Offa (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Offa is one of the 77 woreda
s in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia
. Part of the Wolayita Zone
, Offa is bordered on the south by the Gamo Gofa Zone
, on the west by the Dawro Zone
, on the northwest by Kindo Koysha
, on the northeast by Sodo Zuria
, and on the east by Humbo
. The administrative center of Offa is Gesuba.
According to a 2004 report, Offa had 22 kilometers of all-weather roads and 56 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 133 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.
Prior to the Ethiopian 2005 General Elections
, Amnesty International
reports that a total of 38 Coalition for Unity and Democracy
members were arrested in Offa between 11 and 17 February, and held for seven days on the accusation they held their campaign meeting without giving police 48 hours notice. Amnesty International included this incident as part of a series of government intimidation of opposition party activists.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 158,084, of whom 79,562 are men and 78,522 are women; 5,309 or 3.36% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 8.5%. With an estimated area of 588.13 square kilometers, Offa has an estimated population density of 268.8 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 156.5.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 111,384 of whom 55,323 were men and 56,061 were women; 2,931 or 2.63% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Offa was the Welayta
(99.21%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.79% of the population. Welayta
was the dominant first language, spoken by 99.34% of the inhabitants; the remaining 0.66% spoke all other primary languages reported.
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 Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region 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 Wolayita Zone
Wolayita Zone
Wolayita is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . it is named for the Welayta people, whose homeland lies in this Zone...
, Offa is bordered on the south by the Gamo Gofa Zone
Gamo Gofa Zone
Gamo Gofa is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . It is named for the Gamo and Gofa peoples, whose homelands lie in this Zone...
, on the west by the Dawro Zone
Dawro Zone
Dawro is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . it is named for the Welayta people, whose homeland lies in this Zone...
, on the northwest by Kindo Koysha
Kindo Koysha
Kindo Koysha is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Wolayita Zone, Kindo Koysha is bordered on the south by Offa, on the west by the Dawro Zone, on the north by Boloso Sore, and on the east by Sodo Zuria...
, on the northeast by Sodo Zuria
Sodo Zuria
Sodo Zuria is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Wolayita Zone, Sodo Zuria is bordered on the southwest by Offa, on the west by Kindo Koysha, on the north by Boloso Sore, on the northeast by Damot Gale, and on the east by Damot...
, and on the east by Humbo
Humbo
Humbo is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Wolayita Zone located in the Great Rift Valley, Humbo is bordered on the south by Lake Abaya which separates it from the Oromia Region, on the southwest by the Gamo Gofa Zone, on the...
. The administrative center of Offa is Gesuba.
According to a 2004 report, Offa had 22 kilometers of all-weather roads and 56 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 133 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.
Prior to the Ethiopian 2005 General Elections
Ethiopian general elections, 2005
Ethiopia held general elections on May 15, 2005, for seats in both its national and in four regional government councils. Under pressure from the international community, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi promised that this election would be proof that more democracy would come in this multi-ethnic...
, Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
reports that a total of 38 Coalition for Unity and Democracy
Coalition for Unity and Democracy
The Coalition for Unity and Democracy is a coalition of four existing political parties of Ethiopia which combined to compete for seats in the Ethiopian General Elections held on May 15, 2005. Its leader is Dr...
members were arrested in Offa between 11 and 17 February, and held for seven days on the accusation they held their campaign meeting without giving police 48 hours notice. Amnesty International included this incident as part of a series of government intimidation of opposition party activists.
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 158,084, of whom 79,562 are men and 78,522 are women; 5,309 or 3.36% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 8.5%. With an estimated area of 588.13 square kilometers, Offa has an estimated population density of 268.8 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 156.5.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 111,384 of whom 55,323 were men and 56,061 were women; 2,931 or 2.63% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Offa was the Welayta
Welayta people
Wolayta is the name of an ethnic group and its former kingdom, located in southern Ethiopia. According to the most recent census , they number 1.7 million people or 2.31 percent of the country's population, of whom 289,707 are urban inhabitants...
(99.21%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.79% of the population. Welayta
Welayta language
Wolaytta is an Omotic language spoken in the Wolaita Zone and some parts of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region of Ethiopia. The number of speakers of this language is estimated at 2,000,000 ; it is the native language of the Welayta people...
was the dominant first language, spoken by 99.34% of the inhabitants; the remaining 0.66% spoke all other primary languages reported.