Kewet (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Kewet is one of the 105 woreda
s in the Amhara Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Semien Shewa Zone, Kewet is bordered on the southwest by Termaber, on the northwest by Mam Midrina Lalo Midir
, on the north by Efratana Gidim
, and on the east and south by Afar Region
. The major town in Kewet is Shewa Robit
.
Between 1994 and 2004 the boundaries of Kewet changed slightly. One kebele
was transferred to Termaber and several kebeles north of Shewa Robit were moved into the Afar Region.
The Argobba
villages in this woreda are located in the kebeles of Guze -- which include Wankar, Dedeger, Bosen, Alwad, and Kelebar Mashla, arranged around the foot of Guze Guba -- and Rasa Guba. The hill of Guze Guba, according to local elders interviewed by Kebedde Geleta, having "only one entrance and one exit always guarded by watchment" served the Argobba "both as a settlement and a fort." Kebedde's article includes an inventory of the mosques in these villages, which include one containing household items said to belong to Sheikh Faqi Ahmed and another in ruins, as well as several cemeteries including the one containing the tomb of "Sheikh Hussein from Arsi, son of Yeliuyuy".
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 118,381, an increase of 9.97% over the 1994 census, of whom 60,934 are men and 57,447 women; 17,575 or 14.85% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 785.85 square kilometers, Kewet has a population density of 150.64, which is greater than the Zone average of 115.3 persons per square kilometer. A total of 29,058 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.07 persons to a household, and 28,104 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 107,644 in 19,714 households, of whom 54,559 were men and 53,085 were women; 14,287 or 13.27% of its population were urban dwellers. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Kewet were the Amhara
(87.98%), the Argobba (7.55%), and the Oromo
(3.86%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.61% of the population. Amharic
was spoken as a first language by 93.8%, Oromiffa
by 3.75%, and Argobba
by 1.99%; the remaining 0.46% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 80.3% reporting that as their religion, while 19.38% were Muslim
.
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 Semien Shewa Zone, Kewet is bordered on the southwest by Termaber, on the northwest by Mam Midrina Lalo Midir
Mam Midrina Lalo Midir
Mam Midrina Lalo Midir is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. It is named in part after the central and southern districts of the former province of Menz, Mama Meder and Lalo Meder...
, on the north by Efratana Gidim
Efratana Gidim
Efratana Gidim is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. It is named after two historic districts that were part of the former autonomous kingdom of Shewa, Efrata and Gedem...
, and on the east and south by Afar Region
Afar Region
Afar is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia, and is the homeland of the Afar people. Formerly known as Region 2, its current capital is Asayita; a new capital named Semera on the paved Awash - Asseb highway is under construction....
. The major town in Kewet is Shewa Robit
Shewa Robit
Shewa Robit is a town in north-central Ethiopia. Located in the Semien Shewa Zone of the Amhara Region, this town has a longitude and latitude of with an elevation of 1280 meters above sea level...
.
Between 1994 and 2004 the boundaries of Kewet changed slightly. One kebele
Kebele
A kebele is the smallest administrative unit of Ethiopia similar to ward, a neighbourhood or a localized and delimited group of people...
was transferred to Termaber and several kebeles north of Shewa Robit were moved into the Afar Region.
The Argobba
Argobba people
The Argobba are a Muslim people group that is spread out through isolated village networks and towns in the northeast and east of Ethiopia. The Argobba have typically been astute traders and merchants, and have adjusted to the economic trends in their area...
villages in this woreda are located in the kebeles of Guze -- which include Wankar, Dedeger, Bosen, Alwad, and Kelebar Mashla, arranged around the foot of Guze Guba -- and Rasa Guba. The hill of Guze Guba, according to local elders interviewed by Kebedde Geleta, having "only one entrance and one exit always guarded by watchment" served the Argobba "both as a settlement and a fort." Kebedde's article includes an inventory of the mosques in these villages, which include one containing household items said to belong to Sheikh Faqi Ahmed and another in ruins, as well as several cemeteries including the one containing the tomb of "Sheikh Hussein from Arsi, son of Yeliuyuy".
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 118,381, an increase of 9.97% over the 1994 census, of whom 60,934 are men and 57,447 women; 17,575 or 14.85% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 785.85 square kilometers, Kewet has a population density of 150.64, which is greater than the Zone average of 115.3 persons per square kilometer. A total of 29,058 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.07 persons to a household, and 28,104 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 107,644 in 19,714 households, of whom 54,559 were men and 53,085 were women; 14,287 or 13.27% of its population were urban dwellers. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Kewet were 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...
(87.98%), the Argobba (7.55%), and 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...
(3.86%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.61% of the population. 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 93.8%, 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...
by 3.75%, and Argobba
Argobba language
Argobba is an Ethiopian Semitic spoken in an area north-east of Addis Ababa by the Argobba people. It belongs to the South Ethiopian Semitic subgroup together with Amharic and the Gurage languages...
by 1.99%; the remaining 0.46% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 80.3% reporting that as their religion, while 19.38% 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...
.