Dīla, Ethiopia
ዲላ
Dīla is a town of 158,800 people in South Ethiopia Regional State, Ethiopia.
Why visit Dīla
Townapedia lists 1 park or trail, 2 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Dilla University.
Weather in Dīla
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Dīla
Dilla (Amharic: ዲላ) is a market town and separate woreda in southern Ethiopia. The administrative center of the Gedeo Zone in the former Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR) now it is South Ethiopia Regional State (SER), it is located on the main road from Addis Ababa to Nairobi. The town has a longitude and latitude of 6°24′30″N 38°18′30″E, with an elevation of 1570 meters above sea level. It was part of Wenago woreda and is currently surrounded by Dilla Zuria woreda.
From the Wikipedia article Dilla, Ethiopia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes2
Where to stay2
History
Shortly after the capture of Shashemene in May 1941, a mobile force, consisting of one company of the Natal Mounted Rifles and the 6th KAR, with light tanks and armoured cars, moved forward towards Dilla. Almost to its own surprise, this scouting operation cut off the retreat of the 21st and 24th Italian Divisions, pinning them against the east side of Lake Abaya.
By 1958 Dilla was one of 27 places in Ethiopia ranked as First Class Township. The Imperial Railway Company of Ethiopia carried out surveys for extending the railway with a 310 km line from Adama to Dilla between 1960 and 1963. The government formed a Nazareth-Dilla Railway Development Corporation to support this new branch. Although the French government offered a loan to fund this new branch in 1965, and Yugoslav experts had studied and thought the project would be worthwhile, this project was never carried out.
Outside Dilla is Michille (ሚችሌ) hill, where a peasant uprising by the Gedeo people was crushed in 1960. Gedeo elders, invited by Afanegus Eshate Gada to meet him and discuss their grievances with the feudal system they lived under, were ambushed and slaughtered by the army.
From the History section of Dilla, Ethiopia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship5
Selam Mesjid
Place of worship · Sunni · 0.7 km
Addis Ababa to Nairobi road, Dilla
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries3
Healthcare1
Map of Dīla
18 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Soddu Airport (SXU) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 77 km away.
- Wenago 12 km southwest, about 12 min by car
- Ch’iko 19 km north, about 19 min by car
- Wendo 23 km northeast, about 23 min by car
- Hāgere Selam 23 km east, about 23 min by car
- Yirga Ch’efē 31 km southwest, about 31 min by car
- Yirga ‘Alem 39 km north, about 39 min by car
- Kele 49 km southwest, about 49 min by car
- Leku 53 km north, about 53 min by car
- Bedēsa 53 km northwest, about 53 min by car
- Dimtu 61 km north, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Dilla University, Dilla University, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 4, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.