Awasa (also spelled Awassa or Hawassa) is a city in Ethiopia, on the shores of Lake Awasa in the Great Rift Valley. Located in the Sidama Zone 270 km south of Addis Ababa via Debre Zeit, 130 km east of Sodo, 75 km north of Dilla and 1125 km north of Nairobi, Awasa is the capital of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region. The city lies on the Trans-African Highway 4 Cairo-Cape Town, with a latitude and longitude of 7�3?N 38�28?ECoordinates: 7�3?N 38�28?E and an elevation of 1708 meters. It is the largest settlement in Awasa woreda. Awassa was capital of the former Sidamo Province from about 1978 until the province was abolished with the adoption of the 1995 Constitution. This city is home to Hawassa University (which includes an Agricultural College, a Main Campus and a Health Sciences College), Awasa Adventist College, and a major market. The city is served byAwasa Airport (ICAO code HALA, IATA AWA), opened in 1988. Postal service is provided by a main branch; electricity and telephone service are also available.Important local attractions include the St. Gabriel Church and the Awassa Kenema Stadium. Fishing is a major local industry
