Quick answer: +251 is Ethiopia. Every Ethiopian number has 9 digits after +251. Mobiles start with 9 (Ethio Telecom) or 7 (Safaricom). If the number you were given starts with 0, drop the 0. Example:
+251 91 123 4567.
How to dial Ethiopia
| Calling from | Dial |
|---|---|
| Any mobile phone | +251 + 9 digits |
| US or Canada landline | 011 251 + 9 digits |
| UK, Saudi Arabia or UAE landline | 00 251 + 9 digits |
Ethiopians write numbers with a leading 0, like 091 123 4567 or 011 551 2345. That 0 is only for calls inside Ethiopia. From abroad, leave it out: 011 551 2345 becomes +251 11 551 2345.
Mobile and landline numbers
Mobiles are 9 digits starting with 9 for Ethio Telecom or 7 for Safaricom Ethiopia, written like 91 123 4567. They have no area code.
Landlines are a 2-digit area code plus a 7-digit local number. Each area code covers a region rather than one city, so towns in the same region share a code.
| City | Area code in Ethiopia | From abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Addis Ababa | 011 | +251 11 xxx xxxx |
| Adama (Nazret) | 022 | +251 22 xxx xxxx |
| Dire Dawa | 025 | +251 25 xxx xxxx |
| Dessie | 033 | +251 33 xxx xxxx |
| Mekelle | 034 | +251 34 xxx xxxx |
| Hawassa | 046 | +251 46 xxx xxxx |
| Jimma | 047 | +251 47 xxx xxxx |
| Gondar | 058 | +251 58 xxx xxxx |
Codes that get mixed up with +251
+252 is Somalia and +254 is Kenya, both neighbours of Ethiopia. +250 is Rwanda.
Time difference
Ethiopia is on East Africa Time (UTC+3) all year, with no daylight saving time. The gap changes when your own clocks change.
| Where you are | Your clocks on summer time | Your clocks on standard time |
|---|---|---|
| US East Coast | Ethiopia is 7h ahead | Ethiopia is 8h ahead |
| US West Coast | Ethiopia is 10h ahead | Ethiopia is 11h ahead |
| UK | Ethiopia is 2h ahead | Ethiopia is 3h ahead |
| Saudi Arabia | Same time all year | |
| UAE | Ethiopia is 1h behind all year | |
A 9 AM call from Washington, DC reaches Addis Ababa at 4 PM in the US summer and 5 PM in the US winter.
Prefer calling over WiFi? See our guide to the best apps for WiFi calling.
FAQ
Why did someone in Ethiopia say 3 o'clock when they meant 9 AM?
Many Ethiopians use a local 12-hour clock that starts counting at 6 AM instead of midnight. Add 6 hours to get the standard time, so 3 o'clock in the morning is 9 AM. When you arrange a call, ask whether the time is Ethiopian time or international time.
Why won't my call to +251 go through?
Check that you left out the leading 0, have exactly 9 digits after +251, and dialed 251, not 252 or 254. If the number is right, the line may be down: phone and internet service in some regions of Ethiopia has been cut for long periods during unrest.