Area Code 1140 – Addis Ababa

Geographic Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction

Area code 1140 is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the central zone of Addis Ababa, the capital and largest city of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The code serves the administrative and business heart of the city, including the Arada, Kirkos, and Yeka sub-cities, where key government institutions, embassies, and commercial headquarters are located. As part of the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation's (ETC) fixed-line network, this code is used for PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) services, including legacy copper lines and some fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployments.

Dialing Formats and Number Structure

Within Ethiopia, calls to numbers in the 1140 area code require dialing the full national number: 0 1140 XXX XXX (where X represents the subscriber's line number). The leading '0' is the national trunk prefix. Internationally, callers must omit the trunk prefix and dial the country code, NDC, and subscriber number: +251 1140 XXX XXX. The total length of a complete international number, including the country code, is 12 digits (excluding the '+'). It is important to note that the subscriber number is typically 6 digits, making the entire national significant number (NSN) 9 digits.

Caller Instructions

• Local callers (within Ethiopia): Dial 0 1140 XXX XXX.
• International callers: Dial your country's exit code (e.g., 00 from most countries, 011 from North America), then 251 1140 XXX XXX.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

Addis Ababa has multiple area codes (e.g., 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116) to accommodate the high demand for fixed-line services. These codes are not overlays in the traditional sense; they are separate NDCs that route to different exchanges within the city. However, due to the growth of VoIP and mobile services, fixed-line penetration remains limited, and the 1140 code is primarily used by businesses and government offices. When dialing from a mobile phone within Ethiopia, the same national format applies.

Technical and Regulatory Notes

As of 2025, the Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) oversees numbering resources. The 1140 code is part of the closed numbering plan, meaning that all national numbers must be dialed in full, even for local calls. This eliminates the need for area code differentiation when calling within the same zone. For international callers, it is crucial to verify the correct number length, as some legacy numbers may have fewer digits. Always confirm with the recipient or use official directories to avoid misdialing.