Wenbera
Encyclopedia
Wenbera is one of the 21 woreda
s in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia
. Part of the Metekel Zone
, it is bordered on the south by the Kamashi Zone
, on the west by the Asosa Zone
, on the north by Guba
, on the northeast by the Beles River
which separates it from Dangur
, and by Bulen
on the east; the Abay River defines the boundary between Wenbera and the Asosa and Kamashi Zones.
Towns in Wenbera include Debre Zeyit. The highest point in this woreda is Mount Culan Sancai (2,435 meters), west of Debre Zeyit; other elevations include the Borema range, the Gum Gum mountains and the Sassie mountains in the northwest corner of the woreda. Rivers include the Naga, a south-flowing tributary of the Abay.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 56,260, of whom 27,409 are men and 28,851 are women; 4,179 or 7.43% of the population are urban dwellers which is greater than the Zone average of 10.7%. With an estimated area of 7,134.53 square kilometers, Wenbera has a population density of 7.9 people per square kilometer which is lower than the Zone average of 8.57.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 41,686 in 8,050 households, of whom 20,411 were men and 21,275 were women; 2,429 or 5.83% of its population were urban. The five largest ethnic groups reported in Wenbera were the Shinasha
(33.6%), the Oromo
(33.4%), the Gumuz (27%), the Amhara (3.7%), and the Awi
(1%) a subgroup of the Agaw
; all other ethnic groups made up 1.3% of the population. Oromiffa
is spoken as a first language by 40%, Gumuz
by 27%, Boro
by 5.1%, Amhara
by 3.8%, and 0.7% spoke Berta
; the remaining 23.4% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 71% of the population reporting they held that belief, while 15.4% were Muslim
, and 11% observed traditional religions. Concerning education
, 17.31% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 18.61%; 7.96% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 2.02% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 2.79% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, 8.7% of the urban houses and 4.3% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census, while 39.3% of the urban and 6.3% of all houses had toilet facilities.
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 Benishangul-Gumuz 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 Metekel Zone
Metekel Zone
Metekel is one of the three Zones in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia, named after the former Metekkel province. It is bordered on the south by Kamashi, on the southwest by Asosa, on the west by Sudan, and on the north and east by the Amhara Region...
, it is bordered on the south by the Kamashi Zone
Kamashi Zone
Kamashi is one of the three Zones in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. It covers part of the southern bank of the Abay and the valley of the Didessa Rivers...
, on the west by the Asosa Zone
Asosa Zone
Asosa is one of the three Zones in Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. This Zone was named after the Asosa Sultanate, which had approximately the same boundaries. Asosa is bordered on the south by the Mao-Komo special woreda, on the west by Sudan, on the northeast by the Abay River which...
, on the north by Guba
Guba (woreda)
Guba is one of the 21 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the former Sultanate of Gubba. Part of the Metekel Zone, Guba is bordered by the Abay River on the south which separates it from the Asosa Zone, Sudan on the west, Dangur on the north and east, and on the...
, on the northeast by the Beles River
Beles River
Beles River is a river of western Ethiopia. A tributary of the Abay river , the Beles rises in Dangur woreda to flow in a south-west direction to its confluence. Its catchment area amounts to about 14,200 square kilometers....
which separates it from Dangur
Dangur
Dangur is one of the 21 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the Dangur range of mountains, which extend southwest from the mountains along the west side of Lake Tana...
, and by Bulen
Bulen (woreda)
Bulen is one of the 21 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. It is named after its highest point, Mount Bulen. Part of the Metekel Zone, Bulen is bordered by Dangur in the north, Mandura in the northeast, Dibate in the east, the Abay River on the south , and by Wenbera in the west...
on the east; the Abay River defines the boundary between Wenbera and the Asosa and Kamashi Zones.
Towns in Wenbera include Debre Zeyit. The highest point in this woreda is Mount Culan Sancai (2,435 meters), west of Debre Zeyit; other elevations include the Borema range, the Gum Gum mountains and the Sassie mountains in the northwest corner of the woreda. Rivers include the Naga, a south-flowing tributary of the Abay.
Demographics
Based on figures from 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 56,260, of whom 27,409 are men and 28,851 are women; 4,179 or 7.43% of the population are urban dwellers which is greater than the Zone average of 10.7%. With an estimated area of 7,134.53 square kilometers, Wenbera has a population density of 7.9 people per square kilometer which is lower than the Zone average of 8.57.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 41,686 in 8,050 households, of whom 20,411 were men and 21,275 were women; 2,429 or 5.83% of its population were urban. The five largest ethnic groups reported in Wenbera were the Shinasha
Shinasha
The Shinasha, also known as Bworo or Boro, are an ethnic group of Ethiopia. Their language belongs to the North Omotic family . They live north of the Blue Nile in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region and number around 33,000 individuals. Their neighbors in the area include Gumuz and...
(33.6%), 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...
(33.4%), the Gumuz (27%), the Amhara (3.7%), and the Awi
Awi people
The Awi people are an ethnic group in Ethiopia, and are grouped as one of the Agaw people. The Awis live in Agew Awi Zone in Central Gojjam, and have a few communities in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region.- Population :...
(1%) a subgroup of the Agaw
Agaw
The Agaw are an ethnic group in Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea.-History:The Agaw are perhaps first mentioned in the 3rd c. AD Aksumite inscription recorded by Cosmas Indicopleustes in the 6th century...
; all other ethnic groups made up 1.3% of the population. 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...
is spoken as a first language by 40%, Gumuz
Gumuz language
Gumuz is a dialect cluster spoken along the border of Ethiopia and Sudan. Most Ethiopian speakers live in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, although a group of 1,000 live outside the town of Welkite...
by 27%, Boro
Boro language (Ethiopia)
Shinasha, also known as Boro is a North Omotic language spoken in western Ethiopia by the Shinasha people. Its speakers live in scattered areas north of the Abay River: in the Dangur, Dibate and Wenbera districts, which are parts of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region.-References:* Lamberti, Marcello ...
by 5.1%, Amhara
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...
by 3.8%, and 0.7% spoke Berta
Berta language
Berta, Wetawit, is spoken by the Berta in Sudan and Ethiopia. It is a language isolate which has been also included as branch of the proposed Nilo-Saharan language family. It has the typical word order subject–verb–object. It is a tonal language. It has significantly influenced some of the...
; the remaining 23.4% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 71% of the population reporting they held that belief, while 15.4% 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 11% observed traditional religions. 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...
, 17.31% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 18.61%; 7.96% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 2.02% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 2.79% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. 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...
, 8.7% of the urban houses and 4.3% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census, while 39.3% of the urban and 6.3% of all houses had toilet facilities.