Ankesha
Encyclopedia
Ankesha is one of the 105 woreda
s in the Amhara Region
of Ethiopia
. The woreda is named after a former confederation of the Agew, which James Bruce
describes was formed of Dengui, Sakala, Dengila and Geesh. A triangle-shaped district in the Agew Awi Zone
, Ankesha is bordered on the south by the Mirab Gojjam Zone
, on the west by Guangua
, and on the north by Banja. Towns in Ankesha include Agew Gimjabet and Azena.
earned over three million Birr
from the sale of over 1,400 quintals of honey harvested during the summer and main crop season of 2008. The amount of harvested honey has increased with the use of modern beehives.
In March 2009, the woreda Water Resource Development Office announced that construction of over 100 safe water facilities was underway at 11 localities in Ankesha. This involved sinking of wells and modifying springs, and would benefit 28,000 residents. The four million Birr these projects cost was provided by the government of Finland
and UNICEF.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 233,277, of whom 118,565 are men and 114,712 are women; 13,458 or 5.77% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 11.4%. With an estimated area of 1,218.61 square kilometers, Ankesha has an estimated population density of 191.4 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 155.7.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 170,974 in 34,553 households, of whom 84,893 were men and 86,081 were women; 7,767 or 4.54% of its population were urban dwellers. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Ankesha were the Awi
(71.28%) one of the Agaw
peoples, and the Amhara
(28.32%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.4% of the population. Awngi
was spoken as a first language by 69.04%, and 30.6% spoke Amharic
; the remaining 0.36% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 97.74% reporting that as their religion, while 2.16% were Muslim
.
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 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....
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...
. The woreda is named after a former confederation of the Agew, which James Bruce
James Bruce
James Bruce was a Scottish traveller and travel writer who spent more than a dozen years in North Africa and Ethiopia, where he traced the origins of the Blue Nile.-Youth:...
describes was formed of Dengui, Sakala, Dengila and Geesh. A triangle-shaped district in the Agew Awi Zone
Agew Awi Zone
Agew Awi is one of 10 Zones in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Agew Awi is named for the Awi sub-group of the Agaw people, some of whom live in this Zone. Agew Awi is bordered on the south by the Oromia Region, on the west by Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the north-west by Semien Gondar Zone and on...
, Ankesha is bordered on the south by the Mirab Gojjam Zone
Mirab Gojjam Zone
Mirab Gojjam is a Zone in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Mirab Gojjam is named after the former province of Gojjam was divided in to two administrative zones by EPRDF...
, on the west by Guangua
Guangua
Guangua is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Agew Awi Zone, Guangua is bordered on the south by the Abay River, which separates it from the Oromia Region, on the west by the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the north by Dangila, on the northwest by Faggeta Lekoma, and...
, and on the north by Banja. Towns in Ankesha include Agew Gimjabet and Azena.
Overview
About 4,760 farmers engaged in apiaryApiary
An apiary is a place where beehives of honey bees are kept. Traditionally beekeepers paid land rent in honey for the use of small parcels. Some farmers will provide free apiary sites, because they need pollination, and farmers who need many hives often pay for them to be moved to the crops when...
earned over three million Birr
Ethiopian birr
The birr is the unit of currency in Ethiopia. Before 1976, dollar was the official English translation of birr. Today, it is officially birr in English as well....
from the sale of over 1,400 quintals of honey harvested during the summer and main crop season of 2008. The amount of harvested honey has increased with the use of modern beehives.
In March 2009, the woreda Water Resource Development Office announced that construction of over 100 safe water facilities was underway at 11 localities in Ankesha. This involved sinking of wells and modifying springs, and would benefit 28,000 residents. The four million Birr these projects cost was provided by the government of Finland
Ethiopia–Finland relations
Finland-Ethiopia relations are foreign relations between the Finland and Ethiopia. Both countries established diplomatic relations on July 17, 1959. Ethiopia is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden...
and UNICEF.
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 233,277, of whom 118,565 are men and 114,712 are women; 13,458 or 5.77% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 11.4%. With an estimated area of 1,218.61 square kilometers, Ankesha has an estimated population density of 191.4 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 155.7.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 170,974 in 34,553 households, of whom 84,893 were men and 86,081 were women; 7,767 or 4.54% of its population were urban dwellers. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Ankesha were the Awi
Awi people
The Awi people are an ethnic group in Ethiopia, and are grouped as one of the Agaw people. The Awis live in Agew Awi Zone in Central Gojjam, and have a few communities in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region.- Population :...
(71.28%) one of 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...
peoples, 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...
(28.32%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.4% of the population. Awngi
Awngi language
The Awngi language, in older publications also called Awiya , is a Central Cushitic language spoken by the Awi people, living in Central Gojjam in northwestern Ethiopia...
was spoken as a first language by 69.04%, and 30.6% 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 0.36% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 97.74% reporting that as their religion, while 2.16% 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...
.