Sodo or officially Wolaita Sodo is a city in south Ethiopia. The City is a political and administrative center of the Wolaita Zone and South Ethiopia Regional State. It has a latitude and longitude of 6°54′N37°45′E with an elevation between 1,600 and 2,100 metres above sea level. It was part of the former Sodo woreda which included Sodo Zuria which completely surrounds it.
Wolayita or Wolaita is an administrative zone in Ethiopia. Wolayita is bordered on the south by Gamo Zone,on the west by the Omo River which separates it from Dawro,on the northwest by Kembata Zone and Tembaro Special Woreda,on the north by Hadiya,on the northeast by the Oromia Region,on the east by the Bilate River which separates it from Sidama Region,and on the south east by the Lake Abaya which separates it from Oromia Region. The administrative centre of Wolayita is Sodo. Other major towns are Areka,Boditi,Tebela,Bale Hawassa,Gesuba,Gununo,Bedessa and Dimtu.
Wolaitta Dicha Sport Club is a professional football club based in Sodo,Ethiopia. They play in the Ethiopian Premier League,the top division of Ethiopian football.
Dimtu or Wolaita Dimtu or Bilate Tena is a town in south-central Ethiopia. It has an elevation between 1,000 and 1,600 metres above sea level. It was part of the former Damot Weyde (Woreda) of Wolayita Zone,near to Sodo Zuria woreda. It is now under the Diguna Fango woreda. Some writers mention the town as Bilate Tena in their books and journals. Among them,Getahun Garedew,former Head Officer in Education Bureau of Southern Nations,Nationalities,and Peoples' Region,and State Minister of Ministry of Education since 2020,is the anterior. In the book "Local Adaptation Practices in Response to Climate Change in the Bilate River Basin,Southern Ethiopia",he used these two names,Dimtu and Bilate Tena,in a similar way.
Wolaita Sodo University is a public university in Wolaita Sodo,South Ethiopia Regional State,Ethiopia. It is approximately 339 kilometers far from Addis Ababa,Ethiopia in southwest direction. It is one of the second generation universities of Ethiopia. The foundation stone of the university laid by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. The university has three campuses:Gandaba Campus,Otona Campus and Tercha Campus. Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Ethiopian categorized the university under applied institutions.
Mount Damota or Mount Damot is the highest peak in Wolayita,Southern Nations,Nationalities,and Peoples' Region,Ethiopia with altitude of nearly 2,750 meters (9,020 ft) above the sea level. Mt. Damota area is found in Wolaita Zone between Damot Gale,Boloso Sore,and Soddo Zuria districts. Mt. Damota is a source of many streams flowing to different districts in radial pattern namely:Hamessa,Waja (river),Bisare,Gazina and other rivers.
Kamuzu Kassa is an Ethiopian composer,songwriter and producer. Kamuzu started his career composing spiritual songs,but when he composed music for Kako Getachew in 2007 he joined the secular world of music and became a public figure. Following this,Kamuzu composed music for Ethiopian artists Hamelmal Abate,Surafel Abebe,Jalud Awol,and many others.
Bedessa is a town in Wolayita Zone of the Southern Nations,Nationalities,and Peoples' Region,Ethiopia. The town is administrative capital of Damot Weyde district of Wolayita Zone,Ethiopia. Bedessa is located about 373 KM away from Addis Ababa to the south on Sodo-Dimtu-Hawassa road,and 21 KM away from Sodo,the capital of Wolaita Zone. The amenities in the town are,24 hours electricity,pure public water,banks,schools,postal service,telecommunications services and others. The town has a wire bridge which connects the town with other surrounding communities. Bedessa lies between 6°52'58.9"N 37°55'58.5"E.
Fano is an ethno-nationalist Amhara militia and former protest movement. It has engaged in violent clashes throughout Ethiopia in the name of neutralizing perceived threats to the Amhara people. Fano has absorbed many units and personnel of the Amhara Regional Special Forces that did not integrate into the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF). Fano militias are have been involved in armed conflicts with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF),the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA),and the ENDF. They have also clashed with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on the border of Ethiopia and Sudan.
