Gumer
Encyclopedia
Gumer 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 Gumer. Part of the Gurage Zone
, Gumer is bordered on the south by the Hadiya Zone
, on the west by Enemorina Eaner
, on the northwest by Cheha
, on the north by Ezhana Wolene
, on the northeast by Meskanena Mareko
, and on the east by Silte
. Towns in Gumer include Arek'it and K'ebul.
Bodies of water in this woreda include Lake Arek'it, after which the town was named. Landmarks include Mugo Mountain, which has two mosques built in the early 19th century on its summit, and is covered with dense forests of indigenous trees which include native species of fig
, African olive, Afrocarpus gracilior
, African juniper
, and Cordia africana
. The mountain also has strategic importance, having been used by the Italian army during the Italian occupation
as a fortress. Mount Mugo is also the source of the Yo, Ayisechi and Balkech rivers. Gumer has 82 kilometers of all-weather roads and one kilometer of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 231 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 339,831, of whom 181,979 are men and 157,852 are women; 4,664 or 1.37% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 6.3%. With an estimated area of 740.78 square kilometers, Gumer has an estimated population density of 458.7 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 278.3.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 240,500 of whom 111,740 were men and 128,760 were women; 2,574 or 1.07% of its population were urban dwellers. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Gumer were the Sebat Bet Gurage (58.17%), and the Silte (41.22%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.61% of the population. Sebat Bet Gurage
was spoken as a first language by 42.94%, 32.99% Silte, and 0.55% spoke Amharic
; the remaining 23.52% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim
, with 80.35% of the population reporting that belief, while 16.15% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 2.79% were Protestants
, and 0.62% Catholic
. Concerning education
, 20.06% of the population were considered literate, which is about the same as the Zone average of 20.62%; 13.24% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school, 1.94% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school, and 4.19% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, 38.14% of the urban houses and 9.41% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 18.98% of the urban and 7.54% 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 Gumer. 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...
, Gumer is bordered on the south by the Hadiya Zone
Hadiya Zone
Hadiya is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . This zone is named after the Hadiya of the Hadiya kingdom, whose homeland covers part of the administrative division...
, on the west by Enemorina Eaner
Enemorina Eaner
Enemorina Eaner is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. This woreda is named in part after one of the sub-groups of the Sebat Bet Gurage, the Enemor, who are first mentioned in a list of groups paying tribute to Emperor Yeshaq I...
, on the northwest by 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 north 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...
, on the northeast by Meskanena Mareko
Meskanena Mareko
Meskanena Mareko is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Gurage Zone, Meskanena Mareko is bordered on the south by Silte, on the southwest by Gumer, on the west by Ezhana Wolene, on the northwest by Kokir Gedebano Gutazer, on the...
, and on the east by Silte
Silte (woreda)
Silte is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. It is named after a subgroup of the Silt'e people, whose homeland includes this woreda. Formerly part of the Gurage Zone, after a referendum held between 18 and 26 April 2001, this woreda became...
. Towns in Gumer include Arek'it and K'ebul.
Bodies of water in this woreda include Lake Arek'it, after which the town was named. Landmarks include Mugo Mountain, which has two mosques built in the early 19th century on its summit, and is covered with dense forests of indigenous trees which include native species of fig
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
, African olive, Afrocarpus gracilior
Afrocarpus gracilior
Afrocarpus falcatus is an evergreen coniferous tree native to the Afromontane forests of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, growing at 1,800-2,400 m altitude....
, African juniper
Juniperus procera
Juniperus procera, commonly known in English as African Juniper or East African Juniper, is a coniferous tree native to the mountains of eastern Africa from eastern Sudan south to Zimbabwe, and the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula...
, and Cordia africana
Cordia africana
Cordia africana is a species of flowering tree in the borage family, Boraginaceae, that is native to Africa. It is sometimes called Cordia Abyssinia which implies that it may have first been identified from examples growing there.-Uses:...
. The mountain also has strategic importance, having been used by the Italian army during the Italian occupation
Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa was an Italian colonial administrative subdivision established in 1936, resulting from the merger of the Ethiopian Empire with the old colonies of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea. In August 1940, British Somaliland was conquered and annexed to Italian East Africa...
as a fortress. Mount Mugo is also the source of the Yo, Ayisechi and Balkech rivers. Gumer has 82 kilometers of all-weather roads and one kilometer of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 231 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.
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 339,831, of whom 181,979 are men and 157,852 are women; 4,664 or 1.37% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 6.3%. With an estimated area of 740.78 square kilometers, Gumer has an estimated population density of 458.7 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 278.3.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 240,500 of whom 111,740 were men and 128,760 were women; 2,574 or 1.07% of its population were urban dwellers. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Gumer were the Sebat Bet Gurage (58.17%), and the Silte (41.22%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.61% 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,...
was spoken as a first language by 42.94%, 32.99% Silte, and 0.55% 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 23.52% 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 80.35% of the population reporting that belief, while 16.15% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 2.79% 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 0.62% 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...
, 20.06% of the population were considered literate, which is about the same as the Zone average of 20.62%; 13.24% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school, 1.94% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school, and 4.19% 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...
, 38.14% of the urban houses and 9.41% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 18.98% of the urban and 7.54% of all houses had toilet facilities.