Mirab Welega Zone
Encyclopedia
Mirab Welega is one of the 12 Zones in the Ethiopia
n Region of Oromia. This zone is named after the former province of Welega
, whose western part lay in the area Mirab Misraq now occupies.
Mirab Wellega is bordered on the south by the Gambela Region
, on the west by South Sudan
, on the north by the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the east for a short space by Misraq Welega
, and on the southeast by Illubabor
. Its highest point is Mount Welel
. Towns and cities in Mirab Welega include Dembidolo
, Gimbi
, Mendi
, and Nejo
.
The Central Statistical Agency
(CSA) reported that 40,606 tons of coffee
were produced in Mirab and Misraq Welega combined in the year ending in 2005, based on inspection records from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea authority. This represents 35.3% of the Region's output and 17.9% of Ethiopia's total output.
of Ethiopia (CSA), this Zone has a total population of 1,350,415, of whom 671,538 are men and 678,877 women; with an area of 10,833.19 square kilometers, Mirab Welega has a population density of 124.66. While 146,672 or 7.39% are urban inhabitants, a further 2,578 or 0.19% are pastoralists. A total of 266,773 households were counted in this Zone, which results in an average of 5.06 persons to a household, and 250,473 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this Zone of 1,547,075 in 289,555 households, of whom 766,461 were men and 780,614 women; 132,525 or 8.57% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Mirab Welega were the Oromo
(96.07%), the Amhara
(2.4%), and the Mao (0.86%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.67% of the population. Oromiffa
was spoken as a first language by 96.68%, 2.24% Amharic
, and 0.67% spoke Mao
; the remaining 0.41% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 44.03% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 37.28% of the population said they were Protestant
, 16.88% were Muslim
, and 1.1% were Catholic
.
According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank
memorandum, 7% of the inhabitants of Mirab Welega have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 38.5 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers (compared to the national average of 30 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 1.14 for the Oromia Region) and the equivalent of 0.8 heads of livestock. 20.7% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a Regional average of 24%. Concerning education
, 71% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 29% in secondary schools. Concerning health
, 87% of the zone is exposed to malaria
, and 71% to Tsetse fly
. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 369.
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...
n Region of Oromia. This zone is named after the former province of Welega
Welega Province
Welega was a province in the western part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Nekemte. It was named for the Welega Oromo, who are the majority of the population within its boundaries....
, whose western part lay in the area Mirab Misraq now occupies.
Mirab Wellega is bordered on the south by the Gambela Region
Gambela Region
Gambela is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia. Previously known as "Region 12", its capital is Gambela. Lying between the Baro and Akobo Rivers, the western part of Gambela includes the Baro salient....
, on the west by South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
, on the north by the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the east for a short space by Misraq Welega
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...
, and on the southeast by Illubabor
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...
. Its highest point is Mount Welel
Mount Welel
Mount Welel is a mountain in southwestern Ethiopia. Located in the Mirab Welega Zone of the Oromia Region, it has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of above sea level...
. Towns and cities in Mirab Welega include Dembidolo
Dembidolo
Dembidolo is a market town in southwestern Ethiopia. Located in the Mirab Welega Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation between 1701 and 1827 meters above sea level....
, Gimbi
Gimbi
Gimbi is a town in western Ethiopia. Located in the West Welega Zone of the Oromia Region, it has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation between 1845 and 1930 meters above sea level. It is the administrative center of Gimbi woreda....
, Mendi
Mendi, Ethiopia
Mendi is a town in western Ethiopia. Located in the Mirab Welega Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 1538 meters above sea level. It is the administrative center of Mana Sibu woreda....
, and Nejo
Nejo
Nejo is a town in western Ethiopia. Located in the Mirab Welega Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1821 meters above sea level. It is the administrative center of Nejo woreda...
.
The Central Statistical Agency
Central 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...
(CSA) reported that 40,606 tons of coffee
Coffee production in Ethiopia
The coffee production in Ethiopia is critical to the Ethiopian economy with about 25% of the population depending directly or indirectly on coffee for its livelihood...
were produced in Mirab and Misraq Welega combined in the year ending in 2005, based on inspection records from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea authority. This represents 35.3% of the Region's output and 17.9% of Ethiopia's total output.
Demographics
Based on the 2007 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 Zone has a total population of 1,350,415, of whom 671,538 are men and 678,877 women; with an area of 10,833.19 square kilometers, Mirab Welega has a population density of 124.66. While 146,672 or 7.39% are urban inhabitants, a further 2,578 or 0.19% are pastoralists. A total of 266,773 households were counted in this Zone, which results in an average of 5.06 persons to a household, and 250,473 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this Zone of 1,547,075 in 289,555 households, of whom 766,461 were men and 780,614 women; 132,525 or 8.57% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Mirab Welega 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...
(96.07%), 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...
(2.4%), and the Mao (0.86%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.67% 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 96.68%, 2.24% 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...
, and 0.67% spoke Mao
Mao languages
The Mao languages are a branch of the Omotic languages spoken in Ethiopia. This group comprises Bambasi spoken in the Bambasi woreda of Benishangul-Gumuz Region, Hozo and Seze spoken around Begi in the Mirab Welega Zone of the Oromia Region, and Ganza, which is spoken south of Bambasi in the...
; the remaining 0.41% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 44.03% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 37.28% 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...
, 16.88% 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...
, and 1.1% were Catholic
Roman Catholicism in Ethiopia
The Catholic Church in Ethiopia is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.The Ethiopian Catholic Church, the primary organization of Catholicism in the country, is especially close to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, whose doctrine and...
.
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, 7% of the inhabitants of Mirab Welega have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 38.5 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers (compared to the national average of 30 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 1.14 for the Oromia Region) and the equivalent of 0.8 heads of livestock. 20.7% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a Regional average of 24%. 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...
, 71% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 29% in secondary schools. Concerning health
Health in Ethiopia
Metrics of health in Ethiopia are among the world's worst. According to the U.S. government, Ethiopia's health care system is wholly inadequate, even after recent improvements. The Ethiopian government has launched a campaign to improve the health care system....
, 87% 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 71% 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 369.