Awbere (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Awbere (also known as Teferi Ber), is one of the 47 woreda
s in the Somali Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Jijiga Zone
, Awbere is bordered on the southwest by Jijiga
, on the west and north by the Shinile Zone
, on the east by Somalia
, and on the southeast by Kebri Beyah
. Towns in Awbere include Awbere
, Derwonaji
, Lefe Isa
, and Sheed Dheer.
High points in this woreda include Sau (1863 meters), near the international border.
in late 2006, the Ethiopian Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs and the UNHCR together opened a new refugee camp at Awbere 13 July 2007. 5,684 individuals were resident at the camp, with a further 604, temporarily at the Kebri Beyah camp, awaiting transfer.
The Ethiopian De-mining Office reported in November 2008 that it had cleared land mines planted in Awbere as part of the four million square meters of land the office had cleared in the Somali Region.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 271,040, of whom 128,625 are men and 142,415 are women; 77,871 or 28.73% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 22.5%. Information is not available on the area of Awbere, so its population density cannot be calculated. This woreda is primarily inhabited by the Gadabuursi
clan of the Somali people
.
The 1997 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 210,598, of whom 111,864 were men and 98,645 were women; 52,209 or 24.79% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Awbere was the Somali
(99.7%).
, sorghum
and maize
, 1.66% in root crops, and 1.14% in vegetables; the number for pulses is missing. Permanent crops included 908 hectares planted in khat
, and 4.08 in fruit trees. 89.2% of the farmers both raise crops and livestock, while 7.44% only grow crops and 3.35% only raise livestock. Land tenure in this woreda is distributed amongst 98.06% own their land, 0.8% rent, and the remaining 1.15% held their land under other forms of tenure.
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 Somali Region
Somali Region
Somali Region ; is the eastern-most of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia. It is often called Somalia, though it is not to be confused with the independent country of the same name. The capital of Somali State is Jijiga...
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 Jijiga Zone
Jijiga Zone
Jijiga is one of nine zones of the Ethiopian Somali Region. This zone is named after its largest city, Jijiga. Other towns and cities in this zone include Qarbibayax, Dhurwaale Awbere, Derwonaji, tuli gulled and Hart Sheik...
, Awbere is bordered on the southwest by Jijiga
Jijiga (woreda)
Jijiga is one of the 67 woredas in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Jijiga Zone, Jijiga is bordered on the south by Babille, on the southwest by Gursum, on the west by the Oromia Region, on the north by the Shinile Zone, on the northeast by Awbere and on the southeast by the Degehabur Zone...
, on the west and north by the Shinile Zone
Shinile Zone
Shinile is one of nine Zones of the Ethiopian Somali Region. Shinile is named for its largest town, Shinile.Located at the northwestern point of the Somali Region, and stretching across the savanna north of the Amhar mountains, Shinile is bordered on the south by the Oromia Region, on the west by...
, on the east by Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, and on the southeast by Kebri Beyah
Kebri Beyah (woreda)
Kebri Beyah is one of the 52 woredas in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Jijiga Zone, Kebri Beyah is bordered on the south by the Degehabur Zone, on the west by the Oromia Region, on the northwest by Jijiga, on the north by Awbere, on the northeast by Somalia, and on the southeast by...
. Towns in Awbere include Awbere
Awbere
Āwberē, officially known as Teferi Ber is a town in eastern Ethiopia. Located in the Jijiga Zone of the Somali Region, near the Somali border on the main trade route between Jijiga and the sea. It is the administrative center of Awbere woreda. It was one of the biggest towns of the Adal Empire.It...
, Derwonaji
Derwonaji
Derwonaji is a town in eastern Ethiopia. Located in the Jijiga Zone of the Somali Region, this town has a longitude and latitude of and an elevation of 1402 meters above sea level....
, Lefe Isa
Lefe Isa
Lefe Isa is a town in eastern Ethiopia. Located in the Jijiga Zone of the Somali Region. It is administered under the Awbere woreda.-Demographics:The town is inhabited by the Reer Maxamuud and Reer Faarax subclans of the Jibril Yunis Makaahiil....
, and Sheed Dheer.
High points in this woreda include Sau (1863 meters), near the international border.
History
Due reports of a new wave of Somali refugees reaching Hart SheikHart Sheik
Hart Sheik is a town in eastern Ethiopia, and best known as the location of a refugee camp operated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 2000. According to materials at the Nordic Africa Institute website, the town may be named after a Somali sub-clan, the Harti...
in late 2006, the Ethiopian Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs and the UNHCR together opened a new refugee camp at Awbere 13 July 2007. 5,684 individuals were resident at the camp, with a further 604, temporarily at the Kebri Beyah camp, awaiting transfer.
The Ethiopian De-mining Office reported in November 2008 that it had cleared land mines planted in Awbere as part of the four million square meters of land the office had cleared in the Somali Region.
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 271,040, of whom 128,625 are men and 142,415 are women; 77,871 or 28.73% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 22.5%. Information is not available on the area of Awbere, so its population density cannot be calculated. This woreda is primarily inhabited by the Gadabuursi
Gadabuursi
The Gadabuursi , also known as Samaroon, is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir.Most Gadabuursi members are descendants of Sheikh Samaroon...
clan of the Somali people
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
.
The 1997 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 210,598, of whom 111,864 were men and 98,645 were women; 52,209 or 24.79% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Awbere was the Somali
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
(99.7%).
Agriculture
A sample enumeration performed by the CSA in 2001 interviewed 21,963 farmers in this woreda, who held an average of 0.99 hectares of land. Of the 21.7 square kilometers of private land surveyed, 83.16% was under cultivation, 6.38% pasture, 8.64% fallow, and 1.82% was devoted to other uses; the percentage in woodland is missing. For the land surveyed in this woreda, 75.77% is planted in cereals like teffTeff
Eragrostis tef, known as teff, taf , or khak shir , is an annual grass, a species of lovegrass native to the northern Ethiopian Highlands of Northeast Africa....
, sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
and maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, 1.66% in root crops, and 1.14% in vegetables; the number for pulses is missing. Permanent crops included 908 hectares planted in 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 4.08 in fruit trees. 89.2% of the farmers both raise crops and livestock, while 7.44% only grow crops and 3.35% only raise livestock. Land tenure in this woreda is distributed amongst 98.06% own their land, 0.8% rent, and the remaining 1.15% held their land under other forms of tenure.