Agarfa (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Agarfa is one of the 180 woreda
s in the Oromia Region
of Ethiopia
, named for its administrative center, Agarfa. Located in the northwestern corner of the Bale Zone
, Agarfa is bordered on the south by Sinanana Dinsho
, on the west by Adaba
, on the north by the Shabelle River which separates it from the Arsi Zone
, and on the east by Gaserana Gololcha
. Other towns in Agarfa include Ali.
, Wabe
, Wuchuma, Chorina, Chocha Inzira, Malka Kari and the Makala. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 61% is covered by the plains of the southeastern and western parts, 31% by the gorge of the Shabelle River and related rugged terrain, and the remaining 8% is covered by the mountain range in the south west. 152.65 square kilometres of land is covered by forest
, and 9.83 square kilometers by man-made forest owned by the government. Notable landmarks include Goda Gimbam, Goda Hora caves, and the Sheik Ali Mountain, which are considered religious sanctuaries by residents of this woreda. Linseed, sugar cane, fruits, khat
and vegetables are important cash crops.
Industry in the woreda includes 20 grain mills, edible oil mills and one knitting factory employing 77 people, as well as 38 wholesalers, 175 retailers and 53 service providers. There were 14 Farmers Associations with 8,347 members and 3 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 941 members. Agarfa has 17 kilometers of dry-weather and 42 all-weather road, for an average of road density of 48.6 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 35% of the total population has access to drinking water
.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 94,584, of whom 47,761 are men and 46,823 are women; 13,246 or 14.00% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 13.5%. With an estimated area of 1,213.28 square kilometers, Agarfa has an estimated population density of 78 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 27.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 66,610, of whom 33,059 were men and 33,551 women; 7,410 or 11.12% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Agarfa were the Oromo
(87.46%), and the Amhara
(11.68%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.86% of the population. Oromiffa
was spoken as a first language by 85.47%, and 14.21% spoke Amharic
; the remaining 0.32% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim
, with 71.53% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 27.6% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.
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...
, named for its administrative center, Agarfa. Located in the northwestern corner of the Bale Zone
Bale Zone
Bale is one of the 17 zones in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Bale is named for the former kingdom of Bale, which was in approximately the same area...
, Agarfa is bordered on the south by Sinanana Dinsho
Sinanana Dinsho
Sinanana Dinsho is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Bale Zone, Sinanana Dinsho is bordered on the south by the Mena River which separates it from Goba, on the west by Adaba, on the northwest by Agarfa, on the northeast by Gaserana Gololcha, on the east by Ginir,...
, on the west by Adaba
Adaba (woreda)
Adaba is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia; it shares the name of its administrative center, Adaba. Part of the Bale Zone, Adaba is bordered on the south by Mennana Harena Buluk, on the southwest by Nensebo, on the west by Dodola, on the northwest by the Shabelle River which...
, on the north by the Shabelle River which separates it from the Arsi Zone
Arsi Zone
Arsi is one of the 12 zones of the Oromia Region in Ethiopia. Arsi is also the name of a former province. Both the Zone and the former province are named after a subgroup of the Oromo, who inhabit both...
, and on the east by Gaserana Gololcha
Gaserana Gololcha
Gaserana Gololcha is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Bale Zone, Gaserana Gololcha is bordered on the south by Ginir, on the southwest by Sinanana Dinsho, on the west by Agarfa, on the north by the Shebelle River which separates it from the Arsi Zone, on the...
. Other towns in Agarfa include Ali.
Overview
Rivers in this woreda include the WeyibWeyib River
Weyib River is a river of eastern Ethiopia. It rises in the Bale Mountains east of Goba in the Oromia Region, flowing east to pass through the Sof Omar Caves, then to the southeast until it joins the Ganale Dorya River in the Somali Region....
, Wabe
Wabe River
Wabe River is a river of south-central Ethiopia. A tributary of the Omo River on the left side, it joins the parent stream at...
, Wuchuma, Chorina, Chocha Inzira, Malka Kari and the Makala. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 61% is covered by the plains of the southeastern and western parts, 31% by the gorge of the Shabelle River and related rugged terrain, and the remaining 8% is covered by the mountain range in the south west. 152.65 square kilometres of land is covered by forest
Forestry in Ethiopia
In the late nineteenth century, about 30% of Ethiopia was covered with forest. The clearing of land for agricultural use and the cutting of trees for fuel gradually changed the scene, and today forest areas have dwindled to less than 4% of Ethiopia's total land. The northern parts of the highlands...
, and 9.83 square kilometers by man-made forest owned by the government. Notable landmarks include Goda Gimbam, Goda Hora caves, and the Sheik Ali Mountain, which are considered religious sanctuaries by residents of this woreda. Linseed, sugar cane, fruits, khat
Khat
Khat, qat, gat or Waquish Spoken from true Yemeni, is a flowering plant native to tropical East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula....
and vegetables are important cash crops.
Industry in the woreda includes 20 grain mills, edible oil mills and one knitting factory employing 77 people, as well as 38 wholesalers, 175 retailers and 53 service providers. There were 14 Farmers Associations with 8,347 members and 3 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 941 members. Agarfa has 17 kilometers of dry-weather and 42 all-weather road, for an average of road density of 48.6 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 35% of the total 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 94,584, of whom 47,761 are men and 46,823 are women; 13,246 or 14.00% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 13.5%. With an estimated area of 1,213.28 square kilometers, Agarfa has an estimated population density of 78 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 27.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 66,610, of whom 33,059 were men and 33,551 women; 7,410 or 11.12% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Agarfa 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...
(87.46%), 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...
(11.68%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.86% 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 85.47%, and 14.21% 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 0.32% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants 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...
, with 71.53% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 27.6% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.