Yabelo (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Yabelo is one of the 180 woreda
s in the Oromia Region
of Ethiopia
, named after its administrative center, Yabelo
. Part of the Borena Zone
, Yabelo is bordered on the south by Dire
, on the west by Teltele
, on the north by Hagere Mariam
, and on the east by Arero
.
(5.5% state forests), and the remaining 20% is considered swampy, degraded or otherwise unusable. A notable local landmark is the Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary
. Teff
, wheat
, corn
, haricot bean, sorghum
and barley
are important crops.
Industry in the woreda includes 19 grain mills and one metal works. Deposits of nickel
are known to exist but have not been commercially developed. There were 15 Farmers Associations and 6 Farmers Service Cooperatives; about 70% of the farmers are pastoralists. Yabelo has 163 kilometers of dry-weather and 103 all-weather road, for an average road density of 48.2 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 41% of the rural and 58.1% of the urban population has access to drinking water
.
and the Gabbra in southern Oromia led to massive displacement of people. An NGO working in the area reported as many as 50,000 people were forced to flee from Hagere Mariam, Yabelo and Arero woredas, and several thousand huts burnt.
In May 2009, the woreda authorities announced that development programs with a total budget of 20 million Birr
had been completed in the woreda. These projects included four veterinary clinics, a 129-kilometer gravel road, and 65 kilometers of terracing works built in the previous nine months.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 82,443, of whom 41,132 are men and 41,311 are women; 18,478 or 22.41% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 11.6%. With an estimated area of 5,523.31 square kilometers, Yabelo has an estimated population density of 14.9 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 21.1.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 56,878, of whom 28,444 were men and 28,434 women; 10,322 or 18.15% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The four largest ethnic groups reported in Yabelo were the Oromo
(86.92%), the Burji (6.14%), the Amhara
(3.71%), and the Konso
(1.6%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.86% of the population. Oromiffa
was spoken as a first language by 92.79%, 4.27% spoke Amharic
, and 1.12% spoke Burji
; the remaining 1.85% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced traditional beliefs, with 47.06% of the population reporting answers that fell under that category, while 14.39% professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 9.64% of the population were Muslim
, 6.2% were Protestant
, and 1.05% 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 Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
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...
, named after its administrative center, Yabelo
Yabelo
Yabelo is a town in southern Ethiopia. An alternative name for this town is Obda, which is also the name of a nearby mountain. Located northwest of Moyale in the Guji Zone of the Oromia Region , this town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 1857 meters above sea level...
. Part of the Borena Zone
Borena Zone
Borena is one of the 17 zones of the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Borena is named after a tribe of the Oromo people. Borena is bordered on the south by Kenya, on the west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, on the north by Guji and on the east by the Somali Region. The...
, Yabelo is bordered on the south by Dire
Dire (woreda)
Dire is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Located in the southern part of the Borena Zone, Dire is bordered on the south by Kenya, on the west by Teltele, on the north by Yabelo, on the northeast by Arero, and on the east by Moyale...
, on the west by Teltele
Teltele (woreda)
Teltele is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the administrative center, Teltele. Located in the southwest corner of the Borena Zone, Teltele is bordered on the southwest by Kenya, on the west and north by the Sagan River, the only river in this woreda, which...
, on the north by Hagere Mariam
Hagere Mariam (woreda)
Hagere Mariam is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia, named after its largest town, Hagere Mariam. Part of the Borena Zone, Hagere Mariam is bordered on the south by the Dawa River which separates it from Arero, on the southwest by Yabelo, on the west by the Southern Nations,...
, and on the east by Arero
Arero
Arero is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Borena Zone, Arero is bordered on the southwest by Dire, on the west by Yabelo, on the north by Hagere Mariam, on the northeast by the Guji Zone, on the east by the Somali Region, and on the south by Moyale; the Dawa...
.
Overview
The altitude of this woreda ranges from 350 to 1800 meters above sea level. There are no rivers or streams in Yabelo. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 10% is arable or cultivable (7.5% was under annual crops), 60% pasture, 10% forestForestry 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...
(5.5% state forests), and the remaining 20% is considered swampy, degraded or otherwise unusable. A notable local landmark is the Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary
Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary
Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area and wildlife sanctuary in southern Ethiopia. It is located in the Borena Zone of the Oromia Region west of the town of Yabelo, having an area of 2,500 square kilometers and elevations ranging from 1430 to 2000 meters above sea level with a latitude and...
. Teff
Teff
Eragrostis tef, known as teff, taf , or khak shir , is an annual grass, a species of lovegrass native to the northern Ethiopian Highlands of Northeast Africa....
, wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, haricot bean, sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
and barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
are important crops.
Industry in the woreda includes 19 grain mills and one metal works. Deposits of nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
are known to exist but have not been commercially developed. There were 15 Farmers Associations and 6 Farmers Service Cooperatives; about 70% of the farmers are pastoralists. Yabelo has 163 kilometers of dry-weather and 103 all-weather road, for an average road density of 48.2 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 41% of the rural and 58.1% of the urban population has access to drinking water
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...
.
History
In April 2005, ethnic conflict between the Guji OromoGuji 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....
and the Gabbra in southern Oromia led to massive displacement of people. An NGO working in the area reported as many as 50,000 people were forced to flee from Hagere Mariam, Yabelo and Arero woredas, and several thousand huts burnt.
In May 2009, the woreda authorities announced that development programs with a total budget of 20 million Birr
Ethiopian birr
The birr is the unit of currency in Ethiopia. Before 1976, dollar was the official English translation of birr. Today, it is officially birr in English as well....
had been completed in the woreda. These projects included four veterinary clinics, a 129-kilometer gravel road, and 65 kilometers of terracing works built in the previous nine months.
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 82,443, of whom 41,132 are men and 41,311 are women; 18,478 or 22.41% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 11.6%. With an estimated area of 5,523.31 square kilometers, Yabelo has an estimated population density of 14.9 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 21.1.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 56,878, of whom 28,444 were men and 28,434 women; 10,322 or 18.15% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The four largest ethnic groups reported in Yabelo were 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...
(86.92%), the Burji (6.14%), 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...
(3.71%), and the Konso
Konso people
The Konso or Konzo people are an ethnic group in south-central Ethiopia. According to the 2007 national census, they numbered 250,430 of whom 10,470 or 4.18% are urban dwellers. Over 87% live in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region....
(1.6%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.86% 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...
was spoken as a first language by 92.79%, 4.27% 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...
, and 1.12% spoke Burji
Burji language
Burji language is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken by the Burji people who reside in Ethiopia south of Lake Chamo. There are over 46,000 speakers in Ethiopia, and a further 10,400 speakers in Kenya...
; the remaining 1.85% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced traditional beliefs, with 47.06% of the population reporting answers that fell under that category, while 14.39% professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 9.64% of the population 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...
, 6.2% were Protestant
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...
, and 1.05% 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...
.