Wenago (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Wenago is one of the 77 woreda
s in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia
. Part of the Gedeo Zone
, Wenago is bordered on the south by Yirgachefe
, on the west by the Oromia Region
, on the north by the Sidama Zone
, and on the east by Bule
. Towns in Wenago include Wenago and Dilla
.
According to a 2004 report, Wenago had 12 kilometers of asphalt roads, 56 kilometers of all-weather roads and 17 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 333 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. Local landmarks include the Qallu compound (galma) of the Guji Oromo
, which that group claims ought to be annexed to the Guji Zone
of the Oromia Region, a claim which has led to violence in the past.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 277,190, of whom 137,891 are men and 139,299 are women; 70,282 or 25.36% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 14.4%. With an estimated area of 255.16 square kilometers, Wenago has an estimated population density of 1,086.30 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 617.5.
In the 1994 Census this woreda had a population of 185,676, of whom 93,300 were men and 92,376 women; 38,794 or 20.89% of its population were urban dwellers. The five largest ethnic groups reported in Wenago were the Gedeo
(73.5%), the Amhara
(6.98%), the Oromo
(6.37%), the Sidama
(3.34%), and the Silte (2.33%); all other ethnic groups made up 7.48% of the population. Gedeo
was spoken as a first language by 73.22%, 13.5% spoke Amharic
, 5.43% spoke Oromiffa
, 3.25% spoke Sidamo
and 1.39% spoke Silte; the remaining 3.21% spoke all other primary languages reported. The largest religious group was the Protestants
, with 45.92% of the population holding that belief, while 26.06% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 16.96% observed traditional religions, 4.66% were Muslim
, and 2.56% were Catholic
.
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 Gedeo Zone
Gedeo Zone
Gedeo is a Zone in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region of Ethiopia. This Zone is named for the Gedeo people, whose homelands lie in this zone...
, Wenago is bordered on the south by Yirgachefe
Yirgachefe (woreda)
Yirgachefe is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia, named after its major town Yirgachefe...
, on the west by the Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
, on the north by the Sidama Zone
Sidama Zone
Sidama is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . It is named for the Sidama people, whose homeland is located in this zone...
, and on the east by Bule
Bule (woreda)
Bule is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia, named after its major town, Bule. Part of the Gedeo Zone, Bule is bordered on the south by Kochere, on the west by Yirgachefe, on the northwest by Wenago, and on the east by the Oromia Region.Most...
. Towns in Wenago include Wenago and Dilla
Dilla
Dilla is a city located in the northwestern Awdal region of Somalia.-History:Local control of the city is disputed between Awdalland, a proposed autonomous state, and Somaliland, a self-declared independent republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of...
.
According to a 2004 report, Wenago had 12 kilometers of asphalt roads, 56 kilometers of all-weather roads and 17 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 333 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. Local landmarks include the Qallu compound (galma) of the Guji Oromo
Guji Oromo
The Guji Oromo are an ethnic Oromo group living in southern Ethiopia. They are part nomadic and part agrarian. According to a population projection from 2007, the total population of the Guji Oromo is above 5 million....
, which that group claims ought to be annexed to the Guji Zone
Guji Zone
Guji is one of the 17 zones of the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Guji is named after a tribe of the Oromo people. Guji is bordered on the south by Borena, on the west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, on the north by the Ganale Dorya River which separates it from Bale and on...
of the Oromia Region, a claim which has led to violence in the past.
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 277,190, of whom 137,891 are men and 139,299 are women; 70,282 or 25.36% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 14.4%. With an estimated area of 255.16 square kilometers, Wenago has an estimated population density of 1,086.30 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 617.5.
In the 1994 Census this woreda had a population of 185,676, of whom 93,300 were men and 92,376 women; 38,794 or 20.89% of its population were urban dwellers. The five largest ethnic groups reported in Wenago were the Gedeo
Gedeo people
The Gedeo are an ethnic group in southern Ethiopia. The Gedeo Zone in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region is named for this people...
(73.5%), 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...
(6.98%), 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...
(6.37%), the Sidama
Sidama people
The Sidama people of southern Ethiopia are an ethnic group whose homeland is in the Sidama Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region of Ethiopia. They number 2,966,474 of whom 149,480 are urban inhabitants, the fifth most populous nation in Ethiopia...
(3.34%), and the Silte (2.33%); all other ethnic groups made up 7.48% of the population. Gedeo
Gedeo language
Gedeo is the name of a Highland East Cushitic language of the Afro-Asiatic family spoken in south central Ethiopia. Alternate names for the language include Derasa, Deresa, Darassa, Geddeo, Derasanya, Darasa. It is spoken by the Gedeo people, who live in the highland area, southwest of Dila and...
was spoken as a first language by 73.22%, 13.5% spoke 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...
, 5.43% spoke 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...
, 3.25% spoke Sidamo
Sidamo language
Sidamo is an Afro-Asiatic language, belonging to the Cushitic branch, part of the Highland East Cushitic group. It is spoken in parts of southern Ethiopia....
and 1.39% spoke Silte; the remaining 3.21% spoke all other primary languages reported. The largest religious group was the Protestants
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...
, with 45.92% of the population holding that belief, while 26.06% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 16.96% observed traditional religions, 4.66% 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 2.56% 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...
.