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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

Addis Ababa, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)

IATA: ADD ICAO: HAAB

Longest Active Runway

12,467 ft

3,800 meters

Field Elevation

7,630 ft

2,326 m MSL

Runway Inventory

2 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

8.9779°, 38.7993°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

tied #112 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#189 of 7558

Top 2.8% percentile worldwide

For airports with equal runway length, the worldwide order does not indicate a length difference.

National Standing (Ethiopia)

#1 of 2 in ET

#1 of 20 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+24.7%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 ADD in numbers: 12,467 ft longest runway · tied #112 of 650 published · #189 of 7,558 worldwide (top 2.8%) · #1 in Ethiopia.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport is the premier pan-African crossroads, serving as the sprawling operational base of Star Alliance member Ethiopian Airlines. Perched at an astonishing 7,657 ft above sea level, Bole is among the highest commercial hubs on Earth. Thin mountain air reduces wing lift and jet engine thrust, requiring both parallel runways to exceed 12,000 ft so intercontinental widebodies can carry commercial payloads safely.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Dual parallel runways: 07L/25R (12,467 ft / 3,800 m) and 07R/25L (12,139 ft / 3,700 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Constructed in 1960 for Emperor Haile Selassie to anchor Ethiopian Airlines. Expanded with a modern passenger terminal in 2003 and a major Chinese-backed expansion in 2019.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Central aviation hub of East Africa, connecting more African nations to the world than any other aerodrome, located 160 NM north of Hawassa (AWA).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Extremely high elevation aerodrome at 7,657 ft (2,334 m MSL); severe air density reduction heavily impacts aircraft climb performance, requiring precise MTOW and temperature-dispatch calculations.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Ethiopia National Civil Aviation Authority · State Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) & ICAO Annex 14 Standards

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway ≥10,500 ft

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Elevation & National Context

High-Altitude Aerodrome (≥5,000 ft)

ADD lies at 2,326 m (7,630 ft), #12 of 650 published airports by elevation and 96.5 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is 1,090 ft above the Ethiopia median (6,540 ft, 2 airports) and the highest published airport in the country.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

0 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

No published neighbour with a paved runway of 5,000 ft or more within 100 NM of ADD. Nearest published airport: Hawassa International Airport (AWA), 115 NM, 9,843 ft (2,624 ft shorter than ADD); 1 within 250 NM.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 12,467 ft (3,800 m)

ADD runways: 07R/25L 12,467 × 148 ft asphalt (asp); 07L/25R 12,139 × 148 ft asphalt (asp). National standing: #1 of 2 in Ethiopia; 2,624 ft ahead of AWA (9,843 ft). +24.7% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
07R/25L	12,467 ft (3800 m / 3.800 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
07L/25R	12,139 ft (3700 m / 3.700 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →