Demographics
The 2007 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 22,774, of whom 11,476 were men and 11,298 were women; 2,073 or 9.1% of its population were urban dwellers. The majority of the inhabitants said they were Protestant, with 76.54% of the population reporting they observed this belief, while 14.98% of the population practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 5.42% practiced traditional beliefs, and 2.44% were Catholic. [1]
P'ent'ay is an Amharic and Tigrinya language term for a Christian of a Protestant denomination, widely used in Ethiopia and among Ethiopians and Eritreans living abroad. The term was coined in the late 1960s and was used as a pejorative for churches that believed in the Pentecostal experience. Today, it is used to describe local Protestant Christians who are not members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo churches. The term P'ent'ay is a shortening of the word "Pentecostal"; however, it is widely used when referring to all Protestant Christians whether they are actual Pentecostals or not. Some Orthodox will also apply the term to the small Catholic population of Ethiopia. The equivalent rendition in many other languages is Evangelicals. The four major Evangelical denominations in Ethiopia are: the Kale Heywet ; Mekane Yesus, Lutheran; Mulu Wongel and Meserete Kristos or Mennonite. Some P'ent'ay communities - especially Mekane Yesus - have been influenced by the Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which represents mainstream, traditional Ethiopian Christianity. But for the most part they are very Pentecostal in their worship and theology.
Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 18,824, of whom 9,350 are men and 9,474 are women. With an estimated area of 1,519.07 square kilometers, Agalo Mite has an estimated population density of 12.4 people per square kilometer which is greater than the Zone average of 7.61. [2] Information is lacking on the towns of this woreda.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 14,190 in 2,489 households, of whom 7,081 were males and 7,109 were females; no urban inhabitants were reported. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Agalo Mite were the Gumuz (77.6%), and the Oromo (22%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.3% of the population. Gumuz is spoken as a first language by 78%, and Oromifa by 22%; the remaining 0.2% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants followed traditional beliefs, with 53.6% of the population reporting beliefs reported under that category, while 30.8% were Protestant, and 13% observed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. Concerning education, 12.28% of the population were considered literate, which is more than the Zone average of 11.36%; 7.82% of children aged 7–12 were in primary school, a negligible number of the children aged 13–14 were in junior secondary school, and none of the inhabitants aged 15–18 in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions, 7.2% of all houses had access to safe drinking water, and 3.7% had toilet facilities at the time of the census. [3]
The Gumuz are an ethnic group speaking a Nilo-Saharan language inhabiting the Benishangul-Gumuz Region and the Qwara woreda in western Ethiopia, as well as the Fazogli region in Sudan. They speak the Gumuz language, which belongs to the Nilo-Saharan family. The Gumuz number around 200,000 individuals.
The Oromo people are an ethnic group inhabiting Ethiopia. They are one of the largest ethnic groups in Ethiopia and represent 34.5% of Ethiopia's population. Oromos speak the Oromo language as a mother tongue, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. The word Oromo appeared in European literature for the first time in 1893 and then slowly became common in the second half of the 20th century.
Gumuz is a dialect cluster spoken along the border of Ethiopia and Sudan. It has been tentatively classified within the Nilo-Saharan family. Most Ethiopian speakers live in Kamashi Zone and Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, although a group of 1,000 reportedly live outside the town of Welkite. The Sudanese speakers live in the area east of Er Roseires, around Famaka and Fazoglo on the Blue Nile, extending north along the border.
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 and southwest by Kamashi, on the west by Sudan, and on the north and east by the Amhara Region. The Abay River defines the Zone's boundaries with Kamashi, while the Dinder River defines part of its boundary with the Amhara Region.
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, and on the northeast by the Kamashi. The largest town in this zone is Asosa. Its highest point is Mount Bambasi, located in the woreda of the same name.
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. The Zone is bordered on the south and east by the Oromia Region, on the west by the Asosa and Sudan, and on the north by Metekel and the Amhara Region, which lie on the further bank of the Abay.
Dangur is one of the 20 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. The administrative center of this woreda is Manbuk.
