Enderta (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Enderta is one of the 36 woreda
s in the Tigray Region
of Ethiopia
. It was named for the former Enderta province
, which was later merged into Tigray Province
. Located in the Debubawi Zone
at the eastern edge of the Ethiopian highlands
, Debubawi Zone
, Enderta is bordered on the south by Hintalo Wajirat
, on the west by Samre
, on the northwest and north by the Misraqawi (Eastern) Zone
, and on the east by the Afar Region
; the city and woreda of Mek'ele
is an enclave within Enderta. Towns in Enderta include Aynalem and Qwiha
; the historic village of Chalacot
is also located in this woreda.
At least one monolithic church
is located in this woreda: a dedication to Mikael in the village of Zahero, which lies in the eastern part.
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 114,297, an increase of 8.02% over the 1994 census, of whom 57,482 are men and 56,815 women; no urban inhabitants were reported. With an area of 3,175.31 square kilometers, Enderta has a population density of 36.00, which is less than the Zone average of 53.91 persons per square kilometer. A total of 24,618 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.64 persons to a household, and 23,856 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 105,814, of whom 51,871 were men and 53,943 were women; 12,375 or 11.7% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Enderta was the Tigrayan
(99.5%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.5% of the population. Tigrinya
was spoken as a first language by 99.44%; the remaining 0.56% spoke all other primary languages reported. The overwhelming majority of the population, 99.32%, practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. Concerning education
, 13.64% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 15.71%; 21.31% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 1.71% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; 2.62% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, about 90% of the urban houses and 29% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; about 29% of the urban and 6% of the total had toilet facilities.
, and 2.56% was devoted to other uses. For the land under cultivation in this woreda, 85.11% was planted in cereals, 6.16% in pulses, 2.16% in oilseeds, and 35 hectares in vegetables. The area planted in fruit trees was 402 hectares, while 16 were planted in gesho. 74.42% of the farmers both raised crops and livestock, while 23.08% only grew crops and 2.51% only raised livestock. Land tenure in this woreda is distributed amongst 81.93% owning their land, and 15.89% renting; the number held in other forms of tenure is missing.
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 Tigray Region
Tigray Region
Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine ethnic regions of Ethiopia containing the homeland of the Tigray people. It was formerly known as Region 1...
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 was named for the former Enderta province
Enderta province
Enderta province or Inderta province, also known as Enderta Awraja as well as 70 Enderta is located in the eastern edge of the Ethiopian highlands. Enderta is bordered on the west by Tembien, on the southeast by Wag of Gondar, the south by Raya and Azebo, on the east by Afar and Aseb, and on the...
, which was later merged into Tigray Province
Tigray Province
Tigray was a province of Ethiopia. The Tigray Region superseded the province with the adoption of the new constitution in 1995. The province of Tigre merged with its neighboring provinces, including Semien, Tembien, Agame and the prominent Enderta province and towards the end of 19th century it...
. Located in the Debubawi Zone
Debubawi Zone
Debubawi is one of five Zones in the Ethiopian Region of Tigray. Debubawi is bordered on the south and west by the Amhara Region, on the northwest by Mehakelegnaw , the north by Misraqawi and on the east by the Afar Region...
at the eastern edge of the Ethiopian highlands
Ethiopian Highlands
The Ethiopian Highlands are a rugged mass of mountains in Ethiopia, Eritrea , and northern Somalia in the Horn of Africa...
, Debubawi Zone
Debubawi Zone
Debubawi is one of five Zones in the Ethiopian Region of Tigray. Debubawi is bordered on the south and west by the Amhara Region, on the northwest by Mehakelegnaw , the north by Misraqawi and on the east by the Afar Region...
, Enderta is bordered on the south by Hintalo Wajirat
Hintalo Wajirat
Hintalo Wajirat is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. It is named after its largest town, Hintalo, and the Wajirat Mountains in the southern part of the woreda...
, on the west by Samre
Samre (woreda)
Samre or Saharti Samre is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Debubawi Zone, Samre is bordered on the south by the Amhara Region, on the west and north by the Mehakelegnaw Zone, on the northeast by Enderta, on the east by Hintalo Wajirat, and on the southeast by...
