Debarq
Encyclopedia
Debarq is a town in northern Ethiopia
. Located 90 kilometers north of Gondar
on the paved highway between Gondar and Axum
and in the Semien Gondar Zone
of the Amhara Region
, it has a latitude and longitude of 13°08′N 37°54′E and an elevation of 2850 meters above sea level.
Debarq is the closest town to the Semien Mountains National Park
, and is the location for the park headquarters.
trade route; it is one of the stations on a route of the 1840s, according to a list compiled by Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie
in his Geodesie d'Ethiopie. Richard Pankhurst
notess that by the early 19th century its market was important enough to be one of six in Ethiopia requiring a nagadras ("head of the market") to oversee it and collect the fees. The revenue from taxes levied on the marketplace in the 1830s paid the governor of Semien province
3,000 Maria Theresa Thaler
s and about as much to the nagadras.
During a clash with his rebellious nephews, Emperor Tewodros
saw his close friend and advisor John Bell
killed in battle here in 1860. Although his nephews were killed in the skirmish, and their 1700 followers immediately surrendered, he extracted vengeance the next day by beheading all of their men.
The Tigrayan People's Liberation Front
launched an offensive against the 603rd Army Corp of the Derg
, and after destroying the government forces stationed at Debarq, they controlled the town 3 January 1989.
, in 2005 Debarq has an estimated total population of 24,997, of whom 11,850 were males and 13,147 were females. The 1994 census reported this town had a total population of 14,474 of whom 6,235 were males and 8,239 were females. It is the largest settlement in Debarq
woreda.
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 90 kilometers north of Gondar
Gondar
Gondar or Gonder is a city in Ethiopia, which was once the old imperial capital and capital of the historic Begemder Province. As a result, the old province of Begemder is sometimes referred to as Gondar...
on the paved highway between Gondar and Axum
Axum
Axum or Aksum is a city in northern Ethiopia which was the original capital of the eponymous kingdom of Axum. Population 56,500 . Axum was a naval and trading power that ruled the region from ca. 400 BC into the 10th century...
and in the Semien Gondar Zone
Semien Gondar Zone
Semien Gondar is a Zone in the Ethiopian Amhara Region. This Zone is named for the city of Gondar, the capital of Ethiopia until the mid-19th century, which has often been used as a name for the 20th century province of Begemder....
of 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....
, it has a latitude and longitude of 13°08′N 37°54′E and an elevation of 2850 meters above sea level.
Debarq is the closest town to the Semien Mountains National Park
Semien Mountains National Park
Simien Mountains National Park is one of the National Parks of Ethiopia. Located in the Semien Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, its territory covers the Simien Mountains and includes Ras Dashan, the highest point in Ethiopia....
, and is the location for the park headquarters.
History
Debarq's prosperity was due to its location on the Gondar-MassawaMassawa
Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa (Ge'ez ምጽዋዕ , formerly ባጽዕ is a city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. An important port for many centuries, it was ruled by a succession of polities, including the Axumite Empire, the Umayyad Caliphate,...
trade route; it is one of the stations on a route of the 1840s, according to a list compiled by Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie
Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie
Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie d'Arrast was a French and Basque explorer, geographer, ethnologue, linguist and astronomer notable for his travels in Ethiopia during the first half of the 19th century...
in his Geodesie d'Ethiopie. Richard Pankhurst
Richard Pankhurst (academic)
Richard Keir Pethick Pankhurst OBE is a British academic with expertise in the study of Ethiopia.-Early life and education:...
notess that by the early 19th century its market was important enough to be one of six in Ethiopia requiring a nagadras ("head of the market") to oversee it and collect the fees. The revenue from taxes levied on the marketplace in the 1830s paid the governor of Semien province
Semien province
Semien Province was a historical province of northwest Ethiopia, often called Gondar. It was located south and west of the Tekezé River, and north of Lake Tsana. It was south west of Enderta Province, west of Tembien Province, and east of the Sudan. To some extent it covered the territory of the...
3,000 Maria Theresa Thaler
Maria Theresa thaler
The Maria Theresa thaler is a silver bullion-coin that has been used in world trade continuously. Maria Theresa Thalers were first minted in 1741, using the then Reichsthaler standard of 9 thalers to the Vienna mark. In 1750 the thaler was debased to 10 thalers to the Vienna Mark...
s and about as much to the nagadras.
During a clash with his rebellious nephews, Emperor Tewodros
Tewodros II of Ethiopia
Tewodros II was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1855 until his death....
saw his close friend and advisor John Bell
John Bell
- Law and politics :* John Bell , English barrister* John Bell , professor of law and Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge* John Bell , Member of Parliament from Thirsk...
killed in battle here in 1860. Although his nephews were killed in the skirmish, and their 1700 followers immediately surrendered, he extracted vengeance the next day by beheading all of their men.
The Tigrayan People's Liberation Front
Tigrayan People's Liberation Front
The Tigrayan People's Liberation Front , known more commonly and sometimes pejoratively in Ethiopia as Woyane or Weyane is a political party in Ethiopia...
launched an offensive against the 603rd Army Corp of the Derg
Derg
The Derg or Dergue was a Communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. Derg, which means "committee" or "council" in Ge'ez, is the short name of the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army, a committee of...
, and after destroying the government forces stationed at Debarq, they controlled the town 3 January 1989.
Demographics
Based on figures from 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 Debarq has an estimated total population of 24,997, of whom 11,850 were males and 13,147 were females. The 1994 census reported this town had a total population of 14,474 of whom 6,235 were males and 8,239 were females. It is the largest settlement in Debarq
Debarq (woreda)
Debarq is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. It is named after its largest town, Debarq. Part of the Semien Gondar Zone, Debarq is bordered on the south by Dabat, on the west by Sanja, on the northwest by the Tigray Region, on the north by Addi Arkay, and on the east by Jan...
woreda.