# Harar

> city in the east of Ethiopia

**Wikidata**: [Q190184](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190184)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harar)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/harar

## Summary

Harar is a historic walled city in eastern Ethiopia, serving as the capital of the Harari Region. With a population of approximately 157,000 residents as of 2022, Harar is renowned for its distinctive Islamic architecture, ancient city walls (Jugol), and rich cultural heritage, earning it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city operates under UTC+03:00 timezone and sits at an elevation of 1,885 meters above sea level.

## Key Facts

- **Location**: Eastern Ethiopia, capital of Harari Region
- **Coordinates**: Latitude 9.3111111111111, Longitude 42.127777777778
- **Population**: 157,000 (2022, preferred value); 129,000 (2015)
- **Elevation**: 1,885 meters above sea level
- **Timezone**: UTC+03:00
- **Postal Code**: 3200
- **Native Label**: ሐረር
- **Official Language**: Q28244 (from source)
- **Local Dialing Codes**: 025 666, 025 667
- **UN/LOCODE**: ETHAR
- **Website**: https://hararcity.gov.et/ (English language)
- **Social Media**: Twitter @hararmunicipal, Facebook @hararmunic, Telegram @hararmunicipal
- **Classification**: city, big city, urban area
- **Member of**: Organization of World Heritage Cities (as of December 2023)
- **Head of Government**: Q134822165 (since 2019)
- **Sitelink Count**: 74

## FAQs

### What is Harar known for?

Harar is famous for its ancient walled city (Jugol), which features 82 mosques and 102 shrines, making it one of the most important Islamic cities in Africa. The city is also known for its unique hybrid architecture, vibrant markets, and the tradition of feeding wild hyenas that has become a iconic cultural practice.

### What is the history of Harar?

Harar emerged as an important Islamic center in the 16th century and became the capital of the Emirate of Harar in 1887. The city was later incorporated into the Ethiopian Empire in 1885 under Emperor Menelik II. Its historical significance is preserved in its UNESCO World Heritage status.

### What language is spoken in Harar?

While the official language is identified as Q28244 in the source data, Harar is primarily an Amharic-speaking city with its own distinct Harari language and culture. The city also has connections to Arabic and other regional languages.

### What is the climate of Harar?

At an elevation of 1,885 meters, Harar enjoys a mild highland climate. The city operates on East Africa Time (UTC+03:00), which it shares with neighboring countries including Kenya and Somalia.

### How do I contact Harar city government?

The municipal government can be reached through multiple channels: their official website at https://hararcity.gov.et/, Twitter @hararmunicipal, Facebook @hararmunic, or by telephone using local dialing codes 025 666 or 025 667.

### What organizations is Harar a member of?

Harar is a member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC), an international association of cities inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This membership was confirmed as of December 31, 2023.

## Why It Matters

Harar holds profound significance as one of Africa's most important historical and cultural centers. Its UNESCO World Heritage status recognizes the city's exceptional universal value, particularly its unique urban landscape where Islamic architecture and Ethiopian building traditions merged over centuries to create the distinctive Jugol style. The city's 82 mosques and 102 shrines testify to its role as a major center of Islamic learning and practice in the Horn of Africa.

Beyond its religious importance, Harar serves as a living museum of urban planning and architecture. The ancient city walls, built between the 13th and 16th centuries, remain largely intact and enclose a dense network of narrow streets and traditional houses. This preserved urban fabric provides invaluable insights into medieval Islamic urbanism in Africa.

The city's economic significance extends to its role as a regional trade hub. Harar's markets have historically connected highland Ethiopia with the lowland regions and the Horn of coast, facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures. Today, the city continues to serve as an administrative, commercial, and educational center for the Harari Region and surrounding areas.

Harar's cultural practices, including the famous hyena feeding tradition and its distinctive culinary traditions, represent unique intangible heritage that attracts scholars and tourists alike. The city's ability to maintain its traditional character while adapting to modern governance needs—evidenced by its active municipal social media presence and e-government services—demonstrates how historic cities can preserve their heritage while embracing development.

## Notable For

- UNESCO World Heritage Site status recognizing its exceptional Islamic urban architecture
- The ancient Jugol city walls, among the most complete in Africa
- 82 mosques and 102 shrines within the old city
- The unique tradition of feeding wild hyenas, a practice dating back generations
- The distinctive Harari language (Harari) separate from mainstream Ethiopian languages
- Being the capital of the Harari Region, one of Ethiopia's federal regions
- The historic rivalry and cultural exchange with the Ethiopian highland civilization
- Well-preserved traditional house architecture featuring distinctive flat-roofed structures

## Body

### Geography and Demographics

Harar is situated in eastern Ethiopia at coordinates 9.3111111111111 latitude and 42.127777777778 longitude. The city sits at an elevation of 1,885 meters above sea level, placing it in the Ethiopian highlands. As the capital of the Harari Region, Harar serves as the political and administrative center for this federal region.

The population has grown significantly over recent decades, with the 2015 census recording 129,000 residents, while more recent estimates place the population at approximately 157,000 as of 2022. This population growth reflects Harar's increasing importance as a regional center for education, commerce, and administration.

The city operates on East Africa Time (UTC+03:00), sharing this timezone with Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, and other countries in the region. The postal code for Harar is 3200, and the local dialing codes are 025 666 and 025 667.

### Governance and Administration

Harar serves as the capital of the Harari Region, one of Ethiopia's eleven ethnic-based federal regions. The current head of government is Q134822165, who assumed office in 2019. The municipal government maintains an active online presence through its official website (https://hararcity.gov.et/), Twitter account (@hararmunicipal), Facebook page (@hararmunic), and Telegram username (@hararmunicipal).

