam Church and his palace there survive as a museum site.
Entoto Natural Park, redeveloped and opened to the public in 2020, covers a large stretch of the forested slope with walking and cycling trails. The Gullele Botanic Garden, run jointly by the Addis Ababa city administration and Addis Ababa University, occupies several hundred hectares on the same hillside and protects surviving patches of native highland vegetation.
Shiro Meda market supplies most of the city’s traditional cotton clothing, woven on hand looms in workshops in the surrounding streets.
Population
The 2007 census counted 267,624 people in Gullele. The 2022 figure of 377,032 is an Ethiopian Statistics Service projection, not a count — Ethiopia’s last national census was 2007. Overall density is about 8,900 people per km² on the census count, but that average hides a sharp split: the lower woredas near Addisu Gebeya are as crowded as anywhere in the city, while the Entoto slopes are largely park and forest.
Amharic is the everyday language. Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity is strongly represented, and the church congregations around Entoto and Shiro Meda are among the oldest in the capital.
Getting Around
Addisu Gebeya is the transport hub, with minibus taxis running south into Addis Ketema and Arada and north up the Entoto road. The light rail does not reach Gullele; the closest stations are on the Blue Line at Menelik II Square and Merkato, both a short taxi ride away.
The Entoto road climbs steeply and is the standard route for anyone heading to the park, the church or the viewpoints over the city. Bole International Airport is about 14 km to the south-east.
FAQ
Where is Gullele?
Gullele is the northern sub-city of Addis Ababa, running from Addisu Gebeya up to the Entoto ridge. It covers 30.18 km².
How many woredas does Gullele have?
Ten, numbered 1 to 10.
What is the population of Gullele?
267,624 at the 2007 census; 377,032 in the 2022 official projection.
What is Gullele known for?
Mount Entoto and Entoto Natural Park, the Gullele Botanic Garden, and Shiro Meda, the city’s traditional weaving and cotton-clothing market.
How high is Entoto?
The Entoto ridge reaches roughly 3,200 metres, about 850 metres above the city centre.
Which sub-cities border Gullele?
Kolfe Keranio to the west, Addis Ketema and Arada to the south, and Yeka to the east.