Yeka is a sub-city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, covering 85.46 km² in the north-east of the capital. It counted 346,664 residents at the 2007 census, projected to 488,537 for 2022 by the Ethiopian Statistics Service. The sub-city climbs from Megenagna up into the Yeka hills, the forested ridge that closes the city on its north-eastern side.
Yeka gave up part of its eastern territory in 2020, when the city council created Lemi Kura as an eleventh sub-city from parts of Yeka and Bole. Yeka now borders Gullele, Arada, Kirkos, Bole and Lemi Kura.
Neighborhoods & Areas
- Kara
- Kara Alo
- Kebena
- Megenagna
- Shola
- Signal
- Yeka Abado
Megenagna is the sub-city’s commercial centre and the largest transport interchange in eastern Addis Ababa. Kebena, closer to the city centre, is an older residential quarter. Yeka Abado, on the upper slopes, is a large condominium site built on former forest and farmland.
Districts
Yeka is divided into 13 woredas, numbered 1 to 13, according to the Addis Ababa Civil Registration and Residency Service Agency. The sub-city administration office is at Megenagna, opposite the Marathon Building.
Landmarks & Institutions
The Yeka hills and the eucalyptus forest on them are the sub-city’s defining feature and one of the few large green areas inside the city boundary. Shola market is the main food market for eastern Addis Ababa, best known for spices, honey and dairy.
The Chaka Project occupies 503 hectares of the Yeka hillside. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed inaugurated it on 21 May 2022; the scheme is funded by the United Arab Emirates at a stated cost of 49 billion birr and covers palaces, housing, artificial lakes and roads on cleared forest land. It is among the largest state construction projects in Ethiopia since the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
Population
The 2007 census counted 346,664 people in Yeka. The 2022 projection of 488,537 is an Ethiopian Statistics Service estimate on the pre-2020 boundary, so it still counts residents of areas transferred to Lemi Kura. Ethiopia has held no census since 2007 and no separate official count exists for the reduced Yeka.
Amharic is the everyday language. Density on the census figure works out at about 4,100 people per km², held down by the forested hills in the north.
Getting Around
The Addis Ababa Light Rail Green Line runs through Megenagna on its 17.4 km route between Ayat and Torhailoch, giving Yeka a direct rail link to the city centre. The line opened on 9 November 2015.
Megenagna is the dominant minibus taxi interchange for the whole eastern side of the city. The Ring Road passes through the sub-city, and Bole International Airport is about 7 km south.
FAQ
Where is Yeka?
Yeka is in north-east Addis Ababa, running from Megenagna up into the Yeka hills. It covers 85.46 km².
How many woredas does Yeka have?
Thirteen, numbered 1 to 13.
What is the population of Yeka?
346,664 at the 2007 census; 488,537 in the 2022 official projection, which uses the pre-2020 boundary and includes areas now in Lemi Kura.
Did Yeka lose land to Lemi Kura?
Yes. In October 2020 the Addis Ababa City Council created Lemi Kura as an eleventh sub-city from parts of Yeka and Bole.
What is the Chaka Project?
A 503-hectare state development on the Yeka hillside, inaugurated in May 2022 and funded by the United Arab Emirates, covering palaces, housing, lakes and roads.
Does the light rail serve Yeka?
Yes. The Green Line stops at Megenagna, the sub-city’s main interchange.