The city is a member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC), an international body that brings together cities inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This membership was confirmed as of December 31, 2023, according to documentation from the organization.

### History and Heritage

Harar's history dates back to the medieval period when it emerged as an important Islamic center. The city became the capital of the Emirate of Harar in 1887 and was later incorporated into the Ethiopian Empire in 1885 under Emperor Menelik II. The city's Islamic heritage is evident in its 82 mosques and 102 shrines, many of which date to different periods of the city's development.

The most distinctive feature of Harar is its ancient city walls, known as Jugol, which were constructed between the 13th and 16th centuries. These walls, which remain largely intact, enclose the old city and represent one of the most complete examples of medieval Islamic urban planning in Africa. The Jugol walls and the traditional architecture within them earned Harar UNESCO World Heritage status.

### Architecture and Urban Character

The architecture of Harar represents a unique fusion of Islamic and Ethiopian traditions. Traditional Harari houses are characterized by their distinctive rectangular plans, flat roofs, and interior courtyards. The buildings typically feature elaborately carved wooden doors and windows, with decorative elements that reflect both Islamic geometric patterns and Ethiopian artistic influences.

The city's urban layout follows traditional Islamic principles, with a dense network of narrow streets organized around mosques and market areas. The main gates of the Jugol walls provide access to different quarters of the city, each historically associated with particular crafts or ethnic groups.

### Cultural Practices

One of Harar's most famous cultural traditions is the feeding of wild hyenas. This practice, which has become an iconic symbol of the city, originated when residents began feeding hyenas during periods of drought and food scarcity to prevent them from attacking livestock. Today, the nightly hyena feeding has become a tourist attraction while maintaining its traditional significance.

Harar's culinary traditions also reflect its unique cultural position, blending Ethiopian highland cuisine with Islamic culinary influences. The city is known for distinctive dishes and food preparation methods that differ from both mainstream Ethiopian and other Islamic cuisines in the region.

### International Connections

Harar maintains numerous international identifiers across various databases and knowledge systems. The city has entries in major geographic databases including GeoNames (ID 335035), OpenStreetMap (node ID 298296166), and the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names (ID 1089841). Its WOEID (Where On Earth Identifier) is 1317066.

The city appears in multiple national and international encyclopedic sources, including the Encyclopædia Britannica (entry for Harer), Treccani's Italian encyclopedia (multiple entries from 1933 and 1961), the Croatian encyclopedia (ID 24377), the Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana, Brockhaus Encyclopedia, and the Turkish TDV Encyclopedia of Islam. The Yale Lux ID for Harar is place/73264065-692b-47bf-9969-11535b6c12e8.

### Economic and Social Infrastructure

As a regional center, Harar provides educational, healthcare, and commercial services to its residents and surrounding communities. The city hosts numerous educational institutions serving students from across the Harari Region and eastern Ethiopia. The traditional markets (bazaars) of Harar continue to function as important economic hubs, trading both local agricultural products and goods from further afield.

The municipal government has developed digital infrastructure to support city services, evidenced by its official website and active social media presence. The city has a presence on Google Play (store ID "Harar") and TripAdvisor (ID 676757), facilitating engagement with tourists and residents alike.

### Language and Identity

While Amharic serves as the primary language of administration and commerce, Harar has its own distinct Harari language (also known as Adere or Gey), which is linguistically distinct from both Amharic and other Ethiopian Semitic languages. This linguistic heritage reflects the city's long history as an independent emirate with its own cultural identity.

The native label for Harar in Ge'ez script is ሐረር, transliterated as "Harar" in the Latin alphabet. The city is known by numerous aliases and historical names, including Harrar, Gey, Harar Jugol, Harär, Harar-Gey, Hararghe, Harärgeyi, Harer, and various transliterations in Cyrillic (Харрар, Харар).

### Visual Documentation

Harar's visual identity is well-documented through numerous photographs and artistic representations. The city has a dedicated Commons category on Wikimedia Commons, featuring images of its architecture, streets, and cultural practices. Notable images include the town of Harar with its city walls (Jugol), nighttime views of old city streets, and the Harari flag. A banner image of Harar is also available, along with a locator map showing the city's position within Ethiopia.

### Administrative Codes and Identifiers

Harar is identified by numerous administrative and reference codes across different systems: the UN/LOCODE is ETHAR, the GND (German National Library) ID is 4023411-3, the GeoNames ID is 335035, the Freebase ID is /m/02l3rx, the GNS (Geographic Names Information System) unique feature ID is -613081 with variant names including Hārar, Hārer, Harrar, and Kharer. The BBC Things ID is 89534600-f607-462b-8d3d-60944357b5a0, and the Who's On First ID is 421195685.

The city appears in Wikipedia in 89 different language versions, reflecting its international significance and the global interest in its heritage. The sitelink count of 74 indicates the number of Wikipedia language editions that link to the Harar article.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.amaligovhub.africa/amali-cities/harar)
2. [Source](https://www.ovpm.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/liste-villes-en-regle-pour-page-web12-03-2024.pdf)
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
4. Czech National Authority Database
5. [Source](http://www.citypopulation.de/Ethiopia.html)
6. [Source](https://www.citypopulation.de/en/ethiopia/cities/?cityid=655)
7. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
8. GeoNames
9. BBC Things
10. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/et.htm)
11. Enciclopedia Treccani
12. Dizionario di Storia
13. [Source](https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/harar)