Wegera (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Wegera or Wogera is one of the 105 woreda
s 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
. Part of the Semien Gondar Zone
, Wegera is bordered on the south by Belessa
, on the southwest by Gondar Zuria
, on the west by Lay Armachiho
, on the northwest by Sanja
, on the north by Dabat
, and on the east by Jan Amora
. Towns in Wegera include Amba Giyorgis and Gedegbe.
Due to its inaccessibility and the lack of the most basic infrastructure, in 1999 the Regional government classified Wegera as one of its 47 drought prone and food insecure woredas.
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 220,566, an increase of 20.14% over the 1994 census, of whom 112,445 are men and 108,121 women; 18,664 or 8.46% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 1,851.52 square kilometers, Wegera has a population density of 119.13, which is greater than the Zone average of 63.76 persons per square kilometer. A total of 46,731 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.72 persons to a household, and 45,394 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 183,589 in 35,155 households, of whom 93,991 were men and 89,598 women; 8,410 or 4.58% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Wegera were the Amhara
(90.48%), and the Qemant
(9.24%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.28% of the population. Amharic
was spoken as a first language by 99.74%; the remaining 0.26% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity with 97.19% practicing that belief, while 2.76% 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...
. 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
Semien province
Semien Province was a historical province of northwest Ethiopia, often called Gondar. It was located south and west of the Tekezé River, and north of Lake Tsana. It was south west of Enderta Province, west of Tembien Province, and east of the Sudan. To some extent it covered the territory of the...
. 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....
, Wegera is bordered on the south by Belessa
Belessa
Belessa is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the former province Belessa, which lay in the same area. Part of the Semien Gondar Zone, Belessa is bordered on the south by the Debub Gondar Zone, on the west by Gondar Zuria, on the northwest by Wegera, on the...
, on the southwest by Gondar Zuria
Gondar Zuria
Gondar Zuria is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Semien Gondar Zone, Gondar Zuria is bordered on the south by the Debub Gondar Zone, on the southwest by Lake Tana, on the west by Dembiya, on the north by Lay Armachiho, on the northeast by Wegera, and on the...
, on the west by 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...
, on the northwest by Sanja
Sanja (woreda)
Sanja is one of the 105 woredas 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...
, on the north 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 east by Jan Amora
Jan Amora
Jan Amora is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Semien Gondar Zone, Jan Amora is bordered on the south by Belessa, on the southwest by Wegera, on the west by Debarq, on the north by Addi Arkay, and on the east by Beyeda...
. Towns in Wegera include Amba Giyorgis and Gedegbe.
Due to its inaccessibility and the lack of the most basic infrastructure, in 1999 the Regional government classified Wegera as one of its 47 drought prone and food insecure woredas.
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 220,566, an increase of 20.14% over the 1994 census, of whom 112,445 are men and 108,121 women; 18,664 or 8.46% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 1,851.52 square kilometers, Wegera has a population density of 119.13, which is greater than the Zone average of 63.76 persons per square kilometer. A total of 46,731 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.72 persons to a household, and 45,394 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 183,589 in 35,155 households, of whom 93,991 were men and 89,598 women; 8,410 or 4.58% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Wegera 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...
(90.48%), and the Qemant
Qemant
The Qemant are a small ethnic group in Ethiopia, who, despite their close historical and ethnic relationship, should not be confused with the Beta Israel....
(9.24%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.28% 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 99.74%; the remaining 0.26% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity with 97.19% practicing that belief, while 2.76% 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...
.