Jamma River
Encyclopedia
The Jamma River is a river in central Ethiopia
and a tributary of the Abay (or Blue Nile
) on its right side. It drains parts of the Semien Shewa Zones of the Amhara and Oromia Regions
. The Upper Jamma flows through steep, deep canyons cut first through volcanic rock and then through the Cretaceous sandstone and shaly sandstone, with Jurassic limestone at the bottom. It has a drainage area of about 15,782 square kilometers in size. Tributaries include the Wanchet
.
The earliest mention of this river is in the Gadla of Tekle Haymanot
, which was written in the fourteenth century. One of the earliest European mentions is by the missionary Pedro Páez
, who was the first European to see and describe the origin of the Abay. According to Johann Ludwig Krapf
, in the 1840s the Jamma defined the boundary between Marra Biete
and Moret, two districts of the former province or kingdom of Shewa
.
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...
and a tributary of the Abay (or Blue Nile
Blue Nile
The Blue Nile is a river originating at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. With the White Nile, the river is one of the two major tributaries of the Nile...
) on its right side. It drains parts of the Semien Shewa Zones of the Amhara and Oromia Regions
Semien Shewa Zone (Oromia)
Semien Shewa is one of the 12 Zones of the Ethiopian Region of Oromia. Semien Shewa takes its name from the kingdom or former province of Shewa. Semien Shewa is bordered on the south by Addis Ababa, on the southwest by Mirab Shewa, on the north by the Amhara Region, and on the southeast by Misraq...
. The Upper Jamma flows through steep, deep canyons cut first through volcanic rock and then through the Cretaceous sandstone and shaly sandstone, with Jurassic limestone at the bottom. It has a drainage area of about 15,782 square kilometers in size. Tributaries include the Wanchet
Wanchet River
Wanchet River is a river of central Ethiopia, and a tributary of the Jamma River. Along with the Adabay River, it defined the border of the former district of Marra Biete. Its crossing "Aqui afagi" is mentioned in the account of Francisco Álvares, who crossed it several times in the first quarter...
.
The earliest mention of this river is in the Gadla of Tekle Haymanot
Tekle Haymanot
Tekle Haymanot or Takla Haymanot was an Ethiopian monk who founded a major monastery in his native province of Shewa...
, which was written in the fourteenth century. One of the earliest European mentions is by the missionary Pedro Páez
Pedro Páez
Pedro Páez Jaramillo was a Spanish Jesuit missionary in Ethiopia. Páez is considered by many experts on Ethiopia to be the most effective Catholic missionary in Ethiopia...
, who was the first European to see and describe the origin of the Abay. According to Johann Ludwig Krapf
Johann Ludwig Krapf
Johann Ludwig Krapf was a German missionary in East Africa, as well as an explorer, linguist, and traveler. Krapf played an important role in exploring East Africa with Johannes Rebmann. They were the first Europeans to see Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro...
, in the 1840s the Jamma defined the boundary between Marra Biete
Marra Biete
Marra Biete is a former province of Ethiopia, located inside the boundaries of the modern Semien Shewa Zone of the Amhara Region, north of Shewa Meda....
and Moret, two districts of the former province or kingdom of Shewa
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
.
