Asella
Encyclopedia
Asella also Asela is a city in central Ethiopia
. Located in the Arsi Zone
of the Oromia Region
about 175 kilometers from Addis Ababa
, this city has a latitude and longitude of 7°57′N 39°7′E, with an elevation of 2430 meters. Asella hosts an airport (IATA code ALK). Asella was the capital of Arsi Province
until that province was demoted to a Zone of Oromia with the adoption of the 1995 Constitution. It retains some administrative functions as the seat of the present Arsi Zone.
Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency
in 2005, this town has an estimated total population of 84,645, of whom 40,552 were males and 44,093 were females. The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 47,391 of whom 21,993 were males and 25,398 were females. This town is the largest of three in Tiyo
woreda
.
captured Asella on 10 April 1941, after pursuing General De Simone
south from Dire Dawa
and forcing their way past the Awash River
and a dug-in Italian position. Brigade headquarters were afterwards set up in the town.
In 1946 a Swedish Mission laid the foundations for a hospital and a school in Asella, which was ordered closed in 1966 when a government hospital was built. The town was subjected to a serious epidemic of dysentery during 1953, and a locust
invasion in April 1961. In 1957 Asella was the southern end of the national telephone network, and by 1960 Asella had one of the ten municipal slaughter houses in Ethiopia; further, that year a branch of the Ethiopian Electric Light and Power Authority had begun operation in the town.
Asella has been the home of many Ethiopian track athlete
s, including Haile Gebrselassie
, Kenenisa Bekele
, Tirunesh Dibaba
, and Derartu Tulu
.
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...
. Located in 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...
of the Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
about 175 kilometers from Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, this city has a latitude and longitude of 7°57′N 39°7′E, with an elevation of 2430 meters. Asella hosts an airport (IATA code ALK). Asella was the capital of Arsi Province
Arsi Province
Arsi was a province of Ethiopia with its capital at Asella. The province was reduced to a Zone of the Oromia Region with the adoption of the new constitution in 1995....
until that province was demoted to a Zone of Oromia with the adoption of the 1995 Constitution. It retains some administrative functions as the seat of the present Arsi Zone.
Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency
Central 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 town has an estimated total population of 84,645, of whom 40,552 were males and 44,093 were females. The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 47,391 of whom 21,993 were males and 25,398 were females. This town is the largest of three in Tiyo
Tiyo (woreda)
Tiyo is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Arsi Zone, Tiyo is bordered on the south by Munesa, on the west by Ziway Dugda, on the northeast by Hitosa, and on the southeast by Digeluna Tijo. The administrative center of the woreda and Zone is Asella; other towns in...
woreda
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...
.
History
Asella town got its start before the Second Italian-Abyssinian War. The Italian occupiers wanted to make Asela into a provincial capital, but they were unable to build more than one two-story building and some warehouses of masonry. The 6th brigade and two companies of the 5th brigade of the King's African RiflesKing's African Rifles
The King's African Rifles was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from the various British possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s. It performed both military and internal security functions within the East African colonies as well as external service as...
captured Asella on 10 April 1941, after pursuing General De Simone
Carlo De Simone
Carlo De Simone was an officer in the Italian Army during World War II.During most of the East African Campaign, Lieutenant-General De Simone commanded Italian forces in southern Italian Somaliland. However, during the Italian invasion of British Somaliland, De Simone commanded General Guglielmo...
south from Dire Dawa
Dire Dawa
Dire Dawa is one of two chartered cities in Ethiopia . This chartered city is divided administratively into two woredas, the city proper and the non-urban woreda of Gurgura....
and forcing their way past the Awash River
Awash River
The Awash is a major river of Ethiopia. Its course is entirely contained within the boundaries of Ethiopia, and empties into a chain of interconnected lakes that begin with Lake Gargori and end with Lake Abbe on the border with Djibouti, some 100 kilometers from the head of the Gulf of Tadjoura...
and a dug-in Italian position. Brigade headquarters were afterwards set up in the town.
In 1946 a Swedish Mission laid the foundations for a hospital and a school in Asella, which was ordered closed in 1966 when a government hospital was built. The town was subjected to a serious epidemic of dysentery during 1953, and a locust
Locust
Locusts are the swarming phase of short-horned grasshoppers of the family Acrididae. These are species that can breed rapidly under suitable conditions and subsequently become gregarious and migratory...
invasion in April 1961. In 1957 Asella was the southern end of the national telephone network, and by 1960 Asella had one of the ten municipal slaughter houses in Ethiopia; further, that year a branch of the Ethiopian Electric Light and Power Authority had begun operation in the town.
Asella has been the home of many Ethiopian track athlete
Athletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
s, including Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. He won two Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon...
, Kenenisa Bekele
Kenenisa Bekele
Kenenisa Bekele is an Ethiopian long-distance runner, who holds the world record and Olympic record in both the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres events...
, Tirunesh Dibaba
Tirunesh Dibaba
Tirunesh Dibaba also known as Tirunesh Dibaba Kenene is an Ethiopian long distance track athlete and the outdoor 5000 metres world record holder. She is the current Olympic 5000 metres and 10,000 metres champion...
, and Derartu Tulu
Derartu Tulu
Derartu Tulu is an Ethiopian long distance track, road and marathon athlete.Derartu , a member of the Oromo ethnic group, grew up tending cattle in the village of Bekoji in the highlands of Arsi Province...
.