Kamashi Zone
Encyclopedia
Kamashi is one of the three Zones in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia
. It covers part of the southern bank of the Abay and the valley of the Didessa River
s. The Zone is bordered on the south and east by the Oromia Region
, on the west by the Dabus River
which separates it from Asosa
and on the north by Metekel
and the Amhara Region
, which lie on the further bank of the Abay.
Rivers in Kamashi include the Didessa
.
in 2005, this zone has an estimated total population of 67,361, of whom 34,150 are men and 33,211 are women. With an estimated area of 8,850.96 square kilometers, Kamashi has an estimated population density of 7.61 people per square kilometer. Information is lacking on the towns of this zone.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this Zone of 50,783 in 9,963 households, of whom 25,862 were men and 24,921 were women. The three largest ethnic groups reported in the Kamashi Zone were the Gumuz (76.1%), the Oromo
(18.6%), and the Berta
(4.5%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.8% of the population. Gumuz
is spoken by 76% of the population, Oromiffa
as a first language by 18.6% and as a second language by 48.3%, and Berta
by 4.5%; the remaining 0.9% spoke all other primary languages reported. While 46.7% speak only one language, Oromiffo is spoken as a second language by 48.3%, Gumuz by 3.9% and Amharic
by 1.8%. Most of the inhabitants followed traditional beliefs, with 43.6% of the population reporting beliefs reported under that category, while 27% were Protestant
, 26% Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 5.8% were Muslim
. Concerning education
, 11.36% of the population were considered literate; 9.02% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school, a negligible number of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school, and only 0.08% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 in senior secondary school. 3.6% of all houses had access to safe drinking water
, and 2.4% had toilet facilities at the time of the census.
According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank
memorandum, none of the inhabitants of Kamashi have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 21.2 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers, the average rural household has 1.2 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and an average of 2.25 for pastoral Regions) and the equivalent of 0.3 heads of livestock. 15.4% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and an average of 28% for pastoral Regions. 84% of the zone is exposed to malaria
, and 100% to Tsetse fly
. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 387.
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 covers part of the southern bank of the Abay and the valley of 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...
s. The Zone is bordered on the south and east by the Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
, on the west by the Dabus River
Dabus River
The Dabus River is a north-flowing tributary of the Abay River in southwestern Ethiopia; it joins its parent stream at . The Dabus has a drainage area of about 21,032 square kilometers....
which separates it from Asosa
Asosa Zone
Asosa is one of the three Zones in Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. This Zone was named after the Asosa Sultanate, which had approximately the same boundaries. Asosa is bordered on the south by the Mao-Komo special woreda, on the west by Sudan, on the northeast by the Abay River which...
and on the north by Metekel
Metekel Zone
Metekel is one of the three Zones in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia, named after the former Metekkel province. It is bordered on the south by Kamashi, on the southwest by Asosa, on the west by Sudan, and on the north and east by the Amhara Region...
and 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....
, which lie on the further bank of the Abay.
Rivers in Kamashi include the Didessa
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...
.
Demographics
Based on figures from 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 zone has an estimated total population of 67,361, of whom 34,150 are men and 33,211 are women. With an estimated area of 8,850.96 square kilometers, Kamashi has an estimated population density of 7.61 people per square kilometer. Information is lacking on the towns of this zone.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this Zone of 50,783 in 9,963 households, of whom 25,862 were men and 24,921 were women. The three largest ethnic groups reported in the Kamashi Zone were the Gumuz (76.1%), 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...
(18.6%), and the Berta
Berta people
The Berta or Bertha are an ethnic group living along the border of Sudan and Ethiopia. They speak a Nilo-Saharan language that is not related to those of their Nilo-Saharan neighbors . Their total Ethiopian population is about 183,000 people....
(4.5%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.8% of the population. Gumuz
Gumuz language
Gumuz is a dialect cluster spoken along the border of Ethiopia and Sudan. Most Ethiopian speakers live in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, although a group of 1,000 live outside the town of Welkite...
is spoken by 76% 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...
as a first language by 18.6% and as a second language by 48.3%, and Berta
Berta language
Berta, Wetawit, is spoken by the Berta in Sudan and Ethiopia. It is a language isolate which has been also included as branch of the proposed Nilo-Saharan language family. It has the typical word order subject–verb–object. It is a tonal language. It has significantly influenced some of the...
by 4.5%; the remaining 0.9% spoke all other primary languages reported. While 46.7% speak only one language, Oromiffo is spoken as a second language by 48.3%, Gumuz by 3.9% and 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...
by 1.8%. Most of the inhabitants followed traditional beliefs, with 43.6% of the population reporting beliefs reported under that category, while 27% 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...
, 26% Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 5.8% 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...
. 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...
, 11.36% of the population were considered literate; 9.02% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school, a negligible number of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school, and only 0.08% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 in senior secondary school. 3.6% of all houses had access to safe 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...
, and 2.4% had toilet facilities at the time of the census.
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, none of the inhabitants of Kamashi have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 21.2 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers, the average rural household has 1.2 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and an average of 2.25 for pastoral Regions) and the equivalent of 0.3 heads of livestock. 15.4% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and an average of 28% for pastoral Regions. 84% 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 100% 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 387.