To elucidate malaria transmission and determine its prevalence in a highland-fringernurban area, Akaki, parasitological and entomological investigations were conducted betweenrnOctober 1999 and October 2000. Review of malaria cases was using records of the AddisrnAbaba and Akaki health institutions for the years between 1993 and 2000. Parasitologicalrnsurvey was conducted, during a peak malaria transmission season, October throughrnDecember 1999. A total of 712 persons (264 males and 448 females) were examined forrnthree consecutive months (Oct.-Dec. 1999). Using different mosquito sampling methods arnmonthly collection of larvae and adult mosquitoes was conducted for 1 year from Octoberrn1999 to October 2000.rnThe review of 6 Zonal Health Department records in Addis Ababa indicated thatrnmalaria is one of the major causes of outpatient consultation. A significant increase inrnmalaria prevalence was noted after 1996 reaching a peak in 1998. The records do not showrnthe geographical origin of the cases but most of them are believed to be internally imported.rnThis however, can not rule out the possibility of its importation from the peripheral Townsrnlike Akaki, with active malaria transmission considered. The occurrence of malaria outbreakrnduring 1997/98 with its peak in October through November in Akaki and their sharingrnPlasmodiulll vivax as the dominant species both in Addis Ababa and Akaki suggest thernlikely hood.rnA total of2136 blood films were examined, 78 (3.7 %) persons were malaria positivernof which 54 (69%) were due to Plaslllodium vivax and only 24 (31 %) due to P. jalcipa/'lIll1.rnParasitological surveys done in this study in Akaki Town shows 30 (4.2%) were malariarnpositive with predominance of P. jalcipal'lIl1l (70%); in the second survey, 48(6.7%) wcrernpositive with a predominance of P. vivax (93.7%); no case was detected in the last survey.rnAlthough prevalence increased with age, the detection of cases in children below the age ofrn5 years suggested autochthonous malaria transmission in Akaki area.rnTwo Anopheles species were encountered in the larval collection. Anopheles christyirn(9,7%), An. galllbiae s. 1., (presumably An. arabiensis, 6.7%) and An. cinereus (.6%). Inrnthe adult collection, four species of were recorded: An. arabiensis, An. christyi, An.rnpharoensis and An. coustani. Anopheles arabiensis and An. christyi were the dominant manbitingrnspecies in the area. They were both more exophagic and active in the early eveningrnunlike An. pharoensis that showed an endophagic tendency.rnThe dissection of 49 An. christyi, 43 An. arabiensis, 2 An. pharoensis and a singlernspecimen of An. COl/stani turned negative for sporozoites. Anopheles arabiensis might be thernmajor vector in the area. However, further and detailed investigations are required tornasceltain the relative importance of An. arabiensis and the other man-biting speciesrn(pmticularly An. christyi) in the transmission of malaria in Akaki and surrounding areas torndesign appropriate control strategy. The findings are discussed