Sanja (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Sanja is one of the 105 woreda
s in the Amhara Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Semien Gondar Zone
, Sanja is bordered on the south by Chilga
, on the southwest by Metemma
, on the west by Sudan
, on the north by the Tigray Region
, on the northeast by Debarq
, on the east by Dabat
, and on the southeast by Wegera
and Lay Armachiho
. Towns in Sanja include Abderafi and Kirakir.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 143,929, of whom 70,585 are men and 73,344 are women; 6,799 or 4.72% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 14.1%. With an estimated area of 8,332.84 square kilometers, Sanja has an estimated population density of 17.3 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 60.23.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 105,751 in 20,428 households, of whom 54,405 were men and 51,346 women; 3,891 or 3.68% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Sanja were the Amhara
(96.89%), and the Tigrayan
(2.68%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.43% of the population. Amharic
was spoken as a first language by 96.61%, and 3.21% spoke Tigrinya
; the remaining 0.18% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 98.66% embracing that faith, while 1.25% of the population said they 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 Gondar Zone
Semien Gondar Zone
Semien Gondar is a Zone in the Ethiopian Amhara Region. This Zone is named for the city of Gondar, the capital of Ethiopia until the mid-19th century, which has often been used as a name for the 20th century province of Begemder....
, Sanja is bordered on the south by Chilga
Chilga
Chilga is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. It is named after its chief town Chilga , an important stopping point on the historic Gondar-Sudan trade route...
, on the southwest by Metemma
Metemma (woreda)
Metemma is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Semien Gondar Zone, Metemma is bordered on the south by Qwara, on the west by Sudan, on the north by Sanja, and on the east by Chilga...
, on the west by Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, on the north by the Tigray Region
Tigray Region
Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine ethnic regions of Ethiopia containing the homeland of the Tigray people. It was formerly known as Region 1...
, on the northeast by Debarq
Debarq (woreda)
Debarq is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. It is named after its largest town, Debarq. Part of the Semien Gondar Zone, Debarq is bordered on the south by Dabat, on the west by Sanja, on the northwest by the Tigray Region, on the north by Addi Arkay, and on the east by Jan...
, on the east by Dabat
Dabat (woreda)
Dabat is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Semien Gondar Zone, Dabat is bordered on the south by Wegera, on the west by Sanja, and on the northeast by Debarq. Towns in Dabat include Dabat and Wekin....
, and on the southeast by Wegera
Wegera (woreda)
Wegera or Wogera is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Wegera is named for the former province Wegera, which was located roughly in the same location, and was later made part of the province of Semien...
and Lay Armachiho
Lay Armachiho
Lay Armachiho is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. This woreda is named after "Armachiho", a province in northwestern northwestern Ethiopia along the border with Sudan and south of the Tekezé River...
. Towns in Sanja include Abderafi and Kirakir.
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 143,929, of whom 70,585 are men and 73,344 are women; 6,799 or 4.72% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 14.1%. With an estimated area of 8,332.84 square kilometers, Sanja has an estimated population density of 17.3 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 60.23.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 105,751 in 20,428 households, of whom 54,405 were men and 51,346 women; 3,891 or 3.68% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Sanja 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...
(96.89%), and the Tigrayan
Tigray-Tigrinya people
Tigray-Tigrinya are an ethnic group who live in the southern, central and northern parts of Eritrea and the northern highlands of Ethiopia's Tigray province. They also live in Ethiopia's former provinces of Begemder and Wollo, which are today mostly part of Amhara Region, though a few regions...
(2.68%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.43% 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 96.61%, and 3.21% spoke Tigrinya
Tigrinya language
Tigrinya , also spelled Tigrigna, Tigrnia, Tigrina, Tigriña, less commonly Tigrinian, Tigrinyan, is a Semitic language spoken by the Tigrinya people in central Eritrea , where it is one of the two main languages of Eritrea, and in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia , where it...
; the remaining 0.18% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 98.66% embracing that faith, while 1.25% of the population said they 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...
.