Tahtay Koraro
Encyclopedia
Tahtay Koraro is one of the 36 woreda
s in the Tigray Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Mi'irabawi Zone
, Tahtay Koraro is bordered on the southwest by Asigede Tsimbela
, on the north by La'ilay Adiyabo
, and on the southeast by Medebay Zana
. The administrative center of this woreda is Inda Selassie; other towns in Tahtay Koraro include Semema.
Local landmarks in this woreda includes Mai Adrasha, an archeological site showing an uninterrupted chronological range from the Pre-Aksumite through the Late Aksumite periods (c. 800 BC - AD 700) - an indication of the site's importance both as a long-lived habitation in the area, and as the westernmost known example of this chronological range.
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 68,989, an increase of 83,492 over the 1994 census, of whom 34,477 are men and 34,512 women are urban inhabitants. With an area of 1,940.38 square kilometers, Tahtay Koraro has a population density of 35.55, which is less than the Zone average of 40.21. A total of 14,273 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.83 persons to a household, and 13,842 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 83,492, of whom 40,933 were men and 42,559 were women; 25,991 or 31.13% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Tahtay Koraro was the Tigrayan
(98.98%), and Tigrinya
was spoken as a first language by 98.97%. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 92.27% reporting that as their religion, while 7.67% were Muslim
. Concerning education
, 20.8% of the population were considered literate, which is greater than the Zone average of 9.01%; 33.01% of the children aged 7-12 were in primary school, which is greater than the Zone average of 11.34%; 3.38% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school, which is also greater than the Zone average of 0.65%; and 4.11% of the children aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school, which is greater than the Zone average of 0.51%. Concerning sanitary conditions
, about 80% of the urban houses and 35% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; about 32% of the urban and 12% of all houses had toilet facilities.
, and 2.25% was devoted to other uses. For the land under cultivation in this woreda, 82.94% is planted in cereals, 7.01% in pulses, 0.97% in oilseeds, and 0.42% in vegetables. Eight hectares were planted in fruit trees. 80.27% of the farmers both raise crops and livestock, while 17.99% only grow crops and 1.74% only raise livestock. Land tenure in this woreda is distributed amongst 79.65% owning their land, 18.84% renting, and those holding their land under other forms of tenure 1.5%.
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 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...
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 Mi'irabawi Zone
Mi'irabawi Zone
Mi'irabawi is one of four Zones in the Ethiopian Tigray Region. Mi'irabawi is bordered on the east by the Mehakelegnaw Zone, the south by the Amhara Region, the west by Sudan and on the north by Eritrea...
, Tahtay Koraro is bordered on the southwest by Asigede Tsimbela
Asigede Tsimbela
Asegede Tsimbela is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mi'irabawi Zone, Asegede Tsimbela is bordered along the south by the Tekezé River which separates the woreda on the south from Tselemti and to the west by Wolqayt, then on the northwest by La'ilay Adiyabo, on...
, on the north by La'ilay Adiyabo
La'ilay Adiyabo
La'ilay Adiyabo is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mi'irabawi Zone, La'ilay Adiyabo is bordered on the south by Tahtay Koraro, on the southwest by Asigede Tsimbela, on the northwest by Tahtay Adiyabo, on the northeast by the Mareb River which separates it from...
, and on the southeast by Medebay Zana
Medebay Zana
Medebay Zana is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mi'irabawi Zone, Medebay Zana is bordered on the south by the Tekezé River which separates Tahtay Adiyabo from Tselemti, on the southwest by Asigede Tsimbela, on the northwest by Tahtay Koraro, on the north by...
. The administrative center of this woreda is Inda Selassie; other towns in Tahtay Koraro include Semema.
Local landmarks in this woreda includes Mai Adrasha, an archeological site showing an uninterrupted chronological range from the Pre-Aksumite through the Late Aksumite periods (c. 800 BC - AD 700) - an indication of the site's importance both as a long-lived habitation in the area, and as the westernmost known example of this chronological range.
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 68,989, an increase of 83,492 over the 1994 census, of whom 34,477 are men and 34,512 women are urban inhabitants. With an area of 1,940.38 square kilometers, Tahtay Koraro has a population density of 35.55, which is less than the Zone average of 40.21. A total of 14,273 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.83 persons to a household, and 13,842 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 83,492, of whom 40,933 were men and 42,559 were women; 25,991 or 31.13% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Tahtay Koraro was 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...
(98.98%), and 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...
was spoken as a first language by 98.97%. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 92.27% reporting that as their religion, while 7.67% 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...
, 20.8% of the population were considered literate, which is greater than the Zone average of 9.01%; 33.01% of the children aged 7-12 were in primary school, which is greater than the Zone average of 11.34%; 3.38% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school, which is also greater than the Zone average of 0.65%; and 4.11% of the children aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school, which is greater than the Zone average of 0.51%. Concerning sanitary conditions
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...
, about 80% of the urban houses and 35% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; about 32% of the urban and 12% of all houses had toilet facilities.
Agriculture
A sample enumeration performed by the CSA in 2001 interviewed 13,859 farmers in this woreda, who held an average of 0.85 hectares of land. Of the 11,765 hectares of private land surveyed in Tahtay Koraro, 91.76% was under cultivation, 0.68% pasture, 5.3% fallow, 0.01% woodlandForestry in Ethiopia
In the late nineteenth century, about 30% of Ethiopia was covered with forest. The clearing of land for agricultural use and the cutting of trees for fuel gradually changed the scene, and today forest areas have dwindled to less than 4% of Ethiopia's total land. The northern parts of the highlands...
, and 2.25% was devoted to other uses. For the land under cultivation in this woreda, 82.94% is planted in cereals, 7.01% in pulses, 0.97% in oilseeds, and 0.42% in vegetables. Eight hectares were planted in fruit trees. 80.27% of the farmers both raise crops and livestock, while 17.99% only grow crops and 1.74% only raise livestock. Land tenure in this woreda is distributed amongst 79.65% owning their land, 18.84% renting, and those holding their land under other forms of tenure 1.5%.