Abergele (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Abergele or Tanqua Abergele is one of the 36 woreda
s in the Tigray Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Mehakelegnaw Zone
, Abergele is bordered on the south and west by the Amhara Region
, then by the Tekezé River
on the west, on the north by Kola Tembien
, on the east by Degua Tembien
and on the southeast by the Debubawi (Southern) Zone
. The administrative center of this woreda is Yechila
; other towns in Abergele include Agbe.
Abergele is named for the historic district of Abergele, which Francisco Álvares
notes had been part of Begemder
, but was divided from it a few years before he arrived in Ethiopia in 1520. About a century later, Pedro Páez
recorded that Abergele paid only a little less tribute than neighboring Tembien
. The Tanqua River, which originates near Hagere Selam
, flows through this woreda and joins the Geba just north of Jijike.
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 93,185, an increase of 59.64% over the 1994 census, of whom 47,512 are men and 45,673 women; 7,035 or 7.55% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 2,407.88 square kilometers, Abergele has a population density of 38.70, which is less than the Zone average of 56.29 persons per square kilometer. A total of 19,775 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.71 persons to a household, and 18,767 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 58,373, of whom 29,541 were men and 28,832 were women; 2,334 or 4% of its population were urban dwellers. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Abergele were the Tigrayan
(97.93%), and the Agaw
Kamyr (1.82%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.25% of the population. Tigrinya
was spoken as a first language by 98.17%, and 1.43% spoke Kamyr; the remaining 0.4% spoke all other primary languages reported. 99.83% of the population practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 0.12% were Muslim
. Concerning education
, 5.92% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 14.21%; 4.04% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; a negligible number of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school, and a negligible number of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, about 72% of the urban houses and 19% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; none of the urban and 1.6% of the total had toilet facilities.
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 Tigray Region
Tigray Region
Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine ethnic regions of Ethiopia containing the homeland of the Tigray people. It was formerly known as Region 1...
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 Mehakelegnaw Zone
Mehakelegnaw Zone
Mehakelegnaw is a Zone in the Ethiopian Region of Tigray. Mehakelegnaw is bordered on the east by Misraqawi , on the south by Debubawi , on the west by Mirabawi and on the north by Eritrea...
, Abergele is bordered on the south and west by 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....
, then by the Tekezé River
Tekezé River
The Tekezé River, also known as the Takkaze River, is a major river of Ethiopia, and forms a section the westernmost border of Ethiopia and Eritrea for part of its course. The river is also known as the Setit in Eritrea, western Ethiopia, and eastern Sudan. According to materials published by the...
on the west, on the north by Kola Tembien
Kola Tembien
Kola Tembien is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. It is named in part after the former province of Tembien...
, on the east by Degua Tembien
Degua Tembien
Degua Tembien is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. It is named in part after the former province of Tembien. Part of the Mehakelegnaw Zone, Degua Tembien is bordered on the south by the Debubawi Zone, on the west by Abergele, on the north by Kola Tembien, and on the east by...
and on the southeast by the Debubawi (Southern) Zone
Debubawi Zone
Debubawi is one of five Zones in the Ethiopian Region of Tigray. Debubawi is bordered on the south and west by the Amhara Region, on the northwest by Mehakelegnaw , the north by Misraqawi and on the east by the Afar Region...
. The administrative center of this woreda is Yechila
Yechila
Yechila is a town in northern Ethiopia. Located in the Mehakelegnaw Zone of the Tigray Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1571 meters above sea level...
; other towns in Abergele include Agbe.
Abergele is named for the historic district of Abergele, which Francisco Álvares
Francisco Álvares
Francisco Álvares was a Portuguese missionary and explorer. In 1515 he traveled to Ethiopia as part of the Portuguese embassy to emperor Lebna Dengel accompanied by returning Ethiopian ambassador Matheus. The embassy arrived only in 1520 to Ethiopia where he joined long sought Portuguese envoy...
notes had been part of Begemder
Begemder
Begemder was a province in the northwestern part of Ethiopia. There are several proposed etymologies for this name...
, but was divided from it a few years before he arrived in Ethiopia in 1520. About a century later, Pedro Páez
Pedro Páez
Pedro Páez Jaramillo was a Spanish Jesuit missionary in Ethiopia. Páez is considered by many experts on Ethiopia to be the most effective Catholic missionary in Ethiopia...
recorded that Abergele paid only a little less tribute than neighboring Tembien
Tembien
Tembien is one of the former provinces of Ethiopia. It is a mountainous area of that country.The name Tembien has also been used for:*Tembien, an Italian 600-Serie Adua class submarine sunk in World War II...
. The Tanqua River, which originates near Hagere Selam
Hagere Selam (Degua Tembien)
Hagere Selam is a town in northern Ethiopia. Located in the Tembien area of the Tigray Region on the Mekelle-Abiy Addi regional road, it has a longitude and latitude of with an elevation of 2625 meters above sea level...
, flows through this woreda and joins the Geba just north of Jijike.
Demographics
Based on the 2007 national census conducted 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...
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 93,185, an increase of 59.64% over the 1994 census, of whom 47,512 are men and 45,673 women; 7,035 or 7.55% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 2,407.88 square kilometers, Abergele has a population density of 38.70, which is less than the Zone average of 56.29 persons per square kilometer. A total of 19,775 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.71 persons to a household, and 18,767 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 58,373, of whom 29,541 were men and 28,832 were women; 2,334 or 4% of its population were urban dwellers. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Abergele were the Tigrayan
Tigray-Tigrinya people
Tigray-Tigrinya are an ethnic group who live in the southern, central and northern parts of Eritrea and the northern highlands of Ethiopia's Tigray province. They also live in Ethiopia's former provinces of Begemder and Wollo, which are today mostly part of Amhara Region, though a few regions...
(97.93%), and the Agaw
Agaw
The Agaw are an ethnic group in Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea.-History:The Agaw are perhaps first mentioned in the 3rd c. AD Aksumite inscription recorded by Cosmas Indicopleustes in the 6th century...
Kamyr (1.82%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.25% of the population. Tigrinya
Tigrinya language
Tigrinya , also spelled Tigrigna, Tigrnia, Tigrina, Tigriña, less commonly Tigrinian, Tigrinyan, is a Semitic language spoken by the Tigrinya people in central Eritrea , where it is one of the two main languages of Eritrea, and in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia , where it...
was spoken as a first language by 98.17%, and 1.43% spoke Kamyr; the remaining 0.4% spoke all other primary languages reported. 99.83% of the population practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 0.12% were Muslim
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...
. Concerning education
Education in Ethiopia
Education in Ethiopia has been dominated by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church for many centuries until secular education was adopted in the early 1900s. Prior to 1974, Ethiopia had an estimated illiteracy rate well above 90% and compared poorly with the rest of Africa in the provision of schools and...
, 5.92% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 14.21%; 4.04% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; a negligible number of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school, and a negligible number of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
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...
, about 72% of the urban houses and 19% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; none of the urban and 1.6% of the total had toilet facilities.