Guba is one of the 20 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 Kamashi Zone, Sudan on the west, Amhara Region on the north, Dangur on the east, and on the southeast by the Beles River, which separates it from Wenbera. Towns in Guba include Mankush. A refugee camp for displaced persons from Sudan operated in this woreda at Yarenja until all of its inhabitants were repatriated and the camp closed 28 March 2007.
Wenbera is one of the 20 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Metekel Zone, it is bordered on the south and west by the Kamashi Zone, on the north by the Beles River which separates it from Guba and Dangur, and by Bulen on the east; the Abay River defines the boundary between Wenbera and the Kamashi Zone.
Mandura is one of the 20 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Metekel Zone, it is bordered by Dangur in the north and northwest, by Pawe special woreda in the northeast, by Amhara Region in the east, by Dibate in the south, and by Bulen in the southwest. Towns in Mandura include Genete Mariam.
Yaso is one of the 20 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Kamashi Zone, Yaso is bordered by the Abay River on the north which separates it from the Metekel Zone and the Amhara Region, by the Oromia Region in the southeast, by the Hanger River on the south which separates it from Belo Jegonfoy, and by the Didessa River on the west which separates it from Kamashi and Agalo Mite.
Dibate is one of the 20 woredas, or districts, in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Metekel Zone, it is bordered by Mandura on the north, by the Dura River on the east which separates it from the Amhara Region, by the Abay River on the south which separates it from the Kamashi Zone, and by Bulen on the west. This woreda is named for its largest town, Dibate; other settlements include Borebo.
Bulen is one of the 20 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. Its largest settlement is Bulen.
Menge is one of the 20 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Asosa Zone, it is bordered by Asosa in the southwest, by Komesha in the west, by Sherkole in the north, by Kamashi Zone in the northeast, and by the Dabus River on the east which separates it from Oda Buldigilu. This woreda is named after its only town, Menge.
Sherkole is one of the 20 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Asosa Zone, it is bordered by Menge on the south, Kormuk on the west, by Sudan on the north, and Kamashi Zone on the east.
Oda Buldigilu is one of the 20 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Asosa Zone, it is bordered by the Kamashi Zone in the north and east, by Oromia Region in the south, by Bambasi in the southwest, by Asosa in the west, and by Menge in the northwest. The major settlement in this woreda is Oda Buldigilu.
Komesha is one of the 20 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Asosa Zone, it is bordered by the Asosa on the south, Kormuk on the northwest and Menge on the east. The largest settlement in this woreda is Komesha. Sherkole refugee camp housing 9,526 displaced people from Sudan and South Sudan, is also located in Komesha.
Sirba Abbay is one of the 20 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Kamashi Zone, Sirba Abbay is bordered by the Oromia Region on the southwest, by Asosa Zone and Sudan on the west, by the Abay River on the north and east which separates it from the Metekel Zone, and by Agalo Mite on the southeast.
Kamashi is one of the 20 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Kamashi Zone, it is bordered by the Didessa River on the east which separates it from Yaso and Belo Jegonfoy, by the Oromia Region on the south and west, and by Agalo Mite on the northwest.
Bolo Jiganfo is one of the 20 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Kamashi Zone, it is bordered on the west by the Didessa River, which separates it from Kamashi, on the north by the Hanger River which separates it form Yaso, and by Oromia Region in the east and south; parts of the woreda are enclaves in the Oromia Region.
Guangua is one of the woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Agew Awi Zone, Guangua is bordered on the south and west by the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the north by Dangila, on the northwest by Faggeta Lekoma and Banja Shekudad, and on the east by Ankasha Guagusa; the Dura River, a tributary of the Abay River, defines part of its western border. The administrative center of this woreda is Chagni; other towns in Guangua include Kilaj, and Menta Wuha.
Didessa is one of the woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the Didessa River, a tributary of the Abay River. Part of the Illubabor Zone, Didessa is bordered on the south by the Didessa River which separates it from the Jimma Zone, and on the north by Gechi. The major town in Didessa is Denbi.
