Ādwa

Ādwa or Aduwa, town in northern Ethiopia, in Tigray Region. The town lies in a fertile agrarian region, more than 1829 m (more than 6000 ft) above sea level, and is a busy trading center, with roads to Addis Ababa, Gonder, and Asmara (Āsmera), Eritrea. Cotton cloth, brassware, and iron products are manufactured in the town. On March 1, 1896, Ādwa was the scene of a decisive Ethiopian victory over an invading Italian army. Later, during the early stages of the Italo-Ethiopian War (1935-1936), Italian forces severely bombed and subsequently captured the town. In 1941, during World War II, the Italian troops were expelled by British and Ethiopian forces. Population (1989 estimate) 17,548.