, on the northwest and north by the Misraqawi (Eastern) Zone
Misraqawi Zone
Misraqawi is a Zone in the Ethiopian Region of Tigray. Misraqawi is bordered on the east by the Afar Region, on the south by Debubawi , on the west by Mehakelegnaw and on the north by Eritrea. Its highest point is Mount Asimba...
, and on the east by the Afar Region
Afar Region
Afar is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia, and is the homeland of the Afar people. Formerly known as Region 2, its current capital is Asayita; a new capital named Semera on the paved Awash - Asseb highway is under construction....
; the city and woreda of Mek'ele
Mek'ele
Mek'ele , also transliterated as Makale, is a city in northern Ethiopia and the capital of the Tigray Region. It is located some 650 kilometers north of the capital, Addis Ababa, at latitude and longitude with an elevation of 2084 meters above sea level...
is an enclave within Enderta. Towns in Enderta include Aynalem and Qwiha
Qwiha
Qwiha is a town located in northern Ethiopia. The name comes from the local word for willows, which are abundant in the area. Located in the Debubawi Zone of the Tigray Region, it lies 9 kilometers east of Mek'ele straddling the highway that leads to Addis Ababa...
; the historic village of Chalacot
Chalacot
Chalacot or Chelekot is a village in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Located in the Enderta woreda of the Debubawi Zone, 10 kilometers north of Antalo and 17 kilometers south of Mek'ele, the village has a latitude and longitude of with an approximate elevation of 2100 meters above sea level...
is also located in this woreda.
At least one monolithic church
Monolithic church
A monolithic church or rock-hewn church is a church made from a single block of stone. They are one of the most basic forms of monolithic architecture....
is located in this woreda: a dedication to Mikael in the village of Zahero, which lies in the eastern part.
Demographics
Based on the 2007 national census conducted 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...
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 114,297, an increase of 8.02% over the 1994 census, of whom 57,482 are men and 56,815 women; no urban inhabitants were reported. With an area of 3,175.31 square kilometers, Enderta has a population density of 36.00, which is less than the Zone average of 53.91 persons per square kilometer. A total of 24,618 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.64 persons to a household, and 23,856 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 105,814, of whom 51,871 were men and 53,943 were women; 12,375 or 11.7% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Enderta was the Tigrayan
Tigray-Tigrinya people
Tigray-Tigrinya are an ethnic group who live in the southern, central and northern parts of Eritrea and the northern highlands of Ethiopia's Tigray province. They also live in Ethiopia's former provinces of Begemder and Wollo, which are today mostly part of Amhara Region, though a few regions...
(99.5%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.5% of the population. Tigrinya
Tigrinya language
Tigrinya , also spelled Tigrigna, Tigrnia, Tigrina, Tigriña, less commonly Tigrinian, Tigrinyan, is a Semitic language spoken by the Tigrinya people in central Eritrea , where it is one of the two main languages of Eritrea, and in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia , where it...
was spoken as a first language by 99.44%; the remaining 0.56% spoke all other primary languages reported. The overwhelming majority of the population, 99.32%, practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. 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...
, 13.64% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 15.71%; 21.31% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 1.71% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; 2.62% 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...
, about 90% of the urban houses and 29% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; about 29% of the urban and 6% of the total had toilet facilities.
Agriculture
A sample enumeration performed by the CSA in 2001 interviewed 22,546 farmers in this woreda, who held an average of 1.22 hectares of land. Of the 27,421 hectares of private land surveyed, 95.37% was in cultivation, 0.36% pasture, 1.41% fallow, 0.3% woodlandForestry 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 2.56% was devoted to other uses. For the land under cultivation in this woreda, 85.11% was planted in cereals, 6.16% in pulses, 2.16% in oilseeds, and 35 hectares in vegetables. The area planted in fruit trees was 402 hectares, while 16 were planted in gesho. 74.42% of the farmers both raised crops and livestock, while 23.08% only grew crops and 2.51% only raised livestock. Land tenure in this woreda is distributed amongst 81.93% owning their land, and 15.89% renting; the number held in other forms of tenure is missing.