Oromia Zone (Oromia Zone)
The Oromia Zone (Godina Oromiyaa; Amharic: ኦሮሚያ ዞን) is a zone in Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Oromia is named for the Oromo people, who settled along the edge of the Ethiopian Highlands that form this Zone. Oromia Zone is bordered on the southwest by North Shewa Zone, on the northwest by South Wollo and Argobba special woreda, and on the east by the Afar Region. The Zone consists of 7 Woredas which are Artuma Fursi, Bati, Bati Town, Dewa Cheffa, Dewa Harewa, Jilye Tumuga and Kemisie town. Kemise is the administrative center of the Zone.
The Oromia Zone was created in the late summer of 1994, according to one account in response to pressure from the Oromo Liberation Front, which was actively agitating for autonomy for Wollo Oromo during late 1991 and early 1992. Four woredas were taken from Debub Wollo—Baati, Dewe, Esseya Gulla and Artuma—and two woredas from Semien Shewa—Fursi and Senbete—and appointing Kamisee to be the Zonal capital. The new zone was organized into five woredas by combining Artuma and Fursi into one and renaming Esseya Gola to Chaffa Gola. The numbers and areas of the constituent Districts have since changed.
Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), this Zone has a total population of 457,278, a decrease of -1.23% from the 1994 census, of whom 227,328 are men and 229,950 women; with an area of 3,470.04 square kilometers, Oromia has a population density of 131.78. While 51,728 or 11.31% are urban inhabitants, a further 2,005 or 0.44% are pastoralists. A total of 101,442 households were counted in this Zone, which results in an average of 4.51 persons to a household, and 97,957 housing units. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Oromia were the Oromo (86.07%), and the Amhara (12.54%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.39% of the population. Oromo was spoken as a first language by 82.13%, and 16.99% spoke Amharic; the remaining 0.88% spoke all other primary languages reported. 97.07% were Muslim, and 2.4% of the population said they practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this Zone of 462,951 in 97,025 households, of whom 232,461 were men and 230,490 women; 39,666 or 8.57% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Oromia were the Oromo (65.34%), the Amhara (31.79%), and the Argobba (2.29%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.58% of the population. Oromo was spoken as a first language by 65.08%, and 34.29% spoke Amharic; the remaining 0.63% spoke all other primary languages reported. 98.01% were Muslim, and 1.92% of the population said they practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.
According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank memorandum, 5% of the inhabitants of Oromia have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 23.9 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers (compared to the national average of 30 kilometers), the average rural household has 0.6 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and an average of 0.75 for the Amhara Region) and the equivalent of 0.5 heads of livestock. 10.9% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a regional average of 21%. 25% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 3% in secondary schools. 100% of the zone is exposed to malaria, and none to Tsetse fly. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 565.
The Oromia Zone was created in the late summer of 1994, according to one account in response to pressure from the Oromo Liberation Front, which was actively agitating for autonomy for Wollo Oromo during late 1991 and early 1992. Four woredas were taken from Debub Wollo—Baati, Dewe, Esseya Gulla and Artuma—and two woredas from Semien Shewa—Fursi and Senbete—and appointing Kamisee to be the Zonal capital. The new zone was organized into five woredas by combining Artuma and Fursi into one and renaming Esseya Gola to Chaffa Gola. The numbers and areas of the constituent Districts have since changed.
Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), this Zone has a total population of 457,278, a decrease of -1.23% from the 1994 census, of whom 227,328 are men and 229,950 women; with an area of 3,470.04 square kilometers, Oromia has a population density of 131.78. While 51,728 or 11.31% are urban inhabitants, a further 2,005 or 0.44% are pastoralists. A total of 101,442 households were counted in this Zone, which results in an average of 4.51 persons to a household, and 97,957 housing units. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Oromia were the Oromo (86.07%), and the Amhara (12.54%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.39% of the population. Oromo was spoken as a first language by 82.13%, and 16.99% spoke Amharic; the remaining 0.88% spoke all other primary languages reported. 97.07% were Muslim, and 2.4% of the population said they practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this Zone of 462,951 in 97,025 households, of whom 232,461 were men and 230,490 women; 39,666 or 8.57% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Oromia were the Oromo (65.34%), the Amhara (31.79%), and the Argobba (2.29%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.58% of the population. Oromo was spoken as a first language by 65.08%, and 34.29% spoke Amharic; the remaining 0.63% spoke all other primary languages reported. 98.01% were Muslim, and 1.92% of the population said they practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.
According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank memorandum, 5% of the inhabitants of Oromia have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 23.9 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers (compared to the national average of 30 kilometers), the average rural household has 0.6 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and an average of 0.75 for the Amhara Region) and the equivalent of 0.5 heads of livestock. 10.9% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a regional average of 21%. 25% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 3% in secondary schools. 100% of the zone is exposed to malaria, and none to Tsetse fly. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 565.
Map - Oromia Zone (Oromia Zone)
Map
Country - Ethiopia
Flag of Ethiopia |
Anatomically modern humans emerged from modern-day Ethiopia and set out to the Near East and elsewhere in the Middle Paleolithic period. Southwestern Ethiopia has been proposed as a possible homeland of the Afroasiatic language family. In 980 BCE, the Kingdom of D'mt extended its realm over Eritrea and the northern region of Ethiopia, while the Kingdom of Aksum maintained a unified civilization in the region for 900 years. Christianity was embraced by the kingdom in 330, and Islam arrived by the first Hijra in 615. After the collapse of Aksum in 960, a variety of kingdoms, largely tribal confederations, existed in the land of Ethiopia. The Zagwe dynasty ruled the north-central parts until being overthrown by Yekuno Amlak in 1270, inaugurating the Ethiopian Empire and the Solomonic dynasty, claimed descent from the biblical Solomon and Queen of Sheba under their son Menelik I. By the 14th century, the empire grew in prestige through territorial expansion and fighting against adjacent territories; most notably, the Ethiopian–Adal War (1529–1543) contributed to fragmentation of the empire, which ultimately fell under a decentralization known as Zemene Mesafint in the mid-18th century. Emperor Tewodros II ended Zemene Mesafint at the beginning of his reign in 1855, marking the reunification and modernization of Ethiopia.
Currency / Language
ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
---|---|---|---|
ETB | Ethiopian birr | Br | 2 |
ISO | Language |
---|---|
AM | Amharic language |
EN | English language |
OM | Oromo language |
SO | Somali language |
TI | Tigrinya language |