Goro, Oromia (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Goro is one of the 180 woreda
s (administrative wards) in the Oromia Region
of Ethiopia
. It shares the same name as the administrative center of the woreda, Goro
. Part of the Bale Zone
, Goro is bordered on the southwest by Guradamole
, on the west by Berbere
, on the northwest by Sinanana Dinsho
, on the northeast by Ginir
, and on the southeast by the Somali Region
; it is separated from Guradamole and Berbere by the Gestro River (or Weyib River
). Other towns in this woreda include Meliyu.
and the Mena
, which are lined by forest. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 17.7% is arable (5.9% was under cultivaton), 38% pasture, 39.3% forest
or heavy vegetation, and the remaining 5.3% is considered swampy, mountainous or otherwise unusable. 18.16 square kilometers of forest are part of the Goro Bale State Forest. Notable landmarks in this woreda include the Sof Omar Caves
. Sugar cane, oil seeds, spices and vegetables are important cash crops.
Industry in the woreda includes 14 grain mills and 4 edible oil mills employing 44 people, as well as 24 wholesalers, 90 retailers and 29 service providers. There were 35 Farmers Associations with 15,412 members and 7 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 3548 members. Goro has 129 kilometers of all-weather road and two more roads under construction, for an average of road density of 36.8 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 25% of the total population has access to drinking water
.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 99,724, of whom 50,517 are men and 49,207 are women; 7,833 or 7.85% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 13.5%. With an estimated area of 3,503.29 square kilometers, Goro has an estimated population density of 28.5 people per square kilometer, which is about the same as the Zone average of 27.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 71,256, of whom 35,295 were men and 35,961 women; 4,379 or 6.15% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Goro were the Oromo
(89.45%), and the Amhara
(9.8%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.75% of the population. Oromiffa
was spoken as a first language by 87.29%, and 12.41% spoke Amharic
; the remaining 0.3% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim
, with 82.03% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 17.72% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.
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 (administrative wards) 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 shares the same name as the administrative center of the woreda, Goro
Goro, Bale (Ethiopia)
Goro is a town in southern Ethiopia. Located in the Bale Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a longitude and latitude of and an elevation of 1650 meters above sea level. It is the administrative center of Goro woreda....
. Part of the Bale Zone
Bale Zone
Bale is one of the 17 zones in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Bale is named for the former kingdom of Bale, which was in approximately the same area...
, Goro is bordered on the southwest by Guradamole
Guradamole, Oromia (woreda)
Guradamole is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Bale Zone, Guradamole is bordered on the south by the Ganale Dorya River which separates it from the Borena Zone, on the southwest by Meda Welabu, on the west by Mennana Harena Buluk, on the northwest by Berbere, on...
, on the west by Berbere
Berbere
Berbere is a spice mixture whose ingredients usually include chile peppers, garlic, ginger, dried basil, korarima, rue, white and black pepper, and fenugreek...
, on the northwest by Sinanana Dinsho
Sinanana Dinsho
Sinanana Dinsho is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Bale Zone, Sinanana Dinsho is bordered on the south by the Mena River which separates it from Goba, on the west by Adaba, on the northwest by Agarfa, on the northeast by Gaserana Gololcha, on the east by Ginir,...
, on the northeast by Ginir
Ginir (woreda)
Ginir is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the administrative center of the woreda, Ginir. Part of the Bale Zone, Ginir is bordered on the south by the Gestro River which separates it from Goro, on the west by Sinanana Dinsho, on the northwest by Gaserana...
, and on the southeast by 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...
; it is separated from Guradamole and Berbere by the Gestro River (or Weyib River
Weyib River
Weyib River is a river of eastern Ethiopia. It rises in the Bale Mountains east of Goba in the Oromia Region, flowing east to pass through the Sof Omar Caves, then to the southeast until it joins the Ganale Dorya River in the Somali Region....
). Other towns in this woreda include Meliyu.
Overview
Almost three-fourths of this woreda is covered by plains, and the rest are considered hilly or rugged. Mount Holachis is the highest point; other important peaks include Mounts Dadimos and Farra. Perennial rivers include the WeyibWeyib River
Weyib River is a river of eastern Ethiopia. It rises in the Bale Mountains east of Goba in the Oromia Region, flowing east to pass through the Sof Omar Caves, then to the southeast until it joins the Ganale Dorya River in the Somali Region....
and the Mena
Mena River
The Mena is a river of eastern Ethiopia. It is a tributary of the Ganale Dorya....
, which are lined by forest. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 17.7% is arable (5.9% was under cultivaton), 38% pasture, 39.3% forest
Forestry 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...
or heavy vegetation, and the remaining 5.3% is considered swampy, mountainous or otherwise unusable. 18.16 square kilometers of forest are part of the Goro Bale State Forest. Notable landmarks in this woreda include the Sof Omar Caves
Sof Omar Caves
At long, Sof Omar Cave is the longest cave in Ethiopia; sources claim it is the longest system of caves in Africa and ranks as the 306th longest in the World. It is situated in the Bale province in southeastern Ethiopia through which the Weyib River flows. It sinks at the Ayiew Maco entrance...
. Sugar cane, oil seeds, spices and vegetables are important cash crops.
Industry in the woreda includes 14 grain mills and 4 edible oil mills employing 44 people, as well as 24 wholesalers, 90 retailers and 29 service providers. There were 35 Farmers Associations with 15,412 members and 7 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 3548 members. Goro has 129 kilometers of all-weather road and two more roads under construction, for an average of road density of 36.8 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 25% 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 99,724, of whom 50,517 are men and 49,207 are women; 7,833 or 7.85% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 13.5%. With an estimated area of 3,503.29 square kilometers, Goro has an estimated population density of 28.5 people per square kilometer, which is about the same as the Zone average of 27.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 71,256, of whom 35,295 were men and 35,961 women; 4,379 or 6.15% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Goro 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...
(89.45%), 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...
(9.8%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.75% 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 87.29%, and 12.41% 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 0.3% 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 82.03% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 17.72% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.