Kirkos is a central sub-city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, covering 14.62 km². It counted 221,234 residents at the 2007 census, projected to 311,765 for 2022 by the Ethiopian Statistics Service. Meskel Square, the city’s main public space, sits inside it, and both light rail lines cross the sub-city.
Kirkos borders five sub-cities: Arada, Yeka, Bole, Nifas Silk-Lafto and Lideta. Density runs to roughly 15,000 people per km² on the census count.
Neighborhoods & Areas
- Bantyiketu
- Beg Tera
- Beherawi
- Beklo Bet
- Bulgariya Sefer
- Enderase
- Gotera
- Kasanchis
- Kera
- Lancha
- Legehar
- Meshualekiya
- Meskel Flower
- Mexico
- Olympia
- Riche
- Sar Bet
- Wello Sefer
Kasanchis is the office and hotel district north-east of Meskel Square, redeveloped heavily since 2010. Meskel Flower and Wello Sefer are residential and restaurant areas south of the square. Kera is the old abattoir quarter and still the city’s meat trade centre.
Districts
Kirkos is divided into 11 woredas, numbered 1 to 11, according to the Addis Ababa Civil Registration and Residency Service Agency. The sub-city administration office is near the Marriott hotel.
Landmarks & Institutions
Meskel Square is the largest open public space in Addis Ababa and the site of the annual Meskel festival, the Ethiopian Orthodox celebration of the finding of the True Cross. Political rallies, marathons and national ceremonies all use it.
Legehar holds the old Addis Ababa railway station, the 1929 terminus of the Franco-Ethiopian line to Djibouti. The building is disused as a station but remains one of the capital’s landmark structures, and the name Legehar — from the French la gare — still names the whole quarter.
Africa Hall, the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the site of the 1963 founding of the Organisation of African Unity, stands on Menelik II Avenue at the northern edge of the sub-city. Gotera, in the south, is known for its multi-level road interchange, the first in the country.
Population
The 2007 census recorded 221,234 residents in Kirkos. The 2022 projection is 311,765, an Ethiopian Statistics Service estimate rather than a count, since Ethiopia has held no census since 2007. Amharic is the working language. The sub-city has a large daytime population that exceeds its residential count, because so much government, UN and private office work is concentrated here.
Getting Around
Kirkos is the best-connected sub-city on the light rail network. Both lines share a 2.7 km elevated section running from Meskel Square through Legehar to Mexico Square, with five stations on it. The Blue Line continues south to Kaliti; the Green Line runs east to Megenagna and Ayat and west to Torhailoch.
Africa Avenue starts at Meskel Square and runs south-east to Bole International Airport, about 6 km away. Mexico Square and Meskel Square are the two largest minibus taxi interchanges in the city.
FAQ
Where is Kirkos?
Kirkos is in central Addis Ababa, immediately south and east of Arada, covering 14.62 km².
How many woredas does Kirkos have?
Eleven, numbered 1 to 11.
What is the population of Kirkos?
221,234 at the 2007 census; 311,765 in the 2022 official projection.
Is Meskel Square in Kirkos?
Yes. Meskel Square sits in Kirkos and is the junction of both light rail lines.
What is Legehar?
Legehar is the quarter around the old Addis Ababa railway station, built in 1929 as the terminus of the line to Djibouti. The name comes from the French la gare.
How do I get to Kirkos by light rail?
Both the Blue and Green lines stop at Meskel Square, Legehar and Mexico Square, all within the sub-city.