Celebrations are under way in the streets of Addis Ababa as Ethiopia ushers in the new Millennium.
The country uses the calendar of the Coptic Orthodox Church - for which the 21st Century began on Wednesday at midnight (1900GMT on Tuesday). ( BBC )
Three concerts are due to be held in the capital, where the streets are crowded with partygoers.
A more exclusive event is being attended by a number of African leaders, including Kenya's Mwai Kibaki.
In the 6th Century, the rest of Christendom revised its estimate of the date of the birth of Christ - but Ethiopia stuck with the old date, which means it only now marks the start of the year 2000.
Speaking at the main event to welcome in the Millennium, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi spoke of the glories of Ethiopia's first 1,000 years.
He said decline then occurred, but now it was time for an Ethiopian renaissance.
"A thousand years from now, when Ethiopians gather to welcome the fourth Millennium, they shall say the eve of the third Millennium was the beginning of the end of the dark ages in Ethiopia," he said.
Because it was never colonised, Ethiopia has always had a special significance for the rest of Africa - which was summed up by the chairman of the African Union, Alpha Oumar Konare.
"We thank Ethiopia for keeping up the flame of African unity," he said.
He was speaking at the new exhibition hall where foreign dignitaries gathered.
But correspondents say Ethiopians have mixed feelings about the Millennium celebrations.
Some residents of Addis Ababa - an opposition stronghold - criticised government's campaign to clear the streets of beggars and the rising cost of food ahead of the celebrations.