Didessa (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Didessa is one of the 180 woreda
s in the Oromia Region
of Ethiopia
. It is named after the Didessa River
, a tributary of the Abay River. Part of the Illubabor Zone
, Didessa is bordered on the south by the Didessa River which separates it from the Jimma Zone
, and on the north by Gechi
. The major town in Didessa is Denbi.
Coffee
is an important cash crop of this woreda. Over 50 square kilometers are planted with this crop. The proposed Didessa Wildlife Sanctuary
will extend along the all weather road from Nekemte
to Bedele
. The proposed area of the reserve will cover about 1,333 square kilometers containing a watershed with 14 small streams, and the habitat of about 54 plant species, 30 mammal species, and a number of birds.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 62,516, of whom 31,466 are men and 31,050 are women; 6,369 or 10.19% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 12%. With an estimated area of 623.44 square kilometers, Didessa has an estimated population density of 100.3 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 72.3.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 44,425, of whom 22,130 were men and 22,295 women; 3,560 or 8.01% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The four largest ethnic groups reported in Didessa were the Oromo
(90%), the Amhara
(5.3%), the Kambaata (1.08%), and the Sebat Bet
Gurage
(0.99%); all other ethnic groups made up 2.63% of the population. Oromiffa
was spoken as a first language by 90%, 6.71% Amharic
, and 1.03% Kambaata
; the remaining 2.26% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim
, with 87.57% of the population reporting they practiced that belief, while 9.81% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 2.15% were Protestant
.
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 the Didessa River
Didessa River
The Didessa River is a river in western Ethiopia. A tributary of the Abay River, it rises in the mountains of Gomma, flowing in a northwestern direction to its confluence where the course of the Abay has curved to its southernmost point before turning northwards at about...
, a tributary of the Abay River. Part of the Illubabor Zone
Illubabor Zone
Illubabor is one of the 17 zones of the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Illubabor is named for the former province Illubabor. It is bordered on the south by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, on the southwest by the Gambela Region, on the west by Misraq Welega, on the north by the...
, Didessa is bordered on the south by the Didessa River which separates it from the Jimma Zone
Jimma Zone
Jimma is one of the 17 Zones of the Ethiopian Region of Oromia. Jimma is named for the former Kingdom of Jimma, which was absorbed into the former province of Kaffa in 1932...
, and on the north by Gechi
Gechi (woreda)
Gechi is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Illubabor Zone, Gechi is bordered on the south by Didessa, on the east by the Jimma Zone, on the north by Bedele, and on the east by the Didessa River which separates it from the Jimma Zone. Towns in Gechi include Gechi...
. The major town in Didessa is Denbi.
Coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
is an important cash crop of this woreda. Over 50 square kilometers are planted with this crop. The proposed Didessa Wildlife Sanctuary
Didessa Wildlife Sanctuary
Didessa Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area and wildlife sanctuary in Ethiopia. It is located in Didessa woreda, which is part of the Illubabor Zone of the Oromia Region....
will extend along the all weather road from Nekemte
Nekemte
Nekemte is a market town in western Ethiopia. Located in the Misraq Welega Zone of the Oromia Region , Nekemte has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 2,088 meters....
to Bedele
Bedele
Bedele is a town in southwestern Ethiopia. Located in the Illubabor Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a longitude and latitude of and an elevation between above sea level. It is the larger of two towns in Bedele woreda....
. The proposed area of the reserve will cover about 1,333 square kilometers containing a watershed with 14 small streams, and the habitat of about 54 plant species, 30 mammal species, and a number of birds.
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 62,516, of whom 31,466 are men and 31,050 are women; 6,369 or 10.19% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 12%. With an estimated area of 623.44 square kilometers, Didessa has an estimated population density of 100.3 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 72.3.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 44,425, of whom 22,130 were men and 22,295 women; 3,560 or 8.01% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The four largest ethnic groups reported in Didessa 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...
(90%), 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...
(5.3%), the Kambaata (1.08%), and 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
Gurage
Gurage is an ethnic group in Ethiopia. According to the 2007 national census, its population is 1,867,377 people , of whom 792,659 are urban dwellers. This is 2.53% of the total population of Ethiopia, or 7.52% of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region...
(0.99%); all other ethnic groups made up 2.63% 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 90%, 6.71% 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...
, and 1.03% Kambaata
Kambaata language
Kambaata is a Highland East Cushitic language, part of the larger Afro-Asiatic family and spoken by the Kambaata. Dialects are Donga, Kambaata and Tambaro. It is one of the official languages of Ethiopia. The language has a large number of verbal affixes. When these are affixed to verbal roots,...
; the remaining 2.26% 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 87.57% of the population reporting they practiced that belief, while 9.81% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 2.15% were Protestant
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...
.