Gimbichu
Encyclopedia
Gimbichu is one of the 180 woreda
s in the Oromia Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Misraq Shewa Zone
, Gimbichu is bordered on the south by Lome
, on the southwest by Ada'a Chukala
, on the northwest by the Amhara Region
, and on the east by the Afar Region
. The administrative center is Chefe Donsa.
. A survey of the land in Gimbichu shows that 37.6% is arable or cultivable, 14.2% pasture, 2.6% forest, and the remaining 45.6% is considered degraded or otherwise unusable. Lentil
s, chickpea
s and fenugreek
are important cash crops.
Industry in the woreda includes 6 privately owned food processing centers employing a total of 14 people, as well as 9 wholesalers, 84 retailers and 117 service providers. There were 33 Farmers Associations with 11,177 members and 14 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 10,207 members. Gimbichu has 119 kilometers of dry-weather and 26 of all-weather road, for an average road density of 205 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 6% of the rural, 100% of the urban and 11% of the total population has access to drinking water
.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 87,294, of whom 42,805 are men and 44,489 are women; 5,897 or 6.76% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 32.1%. With an estimated area of 707.49 square kilometers, Gimbichu has an estimated population density of 123.4 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 181.7.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 62,561, of whom 32,070 were men and 30,491 women; 3,305 or 5.28% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Gimbichu were the Oromo
(72.28%), and the Amhara
(26.69%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.03% of the population. Oromiffa
was spoken as a first language by 72.62%, and 27.29% spoke Amharic
; the remaining 0.09% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 97.32% of the population reporting they professed that belief, while 1.33% of the population said they practiced traditional beliefs, and 1.02% were Moslem
.
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...
. Part of the Misraq Shewa Zone
Misraq Shewa Zone
Misraq Shewa is one of the 12 Zones of the Ethiopian Region of Oromia. This zone takes its name from the kingdom or former province of Shewa. Misraq Shewa is located in the middle of Oromia, connecting the western regions to the eastern ones...
, Gimbichu is bordered on the south by Lome
Lome (woreda)
Lome is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Shewa Zone located in the Great Rift Valley, Lome is bordered on the south by the Koka Reservoir, on the west by Ada'a Chukala, on the northwest by Gimbichu, on the north by the Afar Region, and on the east by Adama...
, on the southwest by Ada'a Chukala
Ada'a Chukala
Ada'a Chukala is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Debub Misraq Shewa Zone located in the Great Rift Valley, Ada'a Chukala is bordered on the south by Dugda Bora, on the west by the Mirab Shewa Zone, on the northwest by Akaki, on the northeast by Gimbichu, and on...
, on the northwest by 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....
, 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 administrative center is Chefe Donsa.
Overview
Most parts of this woreda are more than 2300 meters above sea level; Gara Bokan is the highest point. Rivers include Wedecha and Belbela, both tributaries of the ModjoModjo River
The Modjo is a river of central Ethiopia. A tributary of the Awash River, its own tributaries include the Wedecha and Belbela.A report by Action Professionals Association for the People, a non-governmental organization, claimed that laboratory analyses of toxic industrial chemicals in the river...
. A survey of the land in Gimbichu shows that 37.6% is arable or cultivable, 14.2% pasture, 2.6% forest, and the remaining 45.6% is considered degraded or otherwise unusable. Lentil
Lentil
The lentil is an edible pulse. It is a bushy annual plant of the legume family, grown for its lens-shaped seeds...
s, chickpea
Chickpea
The chickpea is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae...
s and fenugreek
Fenugreek
Fenugreek is a plant in the family Fabaceae. Fenugreek is used both as a herb and as a spice . The leaves and sprouts are also eaten as vegetables...
are important cash crops.
Industry in the woreda includes 6 privately owned food processing centers employing a total of 14 people, as well as 9 wholesalers, 84 retailers and 117 service providers. There were 33 Farmers Associations with 11,177 members and 14 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 10,207 members. Gimbichu has 119 kilometers of dry-weather and 26 of all-weather road, for an average road density of 205 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 6% of the rural, 100% of the urban and 11% of the total population has access to drinking water
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...
.
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 87,294, of whom 42,805 are men and 44,489 are women; 5,897 or 6.76% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 32.1%. With an estimated area of 707.49 square kilometers, Gimbichu has an estimated population density of 123.4 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 181.7.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 62,561, of whom 32,070 were men and 30,491 women; 3,305 or 5.28% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Gimbichu 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...
(72.28%), and 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...
(26.69%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.03% 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 72.62%, and 27.29% 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 0.09% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 97.32% of the population reporting they professed that belief, while 1.33% of the population said they practiced traditional beliefs, and 1.02% were Moslem
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...
.