Kalu (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Kalu is one of the 105 woreda
s in the Amhara Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Debub Wollo Zone
, Kalu is bordered on the west by Dessie Zuria
, on the north by Were Babu
, and on the south and east by the Oromia Zone
. The administrative center for this woreda is Harbu; other towns in Kalu include Ancharo
, and Degaga.
The altitude of this woreda ranges from 800 meters above sea level in the lowlands bordering the Oromia Zone to 1,750 meters at the foot of the mountains north of Kombolcha
; the climate of Kalu varies from dry sub-humid to semi-arid. Important rivers include the Cheleleka and Borkana
. Forested area includes Yegof forest, 180 square kilometers of native trees and plantations of exotic species covering the steep slopes of Mount Yegof northeast of Kombolcha, which regenerated after the 1973-1974 famine
.
In 2002, a number of kebele
s were taken from Kalu and Dessie Zuria to create the new woreda of Abuko.
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 186,181, an increase of 9.18% over the 1994 census, of whom 94,187 are men and 91,994 women; 19,810 or 10.64% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 851.54 square kilometers, Kalu has a population density of 218.64, which is greater than the Zone average of 147.58 persons per square kilometer. A total of 41,648 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.47 persons to a household, and 40,115 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 170,523 in 34,681 households, of whom 85,326 were men and 85,197 were women; 9,897 or 5.8% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Kalu was the Amhara
(99.24%). Amharic
was spoken as a first language by 99.27%. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim
, with 96.76% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 3.14% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.
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 Amhara Region
Amhara Region
Amhara is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia, containing the homeland of the Amhara people. Previously known as Region 3, its capital is Bahir Dar....
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...
. Part of the Debub Wollo Zone
Debub Wollo Zone
Debub Wollo is one of 10 Zones in the Ethiopian Amhara Region. It acquired its name from the former province of Wollo.Debub Wollo is bordered on the south by Semien Shewa and the Oromia Region, on the west by Mirab Gojjam, on the northwest by Debub Gondar, on the north by Semien Wollo and on the...
, Kalu is bordered on the west by Dessie Zuria
Dessie Zuria
Dessie Zuria is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Located at the eastern edge of the Ethiopian highlands in the Debub Wollo Zone, Dessie Zuria is bordered on the south by Were Ilu, on the west by Legambo, on the northwest by Tenta, on the north by Kutaber, on the northeast...
, on the north by Were Babu
Were Babu
Were Babu is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Debub Wollo Zone, Were Babu is bordered on the south by Kalu, on the west by Tehuledere, on the north by the Mille River which separates it from the Semien Wollo Zone, on the east by the Afar Region, and on the...
, and on the south and east by the Oromia Zone
Oromia Zone
Oromia is one of 10 Zones in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Oromia is named for the Oromo people, who settled along the edge of the Ethiopian highlands that form this Zone. Oromia is bordered on the southwest by Semien Shewa, on the northwest by Debub Wollo, and on the east by the Afar Region...
. The administrative center for this woreda is Harbu; other towns in Kalu include Ancharo
Ancharo
Ancharo is a town in northern Ethiopia. Located in the Debub Wollo Zone of the Amhara Region, Ancharo has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 2972 meters above sea level...
, and Degaga.
The altitude of this woreda ranges from 800 meters above sea level in the lowlands bordering the Oromia Zone to 1,750 meters at the foot of the mountains north of Kombolcha
Kombolcha
Kombolcha is a city and woreda in north-central Ethiopia. Located in the Debub Wollo Zone of the Amhara Region, it has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation between 1842 and 1915 meters above sea level...
; the climate of Kalu varies from dry sub-humid to semi-arid. Important rivers include the Cheleleka and Borkana
Borkana River
Borkana River is a river of central Ethiopia. A tributary of the Awash on the left side, the Borkana joins its parent stream at . Johann Ludwig Krapf records that it was called "Tshaffa" by the local Oromo people....
. Forested area includes Yegof forest, 180 square kilometers of native trees and plantations of exotic species covering the steep slopes of Mount Yegof northeast of Kombolcha, which regenerated after the 1973-1974 famine
Famines in Ethiopia
Traditionally the Economy of Ethiopia was based on subsistence agriculture, with an aristocracy that consumed the surplus. Due to a number of causes, the peasants lacked incentives to either improve production or to store their excess harvest; as a result, they lived from harvest to harvest.Despite...
.
In 2002, a number of kebele
Kebele
A kebele is the smallest administrative unit of Ethiopia similar to ward, a neighbourhood or a localized and delimited group of people...
s were taken from Kalu and Dessie Zuria to create the new woreda of Abuko.
Demographics
Based on the 2007 national 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 woreda has a total population of 186,181, an increase of 9.18% over the 1994 census, of whom 94,187 are men and 91,994 women; 19,810 or 10.64% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 851.54 square kilometers, Kalu has a population density of 218.64, which is greater than the Zone average of 147.58 persons per square kilometer. A total of 41,648 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.47 persons to a household, and 40,115 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 170,523 in 34,681 households, of whom 85,326 were men and 85,197 were women; 9,897 or 5.8% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Kalu was 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...
(99.24%). 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...
was spoken as a first language by 99.27%. 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 96.76% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 3.14% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.
Further reading
- Ege, Svein and Harald Aspen, "On the brink of famine: Ch'orisa, Qalu, 2002." Trondheim, NTNU, 2003.