*2.1. Description of the Study Area*

According to the Ethiopian constitution, Ethiopia is a federal state, administratively structured into nine regional states and two city administration councils (FDRE, 1995). Based on the nature of the research question, Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia and headquarters of the African Union, was selected as a case study for the following reasons: the city is giving urgent attention to the cadastral system; it is also the place where the urban cadastral system is being undertaken extensively compared to other regional cities; in addition, the city was selected to serve as a pilot area for the rest of the regional cities.
