Dewele
Encyclopedia
Dewele is a town on the Ethiopia
and Djibouti
border. Located in the Shinile Zone
in the Somali Region
this town has a longitude and latitude of 11°2′N 42°37′E with an elevation of 898 meters above sea level. Nearby towns and villages include Dikhil
(15.8 nm), `Ali Sabieh (8.7 nm), Rahele (10.7 nm), Ferate (11.2 nm) and Meru (13.1 nm).
Dewele is served by a station
on the Addis Ababa - Djibouti Railway. It serves as an official crossing point between Djibouti and Ethiopia, with a customs post. In the mid-1960s, gypsum
was excavated near the town, then transported to a factory in Dire Dawa
to be used in the manufacture cement and plaster of Paris.
In 1907, the Englishmen Bentley and Wells drove a Siddeley
automobile from the Red Sea
coast to Addis Ababa
. They feigned to go to Jaldessa
but headed for Dewele instead, to mislead potential shifta
or bandits.
During the Djibouti Civil War, Ethiopians who were living in that country and worked in various sectors were forced by the Djibouti military to leave that country with whatever they could quickly gather. By February 2001, many had taken refuge in and around Dewele.
in 2005, Dewele has an estimated total population of 3,357, of whom 1,710 were males and 1,647 were females. The 1997 census reported Dewele had a total population of 2,253 of whom 1,130 were men and 1,123 women. The four largest ethnic groups reported in this town were the Somali
(42.21%), the Oromo
(27.43%), the Amhara
(20.9%), and the Gurage (6.52%); all other ethnic groups made up 2.94% of the population. It is one of four towns in Ayesha
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...
and Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
border. Located in 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...
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...
this town has a longitude and latitude of 11°2′N 42°37′E with an elevation of 898 meters above sea level. Nearby towns and villages include Dikhil
Dikhil
Dikhil is a town in the western Dikhil Region of Djibouti. Lying east of Lake Abbe, it is located on the paved highway that runs east from Djibouti City. The town is home to a population of around 12,043 people.-History:...
(15.8 nm), `Ali Sabieh (8.7 nm), Rahele (10.7 nm), Ferate (11.2 nm) and Meru (13.1 nm).
Dewele is served by a station
Railway stations in Ethiopia
All railway stations in Ethiopia are served by the Addis Ababa - Djibouti Railway. These include:- Now defunct : Addis Ababa - national capital* Akaka Beseka* Debre Zeyit * Mojo...
on the Addis Ababa - Djibouti Railway. It serves as an official crossing point between Djibouti and Ethiopia, with a customs post. In the mid-1960s, gypsum
Gypsum
Gypsum is a very soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. It is found in alabaster, a decorative stone used in Ancient Egypt. It is the second softest mineral on the Mohs Hardness Scale...
was excavated near the town, then transported to a factory in 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....
to be used in the manufacture cement and plaster of Paris.
History
Dewele was the first point inside the boundaries of Ethiopia to receive train service. The first train ran between Djibouti City and Dewele on 22 July 1922, requiring 5½ hours to make the trip with four halts for water.In 1907, the Englishmen Bentley and Wells drove a Siddeley
Siddeley-Deasy
Siddeley-Deasy was a British automobile, engine and aircraft company based in Coventry in the early 20th century. It was central to the formation, by merger and buy-out, of the later Armstrong Sideleley Motor and Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft companies....
automobile from the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
coast to Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
. They feigned to go to Jaldessa
Jaldessa
Jaldessa is a village in eastern Ethiopia. Located in the Shinile Zone of the Somali Region, this settlement has a latitude and longitude of ....
but headed for Dewele instead, to mislead potential shifta
Shifta
Shifta is term used in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia for rebel, outlaw, or bandit. The word is derived from shúfto. Historically, shifta served as local militia in the lawless rural mountainous regions on the Horn of Africa...
or bandits.
During the Djibouti Civil War, Ethiopians who were living in that country and worked in various sectors were forced by the Djibouti military to leave that country with whatever they could quickly gather. By February 2001, many had taken refuge in and around Dewele.
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, Dewele has an estimated total population of 3,357, of whom 1,710 were males and 1,647 were females. The 1997 census reported Dewele had a total population of 2,253 of whom 1,130 were men and 1,123 women. The four largest ethnic groups reported in this town were 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...
(42.21%), 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...
(27.43%), 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...
(20.9%), and the Gurage (6.52%); all other ethnic groups made up 2.94% of the population. It is one of four towns in Ayesha
Ayesha (woreda)
Ayesha is one of the 47 woredas in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. The northernmost woreda of the Shinile Zone, Ayesha is bordered on the south by Dembel, on the southwest by Shinile, on the west by Erer, on the north by Djibouti, on the east by Somalia, and on the southeast by the Jijiga Zone...
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...
.