Gurage Zone
Encyclopedia
Gurage is a Zone in the Ethiopia
n Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR). 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 point is Mount Gurage
. Welkite
is the administrative center of the Zone; other towns in Gurage include Butajira
and Worabe
.
on an increasing scale, which has increased the amount of land being covered with trees. This Zone has 783 kilometers of all-weather roads and 281 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 182 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.
The Central Statistical Agency
(CSA) reported that 7,624 tons of coffee
were produced in Gurage, Hadiya and Kembata Tembaro combined in the year ending in 2005, based on inspection records from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea authority. This represents 7.6% of the SNNPR's output and 3.36% of Ethiopia's total output.
Following a referendum held between 18 and 26 April 2001, the Silt'e
unanimously voted to form their own Zone, Silt'e. this Zone consists of the woreda
s of Dalocha
, Lanfro
, Silte
, Azernet-Berbere, and Sankurra.
of Ethiopia (CSA), this Zone has a total population of 1,279,646, of whom 622,078 are men and 657,568 women; with an area of 5,893.40 square kilometers, Gurage has a population density of 217.13. While 119,822 or 9.36% are urban inhabitants, a further 3 individuals are pastoralists. A total of 286,328 households were counted in this Zone, which results in an average of 4.47 persons to a household, and 276,570 housing units. One source reports the largest ethnic groups in the Zone are the Gurage (89%), Mareqo (2%), and Kebena (1.8%).
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this Zone of 1,556,964, of whom 755,490 were men and 801,474 women; 76,988 or 4.94% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The six largest ethnic groups reported in Gurage were the Sebat Bet Gurage
(45.02%), the Silt'e (34.81%), the Soddo Gurage
(9.75%), the Mareqo or Libido (2.21%), the Amhara
(2.16%), and the Kebena (1.82%); all other ethnic groups made up 4.21% of the population. Sebat Bet Gurage
is spoken as a first language by 39.93%, 35.04% Silt'e, 10.06% spoke Soddo Gurage
, 3.93% spoke Amharic
, 2.16% spoke Libido
, and 1.93% spoke Kebena; the remaining 6.95% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were reported as Muslim
, with 63.98% of the population reporting that belief, while 32.97% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 1.9% were Protestants
, and 0.95% Catholic
.
According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank
memorandum, 3% of the inhabitants of Gurage have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 95.4 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers, the average rural household has 0.5 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and an average of 0.89 for the SNNPR) the equivalent of 0.2 heads of livestock. 18.9% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a Regional average of 32%. 79% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 12% in secondary schools. 18% of the zone is exposed to malaria
, and 38% to Tsetse fly
. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 319.
Woreda
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...
n Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR). This zone is named for the Gurage
Gurage
Gurage is an ethnic group in Ethiopia. According to the 2007 national census, its population is 1,867,377 people , of whom 792,659 are urban dwellers. This is 2.53% of the total population of Ethiopia, or 7.52% of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region...
people, whose homeland lies in this zone. Gurage is bordered on the south by Hadiya
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 north and east by the Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
, and on the southeast by Silte. Its highest point is Mount Gurage
Mount Gurage
Mount Gurage, located in central Ethiopia, is the highest point of not only the Gurage Zone but the entire Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region. It has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 3719 meters above sea level....
. 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,...
is the administrative center of the Zone; other towns in Gurage include Butajira
Butajira
Butajira is a town in south-central Ethiopia. Located at the base of the Zebidar massif in the Gurage Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 2131 meters above sea level...
and Worabe
Worabe
Worabe is a town in south-central Ethiopia. Official sources locate this town in the Gurage Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region , although it is reported that at a referendum in 2000 the Silt'e people unanimously voted to form their own Zone, Silt'e, which includes Worabe...
.
Overview
Most parts of this Zone are heavily eroded, which required farmers to protect their enset fields with stone and soil bunds. During the 1930s, about 20% of the land in Gurage was covered with natural forests, which has since been almost completely cut down; the removal was especially fast during the years 1991 and 1992. one of the largest natural forests is Ziarem forest (also known as Forehina), about 800 hectares in size. On the other hand, beginning in the early 1960s the inhabitants started to grow eucalyptusEucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
on an increasing scale, which has increased the amount of land being covered with trees. This Zone has 783 kilometers of all-weather roads and 281 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 182 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.
The Central Statistical Agency
Central 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...
(CSA) reported that 7,624 tons of coffee
Coffee production in Ethiopia
The coffee production in Ethiopia is critical to the Ethiopian economy with about 25% of the population depending directly or indirectly on coffee for its livelihood...
were produced in Gurage, Hadiya and Kembata Tembaro combined in the year ending in 2005, based on inspection records from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea authority. This represents 7.6% of the SNNPR's output and 3.36% of Ethiopia's total output.
