What is the country code for Ethiopia?

Ethiopia's country code is +251. From a US phone, dial 011 251 followed by the 9-digit local number. On a mobile, you can use +251 instead of 011 251.

How much does it cost to call Ethiopia with Sayfone?

Sayfone offers calls to Ethiopia at $0.78 per minute with transparent per-minute pricing. Call directly from your browser — no app download required.

Do I need to remove the 0 from an Ethiopian phone number?

Yes. Ethiopian numbers written for local use start with 0 (e.g. 091 123 4567). When dialing from the US, drop the leading 0 and dial +251 91 123 4567.

What time should I call Ethiopia from the US?

Ethiopia is on UTC+3 year-round (no daylight saving). Ethiopian evenings (6–10 PM EAT) align with US Eastern late mornings (10 AM–2 PM EST or 11 AM–3 PM EDT), making this a practical window for family calls.

How many digits are in an Ethiopian phone number?

Ethiopian phone numbers consist of 9 digits after the country code (+251). This includes a 2-digit prefix (area code for landlines, carrier code for mobiles) and a 7-digit subscriber number.

Can I call Ethiopian mobile and landline numbers with Sayfone?

Yes. Sayfone supports calls to both Ethiopian mobile numbers (prefixes starting with 9 or 7) and landline numbers (geographic area codes like 11 for Addis Ababa). Enter the full international number in your browser to place the call.

What is the area code for Addis Ababa?

The area code for Addis Ababa is 11. To call an Addis Ababa landline from the US, dial 011 251 11 followed by the 7-digit subscriber number.

Does Ethiopia observe daylight saving time?

No. Ethiopia stays on East Africa Time (UTC+3) all year. However, most US time zones observe daylight saving, so the time difference shifts by one hour in March (spring forward) and November (fall back).

Quick Answer

How to Call Ethiopia from the United States

From the US, dial 011 + 251 + the 9-digit Ethiopian number (drop any leading 0). Mobile numbers begin with 9 or 7 after the country code; landlines use a 2-digit area code (e.g. 11 for Addis Ababa). Sayfone lets you call Ethiopia at $0.78/min from your browser — no app needed.

Start calling

Cost tools

🇺🇸From United States

To Ethiopia🇪🇹

$0.78

Per minute

+251

Country code

Call quality

Landline rate

$0.78/min

Mobile rate

$0.78/min

Same per-minute Sayfone rate for landline and mobile.

Average call quality

The Ethiopian-American diaspora — concentrated in Washington DC, Minneapolis, Dallas, and Seattle — relies on regular phone contact with family back home. Sayfone makes that connection simple with transparent per-minute pricing and no app download required.

Steps at a glance

Dial 011 (US exit code) or use + on a mobile phone
Dial 251 (Ethiopia country code)
Dial the 9-digit local number, omitting any leading 0
Example: 011 251 91 123 4567 for an Ethiopian mobile

Sources

1
ITU National Numbering Plan – Ethiopia (country code +251)
Authoritative source for Ethiopia country code +251 and 9-digit NSN format
2
Telephone numbers in Ethiopia – Wikipedia
Reference for area code structure and mobile prefixes

STEP-BY-STEP

How to Dial an Ethiopian Number from the US

Follow these steps to connect your call to any Ethiopian mobile or landline number from a US phone or browser.

1
Dial the US exit code
From a US landline or phone, dial 011. On a mobile phone, you can press and hold 0 to get the + symbol instead.
```
011 or +
```
2
Enter Ethiopia's country code
Immediately after the exit code, dial 251 — the international country code for Ethiopia.
```
011 251
```
3
Dial the 9-digit local number
Enter the recipient's local number without any leading 0. Ethiopian mobile numbers start with 9 (Ethio Telecom) or 7 (Safaricom). Landline numbers start with a 2-digit area code such as 11 for Addis Ababa.
```
011 251 91 123 4567 (mobile) or 011 251 11 123 4567 (Addis Ababa landline)
```
Press call
Confirm the full number is formatted correctly and place the call. With Sayfone, enter the number in your browser and call at $0.78/min — no app download required.

Dialing format reference

+251

Use these patterns when entering a full international number to +251.

Mobile

+251 9X XXX XXXX

Landline

+251 XX XXX XXXX

+251 91 123 4567 (mobile – Ethio Telecom)
+251 71 234 5678 (mobile – Safaricom)
+251 11 123 4567 (landline – Addis Ababa)

Major city area codes

Addis Ababa11

Dire Dawa25

Hawassa46

Bahir Dar58

Mekelle34

Sources

1
ITU National Numbering Plan – Ethiopia
Official numbering plan confirming 9-digit NSN, 2-digit area codes, and trunk prefix 0
2
Telephone numbers in Ethiopia – Wikipedia
Mobile prefix and area code reference

DIALING RULES

Key Dialing Rules for Calling Ethiopia from the US

Ethiopian numbering follows a standardised format set by the Ethiopian Telecommunications Agency. Keep these rules in mind to avoid common mistakes.

Drop the leading 0

Ethiopian numbers are often written with a leading 0 for domestic use (e.g. 091 123 4567). When calling from the US, omit the 0 and dial only the 9-digit national number after +251.

