Bishoftu
ቢሾፍቱ Debre Zeyit ደብረ ዘይት | |
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City | |
From top left: Bishoftu Lake; Kuriftu Resorts & Spa; Lake Babogaya at dawn; Debre Zeit rainforest | |
Nickname: The City of Seven Lakes | |
Coordinates: 8°45′N 38°59′E / 8.750°N 38.983°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Region | ![]() |
Zone | East Shewa |
Elevation | 1,920 m (6,300 ft) |
Population (2007)[1] | |
• Total | 99,928 |
• Estimate (2021)[2] | 197,557 |
Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
Climate | Cwb |
Website | Bishoftu city official website |
Bishoftu (Oromo: Bishooftuu; Amharic: ቢሾፍቱ) is a town in central Ethiopia. Located in the East Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region, it sits at an elevation of 1,920 metres (6,300 ft). It was formerly known as Debre Zeyit (Amharic: ደብረ ዘይት, lit. 'Mount of Olives'). However, since the late 1990s, it has been officially known by the Oromo name, Bishoftu from bishaanooftuu (which translates to "watery"),[3][4] which was its name until 1955.[5] The town serves as the primary airbase of the Ethiopian Air Force.
Bishoftu is located 47.9 kilometres (29.8 mi) southeast of Addis Ababa along its route 4 highway.[6] It is a resort town, known for its several lakes.