Abay Chomen
Encyclopedia
Abay Chomen is one of the 180 woreda
s in the Oromia Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone
, Abay Chomen is bordered on the south by Lake Finicha'a (created when Finicha'a Dam flooded the Chomen swamp), on the southwest by Jimma Horo
, on the northwest by Amuru Jarte
, on the north by the Abay River which separates it from the Amhara Region
, and on the east and south by Guduru
. The woreda capital is Finicha'a
; other towns in Abay Chomen include Finicha'a Camp.
Industry in the woreda includes 17 grain mills, 10 oil mills, one bakery, and a sugar factory in Finicha'a. There were 4 Farmers Associations with 3119 members and 4 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 2287 members. Abay Chomen has and 69.5 kilometers of all-weather road, for an average road density of 87.8 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 70% of the urban and 12% of the rural population has access to drinking water
.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 50,564, of whom 25,017 are men and 25,547 are women; 20,749 or 41.04% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 13.9%. With an estimated area of 791.26 square kilometers, Abay Chomen has an estimated population density of 63.9 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 81.4.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 33,303, of whom 16,727 were men and 16,576 women; 11,600 or 34.83% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Abay Chomen were the Oromo
(86.79%), and the Amhara
(11.5%); all other ethnic groups made up 7.2% of the population. Oromiffa
was spoken as a first language by 86.39%, and 12.82% spoke Amharic
; the remaining 0.79% spoke all other primary languages reported. The plurality of the inhabitants practiced traditional beliefs, with 46.04% of the population reporting they observed them, while 40.33% of the population said they were Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 10.8% were Protestant
, and 2.02% were Moslem
.
Woreda
Woreda is an administrative division of Ethiopia , equivalent to a district . Woredas are composed of a number of Kebele, or neighborhood associations, which are the smallest unit of local government in Ethiopia...
s in the Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone
Misraq Welega Zone
Misraq Welega is one of the 12 Zones in the Ethiopian Region of Oromia. This zone acquired its name from the former province of Welega...
, Abay Chomen is bordered on the south by Lake Finicha'a (created when Finicha'a Dam flooded the Chomen swamp), on the southwest by Jimma Horo
Jimma Horo
Jimma Horo is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone, Jimma Horo is bordered on the south by the Misraq Shewa Zone, on the southwest by Bila Seyo, on the west by Abe Dongoro, on the northwest by Amuru Jarte, on the northeast by Abay Chomen, on the...
, on the northwest by Amuru Jarte
Amuru Jarte
Amuru Jarte is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone, Amuru Jarte is bordered on the south by Jimma Horo, on the southwest by Abe Dongoro, on the west by Gida Kiremu, on the north by the Abay River which separates it from the Amhara Region, and on...
, on the north by the Abay River which separates it from the Amhara Region
Amhara Region
Amhara is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia, containing the homeland of the Amhara people. Previously known as Region 3, its capital is Bahir Dar....
, and on the east and south by Guduru
Guduru (woreda)
Guduru is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. This woreda is named after one of the sections of the Macha Oromo, also known as the Torban Guduru , which coalesced into a kingdom around 1855 under Gama Moras, which lay between the Abay River and the Gibe region...
. The woreda capital is Finicha'a
Finicha'a
Finicha'a is a town in western Ethiopia. Located in the Misraq Welega Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of with an altitude of 1302 meters above sea level. Finicha'a hosts an airport which consists of an unpaved airstrip about 1480 meters in length...
; other towns in Abay Chomen include Finicha'a Camp.
Overview
The altitude of this woreda ranges from 880 to 2,400 meters above sea level. Rivers within the woreda include the Nedi, Finchawa, Agemsa, Korke, Gogoldas, Boyi and Bedessa Rivers. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 11.4% is arable or cultivable, 2.2% pasture, 1.4% forest, and the remaining 83.8% is considered mountainous, unusable, or part of the Finicha'a Sugar Project. Niger seed is an important local cash crop.Industry in the woreda includes 17 grain mills, 10 oil mills, one bakery, and a sugar factory in Finicha'a. There were 4 Farmers Associations with 3119 members and 4 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 2287 members. Abay Chomen has and 69.5 kilometers of all-weather road, for an average road density of 87.8 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 70% of the urban and 12% of the rural population has access to drinking water
Water supply and sanitation in Ethiopia
Access to water supply and sanitation in Ethiopia is amongst the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa and the entire world. While access has increased substantially with funding from external aid, much still remains to be done to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving the share of people...
.
Demographics
Based on figures published by the Central Statistical AgencyCentral Statistical Agency (Ethiopia)
The Central Statistical Agency is an agency of the government of Ethiopia designated to provide all surveys and censuses for that country used to monitor economic and social growth, as well as to act as an official training center in that field. It is part of the Ethiopian Ministry of Finance and...
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 50,564, of whom 25,017 are men and 25,547 are women; 20,749 or 41.04% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 13.9%. With an estimated area of 791.26 square kilometers, Abay Chomen has an estimated population density of 63.9 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 81.4.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 33,303, of whom 16,727 were men and 16,576 women; 11,600 or 34.83% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Abay Chomen were the Oromo
Oromo people
The Oromo are an ethnic group found in Ethiopia, northern Kenya, .and parts of Somalia. With 30 million members, they constitute the single largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and approximately 34.49% of the population according to the 2007 census...
(86.79%), and the Amhara
Amhara people
Amhara are a highland people inhabiting the Northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Numbering about 19.8 million people, they comprise 26% of the country's population, according to the 2007 national census...
(11.5%); all other ethnic groups made up 7.2% of the population. Oromiffa
Oromo language
Oromo, also known as Afaan Oromo, Oromiffa, Afan Boran, Afan Orma, and sometimes in other languages by variant spellings of these names , is an Afro-Asiatic language, and the most widely spoken of the Cushitic family. Forms of Oromo are spoken as a first language by more than 25 million Oromo and...
was spoken as a first language by 86.39%, and 12.82% spoke Amharic
Amharic language
Amharic is a Semitic language spoken in Ethiopia. It is the second most-spoken Semitic language in the world, after Arabic, and the official working language of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Thus, it has official status and is used nationwide. Amharic is also the official or working...
; the remaining 0.79% spoke all other primary languages reported. The plurality of the inhabitants practiced traditional beliefs, with 46.04% of the population reporting they observed them, while 40.33% of the population said they were Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 10.8% were Protestant
P'ent'ay
P'ent'ay or Pentay is a slang term widely used in modern Ethiopia, and among Ethiopians living abroad, to describe Ethiopian Christians who are not members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo, Ethiopian Orthodox Tehadeso, Roman Catholic or Ethiopian Catholic churches...
, and 2.02% were Moslem
Islam in Ethiopia
According to the latest 2007 national census, Islam is the second most widely practised religion in Ethiopia after Christianity, with over 25 million of Ethiopians adhering to Islam according to the 2007 national census, having arrived in Ethiopia in 615...
.