Jimma Arjo
Encyclopedia
Jimma Arjo is one of the 180 woreda
s in the Oromia Region
of Ethiopia
. It shares the name of one of the subgroups of the Oromo people
, the Jimma Arjo. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone
, Jimma Arjo is bordered on the southwest by the Didessa River
which separates it from the Illubabor Zone
, on the northwest by Diga Leka
, on the northeast by Guto Wayu
, and on the southeast by Nunu Kumba
. The administrative center of this woreda is Arjo.
valley, this woreda is considered highland. Other rivers include the Chancho and Horo Rivers. Local landmarks include the Gambela Cave. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 59.8% is arable or cultivable, 9.6% pasture, 8.4% forest, and the remaining 22.2% is considered swampy, mountainous or otherwise unusable. Coffee
is an important cash crop of this woreda, and over 50 square kilometers are planted in this crop.
Industry in the woreda includes 27 grain mills. There were 13 Farmers Associations with 10,567 members and 9 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 7634 members. Jimma Arjo has 8 kilometers of dry weather road and 30 all-weather road, for an average of road density of 51.2 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 17.5% of the total population has access to drinking water
.
This woreda was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
in 2003 as an area for voluntary resettlement for farmers from overpopulated areas. While the majority were resettled in Jimma Arjo, including Gida Kiremu
and Guto Wayu a total of 8435 heads of households and 31,781 total family members were resettled in Misraq Welega that year. Hawa Welele was selected again the next year and along with Amuru Jarte
, Bila Seyo
, Gida Kiremu, Ibantu
, Limmu
and Nunu Kumba, Gida Kiremu became the new home of another 22,462 heads of households and 112,310 total family members.
Currently, One big industry is under construction which is aimed to produce triple products viz: sugar, ethanol, and Chipwood. This may be a good opportunity for the area as it could create vast employment opportunity. Likewise, service sector is beneficiary from this industry after its accomplishment. Arjo, has served as a capital of the area for graeter than 130 years. Dano Bera, the local leader (Moti) of the area had been administering the Area (Leqa Dulacha in her earlier name) making Arjo as his center. Hence, she had been among few urban center's of West Oromia. Neftegna Rulers like Ras Mekonnen Demissew had also occupied and ruled the area for longer times considering the town as a strategic for war.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 93,459, of whom 48,553 are men and 44,906 are women; 11,684 or 12.50% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 13.9%. With an estimated area of 741.41 square kilometers, Jimma Arjo has an estimated population density of 126.1 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 81.4.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 66,044, of whom 31,812 were men and 34,232 women; 6,539 or 9.9% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Jimma Arjo were the Oromo
(97.24%), and the Amhara
(2.48%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.28% of the population. Oromiffa
was spoken as a first language by 99.48%. The majority of the inhabitants were Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 81.57% of the population reporting they observed this belief, while 7.64% of the population said they were Protestant
, 5.37% practiced traditional beliefs, and 5.23% were Moslem
.
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 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 name of one of the subgroups of the Oromo people
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...
, the Jimma Arjo. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone
Misraq Welega Zone
Misraq Welega is one of the 12 Zones in the Ethiopian Region of Oromia. This zone acquired its name from the former province of Welega...
, Jimma Arjo is bordered on the southwest by the Didessa River
Didessa River
The Didessa River is a river in western Ethiopia. A tributary of the Abay River, it rises in the mountains of Gomma, flowing in a northwestern direction to its confluence where the course of the Abay has curved to its southernmost point before turning northwards at about...
which separates it from the Illubabor Zone
Illubabor Zone
Illubabor is one of the 17 zones of the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Illubabor is named for the former province Illubabor. It is bordered on the south by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, on the southwest by the Gambela Region, on the west by Misraq Welega, on the north by the...
, on the northwest by Diga Leka
Diga Leka
Diga Leka is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone, Diga Leka is bordered on the south by an exclave of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the west by the Didessa River which separates it from the Illubabor Zone on the southwest and the Mirab Welega...
, on the northeast by Guto Wayu
Guto Wayu
Guto Wayu is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone, Guto Wayu is bordered on the south by Nunu Kumba, on the southwest by Jimma Arjo and Diga Leka, on the west by Sasiga, on the northwest by Limmu and Gida Kiremu, on the northeast by Bila Seyo, on...