Following a referendum held between 18 and 26 April 2001, the Silt'e
Silt'e people
The Silt'e people are an ethnic group in southern Ethiopia. They inhabit today's Silt'e Zone which is part of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region. A considerable number of Silt'e live in Addis Ababa, Adama and other cities and smaller urban centres of southern Ethiopia where...
unanimously voted to form their own Zone, Silt'e. this Zone consists of the woreda
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 of Dalocha
Dalocha (woreda)
Dalocha is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Gurage Zone, Dalocha is bordered on the south by the Kembata Tembaro Zone, on the west by the Hadiya Zone, on the north by Silte, and on the east by Lanfro...
, Lanfro
Lanfro
Lanfro is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Until it was included into the Silte Zone, Lanfro formed part of the Gurage Zone. Lanfro is bordered on the south by the Kembata Alaba and Tembaro Zone, on the west by Dalocha, on the north 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...
, Azernet-Berbere, and Sankurra.
Demographics
Based on the 2007 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 Zone has a total population of 1,279,646, of whom 622,078 are men and 657,568 women; with an area of 5,893.40 square kilometers, Gurage has a population density of 217.13. While 119,822 or 9.36% are urban inhabitants, a further 3 individuals are pastoralists. A total of 286,328 households were counted in this Zone, which results in an average of 4.47 persons to a household, and 276,570 housing units. One source reports the largest ethnic groups in the Zone are the Gurage (89%), Mareqo (2%), and Kebena (1.8%).
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this Zone of 1,556,964, of whom 755,490 were men and 801,474 women; 76,988 or 4.94% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The six largest ethnic groups reported in Gurage were the 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,...
(45.02%), the Silt'e (34.81%), the Soddo Gurage
Soddo language
Soddo is a Gurage language spoken by about 300,000 people in southeastern Ethiopia...
(9.75%), the Mareqo or Libido (2.21%), 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...
(2.16%), and the Kebena (1.82%); all other ethnic groups made up 4.21% 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 39.93%, 35.04% Silt'e, 10.06% spoke Soddo Gurage
Soddo language
Soddo is a Gurage language spoken by about 300,000 people in southeastern Ethiopia...
, 3.93% 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...
, 2.16% spoke Libido
Libido language
Libido is an Afro-Asiatic language of Ethiopia, which is spoken in the Gurage Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region, north-east of Hosaena....
, and 1.93% spoke Kebena; the remaining 6.95% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were reported as 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 63.98% of the population reporting that belief, while 32.97% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 1.9% 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 0.95% 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...
.
According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
memorandum, 3% of the inhabitants of Gurage have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 95.4 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers, the average rural household has 0.5 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and an average of 0.89 for the SNNPR) the equivalent of 0.2 heads of livestock. 18.9% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a Regional average of 32%. 79% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 12% in secondary schools. 18% of the zone is exposed to malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, and 38% to Tsetse fly
Tsetse fly
Tsetse , sometimes spelled tzetze and also known as tik-tik flies, are large biting flies that inhabit much of mid-continental Africa between the Sahara and the Kalahari deserts. They live by feeding on the blood of vertebrate animals and are the primary biological vectors of trypanosomes, which...
. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 319.
WoredaWoredaWoreda 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
- ChehaChehaCheha 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...
- DalochaDalocha (woreda)Dalocha is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Gurage Zone, Dalocha is bordered on the south by the Kembata Tembaro Zone, on the west by the Hadiya Zone, on the north by Silte, and on the east by Lanfro...
(Now part of the Silt'e zone.) - Enemorina EanerEnemorina EanerEnemorina 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...
- Ezhana WoleneEzhana WoleneEzhana 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...
- GoroGoro, SNNPR (woreda)Goro 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 Goro...
- GumerGumerGumer 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 Gumer...
- Kokir Gedebano GutazerKokir Gedebano GutazerKokir 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...
- LanfroLanfroLanfro is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Until it was included into the Silte Zone, Lanfro formed part of the Gurage Zone. Lanfro is bordered on the south by the Kembata Alaba and Tembaro Zone, on the west by Dalocha, on the north by...
(Now part of the Silt'e zone.) - Meskanena MarekoMeskanena MarekoMeskanena 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...
- SilteSilte (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...
(Now part of the Silt'e zone.) - SodoSodo (woreda)Sodo is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Gurage Zone, Sodo is bordered on the south by Meskanena Mareko, and on the west, north and east by the Oromia Region...