Cheha
Encyclopedia
Cheha is one of the 77 woreda
s in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia
. This woreda is named after one of the sub-groups of the Sebat Bet
Gurage, the Cheha. Part of the Gurage Zone
, Cheha is bordered on the south by Enemorina Eaner
, on the west by the Oromia Region
, on the north by the Wabe River
which separates it from Goro
, on the east by Ezhana Wolene
, and on the southeast by Gumer
. The administrative center for Cheha is Endibir
; other towns include Gubre.
Elevations in this woreda range from 1900 to 3000 meters. Rivers include the Gotam, Gogeb, and Metrekat. Local points of interest include the Acho Falls on the Wabe river which is 60 meters in height, and Gotam Falls on Gotam River near Emdibir Senior Secondary School which is between 50 and 60 meters in height. An all-weather road was built in 1963 which connects Emdibir north to Addis Ababa
, and south to Hosaena
by way of Welkite
. The subsistence agriculture
in Cheha is primarily based on enset, together with corn
, sorghum
and chickpea
, as well as some annual root crops like yam
s and taro
. Important cash crops include teff
and Niger seed.
Cheha has 87 kilometers of all-weather roads and 49 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 237 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 164,704, of whom 84,521 are men and 80,183 are women; 6,691 or 4.06% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 6.3%. With an estimated area of 549.85 square kilometers, Cheha has an estimated population density of 299.5 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 278.3.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 115,864 of whom 56,740 were males and 59,444 were females; 3,693 or 3.19% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Cheha, who were almost the only one in this woreda, were the Sebat Bet Gurage (99.23%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.77% of the population. Sebat Bet Gurage
was spoken as a first language by 97.91% of the population, and 1.65% spoke Amharic
; the remaining 0.44% spoke all other primary languages reported. The plurality of the inhabitants were Muslim
, with 44.17% of the population reporting they practiced that belief, while 41.71% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 8.31% were Catholic
, and 5.42% were Protestants
. Concerning education
, 29.33% of the population were considered literate, which is more than the Zone average of 20.62%; 20.47% of children aged 7–12 were in primary school, 5.28% of the children aged 13–14 were in junior secondary school, and 6.67% of the inhabitants aged 15–18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, 97.22% of the urban houses and 23.32% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 44.12% of the urban and 10.63% of all houses had toilet facilities.
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 Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region 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...
. This woreda is named after one of the sub-groups of the Sebat Bet
Sebat Bet Gurage language
Sebat Bet is a Gurage language, spoken in several dialects found in the western Gurage Zone:*Chaha is spoken in Cheha woreda, and is the best studied of these dialects;*Ezha is spoken in Ezhana Wolene woreda,...
Gurage, the Cheha. Part of the Gurage Zone
Gurage Zone
Gurage is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . This zone is named for the Gurage people, whose homeland lies in this zone. Gurage is bordered on the south by Hadiya on the west north and east by the Oromia Region, and on the southeast by Silte. Its highest...
, Cheha is bordered on the south by Enemorina Eaner
Enemorina Eaner
Enemorina Eaner is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. This woreda is named in part after one of the sub-groups of the Sebat Bet Gurage, the Enemor, who are first mentioned in a list of groups paying tribute to Emperor Yeshaq I...
, on the west by the Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
, on the north by the Wabe River
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...
which separates it from Goro
Goro, SNNPR (woreda)
Goro is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. This woreda is named after one of the sub-groups of the Sebat Bet Gurage, the Goro...
, on the east by Ezhana Wolene
Ezhana Wolene
Ezhana Wolene is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. This woreda is named after two of the sub-groups of the Sebat Bet Gurage, the Ezha and the Wolene-Worriro...
, and on the southeast by Gumer
Gumer
Gumer is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. This woreda is named after one of the sub-groups of the Sebat Bet Gurage, the Gumer...
. The administrative center for Cheha is Endibir
Endibir
Emdibir is a town in southwestern Ethiopia. Located in the Gurage Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation between 2130 and 2164 meters above sea level...
; other towns include Gubre.
Elevations in this woreda range from 1900 to 3000 meters. Rivers include the Gotam, Gogeb, and Metrekat. Local points of interest include the Acho Falls on the Wabe river which is 60 meters in height, and Gotam Falls on Gotam River near Emdibir Senior Secondary School which is between 50 and 60 meters in height. An all-weather road was built in 1963 which connects Emdibir north to Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, and south to Hosaena
Hosaena
Hosaena is a town in southern Ethiopia, and the administrative center of the Hadiya Zone...
by way of Welkite
Welkite
Welkite is a town in southwestern Ethiopia. The administrative center of the Gurage Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region , this town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation between 1910 and 1935 meters above sea level.According to the Gurage Zone government,...
. The subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficiency farming in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed their families. The typical subsistence farm has a range of crops and animals needed by the family to eat and clothe themselves during the year. Planting decisions are made with an eye...
in Cheha is primarily based on enset, together with corn
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...
, 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 chickpea
Chickpea
The chickpea is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae...
, as well as some annual root crops like yam
Yam (vegetable)
Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea . These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania...
s and taro
Taro
Taro is a common name for the corms and tubers of several plants in the family Araceae . Of these, Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated, and is the subject of this article. More specifically, this article describes the 'dasheen' form of taro; another variety is called eddoe.Taro is...
. Important cash crops include teff
Teff
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....
and Niger seed.
Cheha has 87 kilometers of all-weather roads and 49 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 237 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.
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 164,704, of whom 84,521 are men and 80,183 are women; 6,691 or 4.06% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 6.3%. With an estimated area of 549.85 square kilometers, Cheha has an estimated population density of 299.5 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 278.3.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 115,864 of whom 56,740 were males and 59,444 were females; 3,693 or 3.19% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Cheha, who were almost the only one in this woreda, were the Sebat Bet Gurage (99.23%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.77% of the population. Sebat Bet Gurage
Sebat Bet Gurage language
Sebat Bet is a Gurage language, spoken in several dialects found in the western Gurage Zone:*Chaha is spoken in Cheha woreda, and is the best studied of these dialects;*Ezha is spoken in Ezhana Wolene woreda,...
was spoken as a first language by 97.91% of the population, and 1.65% 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 0.44% spoke all other primary languages reported. The plurality 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 44.17% of the population reporting they practiced that belief, while 41.71% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 8.31% were Catholic
Roman Catholicism in Ethiopia
The Catholic Church in Ethiopia is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.The Ethiopian Catholic Church, the primary organization of Catholicism in the country, is especially close to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, whose doctrine and...
, and 5.42% were Protestants
P'ent'ay
P'ent'ay or Pentay is a slang term widely used in modern Ethiopia, and among Ethiopians living abroad, to describe Ethiopian Christians who are not members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo, Ethiopian Orthodox Tehadeso, Roman Catholic or Ethiopian Catholic churches...
. Concerning education
Education in Ethiopia
Education in Ethiopia has been dominated by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church for many centuries until secular education was adopted in the early 1900s. Prior to 1974, Ethiopia had an estimated illiteracy rate well above 90% and compared poorly with the rest of Africa in the provision of schools and...
, 29.33% of the population were considered literate, which is more than the Zone average of 20.62%; 20.47% of children aged 7–12 were in primary school, 5.28% of the children aged 13–14 were in junior secondary school, and 6.67% of the inhabitants aged 15–18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
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...
, 97.22% of the urban houses and 23.32% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 44.12% of the urban and 10.63% of all houses had toilet facilities.