Mek'ele Population 2026

Mek'ele has a population of 457,900, making it the #4 biggest city in 🇪🇹 Ethiopia, located in Tigray. Roughly 0.3% of Ethiopia's population lives here. It is about 8.4× smaller than Addis Ababa, the country's biggest city.

Location of Mek'ele (capital Addis Ababa shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

457,900

Rank in Ethiopia

Coordinates

13.50°N, 39.48°E

~2,068 m elevation · Africa/Addis_Ababa

Distance to capital (Addis Ababa)

504 km

313 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Tigray

City	Population	Rank in Ethiopia
Ādīgrat	121,800	#26
Inda Silasē	100,100	#30
Aksum	94,500	#34
Adwa	85,600	#37
Alamata	70,400	#46
Wik’ro	64,000	#55
Maych’ew	49,600	#75
Dolo	41,400	#94

Cities near Mek'ele

Dolo41,400 people · ~18 km away
Wik’ro64,000 people · ~36 km away
Maych’ew49,600 people · ~79 km away
Mehoni29,200 people · ~80 km away
Ādīgrat121,800 people · ~87 km away
Adwa85,600 people · ~97 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Mek'ele?

Mek'ele has a population of 457,900 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #4 biggest city in Ethiopia.

What region is Mek'ele in?

Mek'ele is located in Tigray, Ethiopia.

Is Mek'ele the capital of Ethiopia?

No, the capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa, about 504 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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