Goro, SNNPR (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Goro is one of the 77 woreda
s in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia
. This woreda is named after one of the sub-groups of the Sebat Bet
Gurage, the Goro. Part of the Gurage Zone
, Goro is bordered on the south by the Wabe River
which separates it from Cheha
, on the west and north by the Oromia Region
, on the farther east by Kokir Gedebano Gutazer
, and on the southeast by Ezhana Wolene
. The major town in Goro is Welkite
.
Local landmarks include the Acho falls on the Wabe river which is 60 meters in height, and Walga Falls on the Walga river which is 30 meters in height.
Goro was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
in 2004 as one of several woredas for voluntary resettlement for farmers from overpopulated areas, becoming the new home for a total of 3000 heads of households and 12,000 total family members.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 169,000, of whom 84,033 are men and 84,967 are women; 27,775 or 16.43% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 6.3%. With an estimated area of 925.01 square kilometers, Goro has an estimated population density of 182.7 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 278.3. In the 1990s, a survey revealed an isolated enclave of 1,000 speakers of Gumuz
around Welkite, a language otherwise found only in western Ethiopia.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 115,583 of whom 58,193 were men and 57,390 were women; 15,329 or 13.26% of its population were urban dwellers. The five largest ethnic groups reported in Goro were the Sebat Bet Gurage (38.56%), the Kebena (22.67%), the Amhara
(14.48%), the Silte (10.02%) and the Oromo
(7.49%); all other ethnic groups made up 6.18% of the population. Sebat Bet Gurage
is spoken as a first language by 31.82%, 24.19% Amharic
, 22.67% speak Kebena, 10.77% Silte, and 6.08% speak Afan Oromo
; the remaining 4.47% spoke all other primary languages reported. 62.53% of the population said they were Muslim
, 31.71% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 4.79% were Protestants
, and 0.92% Catholic
. Concerning education
, 30.3% of the population were considered literate, which is more than the Zone average of 20.62%; 21.04% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school, 6.2% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school, and 5.56% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, 93% of the urban houses and 36.69% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 30.36% of the urban and 6.39% of all houses had toilet facilities.
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 Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region 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...
. This woreda is named after one of the sub-groups of 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, the Goro. Part of the Gurage Zone
Gurage Zone
Gurage is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . This zone is named for the Gurage people, whose homeland lies in this zone. Gurage is bordered on the south by Hadiya on the west north and east by the Oromia Region, and on the southeast by Silte. Its highest...
, Goro is bordered on the south by the Wabe River
Wabe River
Wabe River is a river of south-central Ethiopia. A tributary of the Omo River on the left side, it joins the parent stream at...
which separates it from Cheha
Cheha
Cheha is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. This woreda is named after one of the sub-groups of the Sebat Bet Gurage, the Cheha...
, on the west and north by the Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
, on the farther east by Kokir Gedebano Gutazer
Kokir Gedebano Gutazer
Kokir Gedebano Gutazer is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Gurage Zone, Kokir Gedebano Gutazer is bordered on the south by Ezhana Wolene, on the west by Goro, on the north by the Oromia Region, and on the east by Meskanena...
, and on the southeast by Ezhana Wolene
Ezhana Wolene
Ezhana Wolene is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. This woreda is named after two of the sub-groups of the Sebat Bet Gurage, the Ezha and the Wolene-Worriro...
. The major town in Goro is Welkite
Welkite
Welkite is a town in southwestern Ethiopia. The administrative center of the Gurage Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region , this town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation between 1910 and 1935 meters above sea level.According to the Gurage Zone government,...
.
Local landmarks include the Acho falls on the Wabe river which is 60 meters in height, and Walga Falls on the Walga river which is 30 meters in height.
Goro was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ethiopia)
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is the Ethiopian government ministry which oversees the agricultural and rural development policies of Ethiopia on a Federal level...
in 2004 as one of several woredas for voluntary resettlement for farmers from overpopulated areas, becoming the new home for a total of 3000 heads of households and 12,000 total family members.
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 169,000, of whom 84,033 are men and 84,967 are women; 27,775 or 16.43% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 6.3%. With an estimated area of 925.01 square kilometers, Goro has an estimated population density of 182.7 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 278.3. In the 1990s, a survey revealed an isolated enclave of 1,000 speakers of Gumuz
Gumuz language
Gumuz is a dialect cluster spoken along the border of Ethiopia and Sudan. Most Ethiopian speakers live in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, although a group of 1,000 live outside the town of Welkite...
around Welkite, a language otherwise found only in western Ethiopia.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 115,583 of whom 58,193 were men and 57,390 were women; 15,329 or 13.26% of its population were urban dwellers. The five largest ethnic groups reported in Goro were the Sebat Bet Gurage (38.56%), the Kebena (22.67%), 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...
(14.48%), the Silte (10.02%) and 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...
(7.49%); all other ethnic groups made up 6.18% of the population. Sebat Bet Gurage
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,...
is spoken as a first language by 31.82%, 24.19% 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...
, 22.67% speak Kebena, 10.77% Silte, and 6.08% speak Afan Oromo
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...
; the remaining 4.47% spoke all other primary languages reported. 62.53% of the population said they 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...
, 31.71% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 4.79% were Protestants
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...
, and 0.92% Catholic
Roman Catholicism in Ethiopia
The Catholic Church in Ethiopia is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.The Ethiopian Catholic Church, the primary organization of Catholicism in the country, is especially close to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, whose doctrine and...
. 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...
, 30.3% of the population were considered literate, which is more than the Zone average of 20.62%; 21.04% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school, 6.2% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school, and 5.56% 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...
, 93% of the urban houses and 36.69% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 30.36% of the urban and 6.39% of all houses had toilet facilities.