All Ethiopian numbers are 9 digits (after +251)

The national significant number (NSN) is always 9 digits: a 2-digit prefix (area code or mobile prefix) followed by a 7-digit subscriber number. If your number is shorter or longer, double-check it before dialing.

Mobile vs. landline prefixes

Mobile numbers start with 9 (Ethio Telecom) or 7 (Safaricom) after the country code. Landline numbers begin with a geographic area code such as 11 (Addis Ababa), 25 (Dire Dawa), or 46 (Hawassa).

Use 011 or + from the US

The US international dialing prefix is 011 from a landline. From a US mobile phone, you can use the + symbol instead, which replaces the exit code. Both 011 251 and +251 route to Ethiopia.

Some special numbers may not work internationally

Ethiopian emergency and short-code numbers (3-digit numbers like 911, 912) are intended for domestic use and generally cannot be reached from outside the country.

TIMING TIPS

Best Times to Call Ethiopia from the US

Ethiopia is on East Africa Time (UTC+3) year-round and does not observe daylight saving time. The time difference from the US varies by time zone and season.

🇪🇹

Because Ethiopia stays at UTC+3 all year while most US time zones shift for daylight saving, the gap changes by one hour seasonally. Plan calls around Ethiopian evenings (after work) to catch family at home.

Time & windows

US Eastern → Ethiopia

+8h (EST) / +7h (EDT)

When it's 8 AM in New York, it's 4 PM (EST) or 3 PM (EDT) in Addis Ababa

US Central → Ethiopia

+9h (CST) / +8h (CDT)

When it's 8 AM in Dallas, it's 5 PM (CST) or 4 PM (CDT) in Addis Ababa

US Pacific → Ethiopia

+11h (PST) / +10h (PDT)

When it's 8 AM in Seattle, it's 7 PM (PST) or 6 PM (PDT) in Addis Ababa

🇺🇸Ethiopian morning (family calls)

8 AM – 12 PM EATMidnight – 4 AM US Eastern (EST) — early for US callers but good for weekend mornings in Ethiopia

🇺🇸Ethiopian evening (peak family time)

6 PM – 10 PM EAT10 AM – 2 PM US Eastern (EST) — ideal window for US-based callers during their workday or lunch

🇺🇸Ethiopian weekend afternoons

2 PM – 6 PM EAT (Sat/Sun)6 AM – 10 AM US Eastern (EST) — good overlap for US weekend mornings

Calling tips

Ethiopian evenings (6–10 PM EAT) align with US late mornings — this is the most practical window for reaching family after work.
Ethiopia does not observe daylight saving time; the US does. The offset shifts by one hour in March and November.
Ethiopians traditionally use a 12-hour clock counted from sunrise (6 AM = hour 0). When scheduling a call, confirm whether the other person means Ethiopian time or Western time.
Weekend calls tend to have better answer rates since many Ethiopian workers have limited phone access during weekday work hours.

Business etiquette

Standard Ethiopian business hours are roughly 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM EAT, Monday through Friday.
Greet with a warm 'Selam' (ሰላም) — it sets a respectful tone for any call.
If calling a business, expect Amharic as the primary language; English is widely understood in professional settings in Addis Ababa.

Sources

1
Time in Ethiopia – Wikipedia
Confirms Ethiopia is UTC+3 with no DST
2
Current time in Addis Ababa – currenttimeutc.com
US East Coast to Addis Ababa offset detail

TROUBLESHOOTING

Common Issues When Calling Ethiopia

If your call to Ethiopia isn't connecting, check these frequent causes before redialing.

Forgot to drop the leading 0

Ethiopian numbers written for domestic use include a leading 0 (e.g. 091 xxx xxxx). When dialing internationally, remove the 0 — dial +251 91 xxx xxxx instead of +251 091 xxx xxxx.

Missing or incorrect exit code

From a US landline, you must dial 011 before the country code. If you're on a mobile, use the + symbol. Omitting the exit code will cause the call to fail.

Wrong number of digits

Ethiopian numbers should be exactly 9 digits after the +251 country code. If your number is shorter or longer, verify it with the recipient. Toll-free and special service numbers may have different formats.

Network congestion or temporary outages

Ethiopia's telecom infrastructure can occasionally experience congestion, particularly during peak hours or holidays. If a call doesn't connect, wait a few minutes and try again.

Some special numbers may not work internationally

Short codes, emergency numbers, and some service numbers in Ethiopia are restricted to domestic dialing. If you need to reach such a service, contact a local person in Ethiopia to assist.

Sources

1
ITU National Numbering Plan – Ethiopia
Reference for correct dialing format and trunk prefix rules

Savings

See what you could save

Adjust the tools below to compare Sayfone with typical retail pricing for calls to Ethiopia. Start with one call, then layer on monthly volume to see the bigger picture.

How to use these tools

Sayfone uses your live rate for calls to Ethiopia — the same basis as the rest of this page.
First, estimate savings on a single call length. Then, model a full month of minutes versus typical retail benchmarks.
Retail competitor rows are illustrative — not a quote from any carrier.