Housing in a Developing Nation: The Case of Addis Ababa.

This article presents information on the increase of urbanization around the world. This article in particular addresses the housing situation in Addis Ababa, capital city of Ethiopia. Addis Ababa constitutes roughly 57 percent of the country's urban population but only 3-4 percent of the country's total population. The municipality covers a land area of some 218 square kilometers with the radius of the city roughly 7 to 9 kilometers. Addis Ababa as of 1974, is increasing by an estimated 50,000 inhabitants per year. The rate of immigration has also increased in the last decade and a half. The quality of housing in Addis Ababa is generally poor, particularly given the three-month rainy season and the coolness of the climate-- the city is over 8,000 feet above sea level. In 1961, a survey conducted in Addis Ababa showed that the average number of persons per household was 4.40, the average number of rooms per household was 2.19 and the average number of persons per room was 2.00. It has been concluded that the hosing situation has become more acute since the 1967 municipal census. While the population continues to increase at roughly 7 percent per year, the available housing stock has remained virtually stagnant.