, and on the southeast by Nunu Kumba
Nunu Kumba
Nunu Kumba is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone, Nunu Kumba is bordered on the southwest by the Didessa River which separates it from the Illubabor Zone, on the northwest by Jimma Arjo, on the north by Guto Wayu, on the northeast by Wama Bonaya,...
. The administrative center of this woreda is Arjo.
Overview
Except for the Didessa RiverDidessa River
The Didessa River is a river in western Ethiopia. A tributary of the Abay River, it rises in the mountains of Gomma, flowing in a northwestern direction to its confluence where the course of the Abay has curved to its southernmost point before turning northwards at about...
valley, this woreda is considered highland. Other rivers include the Chancho and Horo Rivers. Local landmarks include the Gambela Cave. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 59.8% is arable or cultivable, 9.6% pasture, 8.4% forest, and the remaining 22.2% is considered swampy, mountainous or otherwise unusable. Coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
is an important cash crop of this woreda, and over 50 square kilometers are planted in this crop.
Industry in the woreda includes 27 grain mills. There were 13 Farmers Associations with 10,567 members and 9 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 7634 members. Jimma Arjo has 8 kilometers of dry weather road and 30 all-weather road, for an average of road density of 51.2 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 17.5% 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...
.
This woreda 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 2003 as an area for voluntary resettlement for farmers from overpopulated areas. While the majority were resettled in Jimma Arjo, including Gida Kiremu
Gida Kiremu
Gida Kiremu is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone, Gida Kiremu is bordered on the south by Guto Wayu, on the west by Limmu, on the northwest by Ibantu, on the north by the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the east by Amuru Jarte, and on the southeast...
and Guto Wayu a total of 8435 heads of households and 31,781 total family members were resettled in Misraq Welega that year. Hawa Welele was selected again the next year and along with Amuru Jarte
Amuru Jarte
Amuru Jarte is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone, Amuru Jarte is bordered on the south by Jimma Horo, on the southwest by Abe Dongoro, on the west by Gida Kiremu, on the north by the Abay River which separates it from the Amhara Region, and on...
, Bila Seyo
Bila Seyo
Bila Seyo is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone, Bila Seyo is bordered on the south by Wama Bonaya, on the southwest by Sibu Sire, on the west by Guto Wayu, on the north by Abe Dongoro, on the northeast by Jimma Horo, and on the east by the...
, Gida Kiremu, Ibantu
Ibantu
Ibantu is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone, Ibantu is bordered on the south by Limmu, on the west and north by the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, and on the east by Gida Kiremu. The administrative center of this woreda is Hinde.- Overview :Important...
, Limmu
Limmu (woreda)
Limmu is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Welega Zone, Limmu is bordered on the south by an exclave of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the southwest by Sasiga, on the west by the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the north by Ibantu, and on the east by Gida...
and Nunu Kumba, Gida Kiremu became the new home of another 22,462 heads of households and 112,310 total family members.
Currently, One big industry is under construction which is aimed to produce triple products viz: sugar, ethanol, and Chipwood. This may be a good opportunity for the area as it could create vast employment opportunity. Likewise, service sector is beneficiary from this industry after its accomplishment. Arjo, has served as a capital of the area for graeter than 130 years. Dano Bera, the local leader (Moti) of the area had been administering the Area (Leqa Dulacha in her earlier name) making Arjo as his center. Hence, she had been among few urban center's of West Oromia. Neftegna Rulers like Ras Mekonnen Demissew had also occupied and ruled the area for longer times considering the town as a strategic for war.
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 93,459, of whom 48,553 are men and 44,906 are women; 11,684 or 12.50% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 13.9%. With an estimated area of 741.41 square kilometers, Jimma Arjo has an estimated population density of 126.1 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 81.4.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 66,044, of whom 31,812 were men and 34,232 women; 6,539 or 9.9% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Jimma Arjo 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...
(97.24%), 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...
(2.48%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.28% 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 99.48%. The majority of the inhabitants were Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 81.57% of the population reporting they observed this belief, while 7.64% of the population said they were Protestant
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...
, 5.37% practiced traditional beliefs, and 5.23% were Moslem
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...
.