Babille, Oromia (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Babille is one of the 180 woreda
s in the Oromia Region
of Ethiopia
. It is named after one of the 12 major tribes of the Oromo people
, the Babille Oromo. Part of the Misraq (East) Hararghe Zone
, Babille is bordered on the south and east by the Somali Region
, on the west by Fedis
, and on the north by Gursum
; the Fafen River
defines a portion of Babille's eastern border. The administrative center of this woreda is Babille
.
, and the remaining 71.3% is considered built-up, degraded or otherwise unusable. Much of Babille is occupied by the Harar Wildlife Sanctuary
. The "Valley of Marvels" (a rock formation near the village of Dakata) and the Erer sanctuary are local landmarks. Oil seeds and groundnut
s are important cash crops.
Industry in the woreda includes 10 grain mills and one metalworking industry employing 39 people, as well as 160 registered businesses including wholesalers, retailers and service providers; although no mines are active, feldspar
and garnet
deposits are known to exist. There were 14 Farmers Associations with 7529 members and one Farmers Service Cooperative with 26 members. Babille has 54 kilometers of rural feeder and 29 of all-weather road, for an average road density of 16.2 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. Until recently, about 41.5% of the population have access to drinking water
, but on 12 December 2007 woreda officials announced the completion of a program to improve access to drinking water, constructing wells in 17 rural kebeles at a cost of 1.1 million Birr
, which extended coverage to about 48.5% of the population.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 72,791, of whom 35,912 are men and 36,879 are women; 16,454 or 22.60% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 6.9%. With an estimated area of 5,120.63 square kilometers, Babille has an estimated population density of 14.2 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 102.6.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 50,204, of whom 25,419 were men and 24,785 women; 9,195 or 18.32% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. (This total also includes an estimate for the inhabitants of several rural kebele
s, which were not counted; they were estimated to have 2,134 inhabitants, of whom 1,116 were men and 1,018 women.) The three largest ethnic groups reported in Babille were the Oromo
(84.44%), the Somali
(10.77%), and the Amhara
(3.76%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.03% of the population. Oromiffa
was spoken as a first language by 84.97%, 9.76% spoke Somali
, and 4.58% spoke Amharic
; the remaining 0.69% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim
, with 94.89% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 4.84% 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...
. It is named after one of the 12 major tribes of the Oromo people
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...
, the Babille Oromo. Part of the Misraq (East) Hararghe Zone
Misraq Hararghe Zone
Misraq Hararghe is one of the 17 Zones of the Ethiopian Region of Oromia. Misraq Hararge takes its name from the former province of Hararghe. Misraq Hararge is bordered on the southwest by the Shebelle River which separates it from Bale, on the west by Mirab Hararghe, on the north by Dire Dawa and...
, Babille is bordered on the south and east by 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...
, on the west by Fedis
Fedis
Fedis is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Hararghe Zone, Fedis is bordered on the southwest by Gola Odana Meyumuluke, on the west by Girawa, on the northwest by Haro Maya, on the north by the Harari Region, on the east by Babille, and on the southeast by...
, and on the north by Gursum
Gursum, Oromia (woreda)
Gursum is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Hararghe Zone, Gursum is bordered on the south by Babille, on the west by the Harari Region, on the north by Jarso, and on the east by the Somali Region...
; the Fafen River
Fafen River
Fafen River is a river of eastern Ethiopia. Rising to the east of Harar, this river cuts through a series of wide, flat shelves of sedimentary rocks made of sandstone, limestone, and gypsum as it descends in a south-eastern direction towards the Shebelle River. The Fafen only joins the Shebelle...
defines a portion of Babille's eastern border. The administrative center of this woreda is Babille
Babille
Babille is a town in eastern Ethiopia. Named after one of the 12 major clans of the Oromo people , it is located in the Misraq Hararghe Zone of the Oromia Region, 30 kilometers east of Harar...
.
Overview
The altitude of this woreda ranges from 950 to 2000 meters above sea level; Ambelber and Sarbadin are amongst the highest points. Rivers include the Daketa, Barale, and Erer Tiko. A survey of the land in this woreda (reported in 1995/96) shows that 21.1% is arable or cultivable (17.5% was under annual crops), 3.9% pasture, 3.7% forestForestry 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 the remaining 71.3% is considered built-up, degraded or otherwise unusable. Much of Babille is occupied by the Harar Wildlife Sanctuary
Harar Wildlife Sanctuary
The Harar Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in Ethiopia. It is located in the Misraq Hararghe Zone of the Oromia Region, south of Babille, with a central latitude and longitude of ....
. The "Valley of Marvels" (a rock formation near the village of Dakata) and the Erer sanctuary are local landmarks. Oil seeds and groundnut
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
s are important cash crops.
Industry in the woreda includes 10 grain mills and one metalworking industry employing 39 people, as well as 160 registered businesses including wholesalers, retailers and service providers; although no mines are active, feldspar
Feldspar
Feldspars are a group of rock-forming tectosilicate minerals which make up as much as 60% of the Earth's crust....
and garnet
Garnet
The garnet group includes a group of minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. The name "garnet" may come from either the Middle English word gernet meaning 'dark red', or the Latin granatus , possibly a reference to the Punica granatum , a plant with red seeds...
deposits are known to exist. There were 14 Farmers Associations with 7529 members and one Farmers Service Cooperative with 26 members. Babille has 54 kilometers of rural feeder and 29 of all-weather road, for an average road density of 16.2 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. Until recently, about 41.5% of the population have 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...
, but on 12 December 2007 woreda officials announced the completion of a program to improve access to drinking water, constructing wells in 17 rural kebeles at a cost of 1.1 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....
, which extended coverage to about 48.5% of the population.
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 72,791, of whom 35,912 are men and 36,879 are women; 16,454 or 22.60% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 6.9%. With an estimated area of 5,120.63 square kilometers, Babille has an estimated population density of 14.2 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 102.6.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 50,204, of whom 25,419 were men and 24,785 women; 9,195 or 18.32% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. (This total also includes an estimate for the inhabitants of several rural kebele
Kebele
A kebele is the smallest administrative unit of Ethiopia similar to ward, a neighbourhood or a localized and delimited group of people...
s, which were not counted; they were estimated to have 2,134 inhabitants, of whom 1,116 were men and 1,018 women.) The three largest ethnic groups reported in Babille 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...
(84.44%), 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...
(10.77%), 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...
(3.76%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.03% 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 84.97%, 9.76% spoke Somali
Somali language
The Somali language is a member of the East Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Its nearest relatives are Afar and Oromo. Somali is the best documented of the Cushitic languages, with academic studies beginning before 1900....
, and 4.58% 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 0.69% 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 94.89% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 4.84% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.