What is the highest mountain in the Ethiopian Highlands?

The highest mountain in the Ethiopian Highlands is Ras Dashen. Also called Ras Dejen, it reaches about 4,550 metres in the Simien Mountains of northern Ethiopia and is the country's highest peak.

Ras Dashen forms the eastern high point of a vast volcanic massif cut by deep ravines. The mountain's steep terrain is part of Simien Mountains National Park, a landscape known for dramatic escarpments and high-altitude wildlife. Although snow can fall on the summit, it usually melts quickly during warmer parts of the day.

The name Ras Dashen is an English rendering of the Amharic name Ras Dejen. It is associated with the Ethiopian word ras, meaning head or leader, and has also been explained as referring to a traditional general who fought at the front of the emperor's army. Published elevations have varied over time because different surveys measured the peak differently.

The first recorded European ascent took place in 1841, when French officers Ferret and Galinier reached the summit. A common mix-up is treating Ras Dashen as merely Ethiopia's highest mountain; it is also the highest point of the broader Ethiopian Highlands, while Mount Choke and Mount Guna are lower neighboring peaks.