Kercheche or is a town in Diguna Fango woreda,Wolayita Zone of South Ethiopia Regional State. Kercheche is about 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Bedessa and about 8 km (5.0 mi) southwest of Bitena on the road of Sodo-Dimtu Hawassa. The approximate distance from the city of Addis Ababa to the town is 362 km (225 mi) on Addis-Hawassa-Dimtu-Sodo road. It is 38 km (24 mi) from Sodo,the capital of Wolayita Zone. The coordinate point of Kercheche lies between 6°57'21"N 37°59'29"E. The amenities in the town are 24-hours electric light,pure water service,kindergarten,primary school,high school,all time market,health stations and others. Kercheche has also dry weather and all weather roads which connect it to other surrounding areas.
Bombe is a town in Wolayita Zone of the South Ethiopia Regional State,Ethiopia. Bombe town is located 325 km and 55 km away from Addis Ababa and Wolaita Sodo town through Hossana exit,respectively. Bombe town is used as an administrative capital of Boloso Bombe woreda of Wolaita Zone. It is located at an elevation of 1,531 meters above sea level. The amenities in the town are 24 hours electric light,pure water service,kindergarten,primary and high schools,health center,everyday public market and others. Bombe lies between about 7°08'04"North 37°34'54"East
Gara Godo is a town in Boloso Sore woreda,Wolayita Zone of Ethiopia. It is 28 km on an asphalted road from Areka to Wolaita Sodo the zone capital. Gara Godo lias on the 7°08'01N and 37°46'16E. The elevation of the town Gara Godo is 1812 meters above the sea level. The amenities in the town of Gara Godo are 24 hours electric light,pure water service,kindergarten,all time market,health stations and others. The town has also suitable weather condition,pure public water,banks,primary and secondary schools,telecommunications services and like.
Lasho is a town in Wolayita Zone of the South Ethiopia Regional State,Ethiopia. The approximate distance from the town of Sodo to Lasho is about 79 kilometres to Northwest via B52. And also the distance from Addis Ababa to Bombe is 388 km via Butajira-Worabe-Sodo to Southwest. Lasho town is used as an administrative capital of Kawo Koysha woreda of Wolaita Zone. It is located at an elevation of 2,130 meters above sea level. Lasho is a populated place in South Ethiopia Regional State. The amenities in the town are 24 hours electric light,pure water service,kindergarten,primary and high schools,health center,everyday public market and others. Lasho lies between about 6°42'29" North 37°28'23" East
Faracho or Abala Faracho is a town in Wolayita Zone,South Ethiopia Regional State,Ethiopia. The town is an administrative center of Abala Abaya district of Wolayita Zone,Ethiopia. Faracho is located about 349 km away from Addis Ababa to the south and also 30 km away from Sodo to the South,the capital of Wolaita Zone. The amenities in the town are,24 hours electricity,pure public water,banks,schools,postal service,telecommunications services and others. Faracho lies between 6°55'0" N and 37°39'0" E. The town is located at an elevation of 1,378 meters above sea level.
Gacheno is a town in Wolayita Zone,South Ethiopia Regional State,Ethiopia. Gacheno is located about 287 km via B51 away from Addis Ababa to the south and also 31 km away from Sodo to the North,the capital of Wolaita Zone within Damot Gale woreda. The town is located at an elevation of 1,882 meters above sea level. Gacheno lies between 7°03'22" N and 37°55'14"E. The Ethiopian 3rd lady Roman Tesfaye was born and completed her primary school in this town.
Firew Altaye Gebremedhin or ፍሬውአልታዬገብረመድህንwas born on 2 August 1966. He was an Ethiopian politician and second chief administrator of Wolayita Zone,from 2002 to 2004 and he was succeeded by Amanuel Otoro. He served as member of Ethiopian parliament from 2001 to 2002.
On 6 February 2023 a referendum was held in the Wolayita,Gamo,Gofa,South Omo,Gedeo,and Konso Zones,as well as the Dirashe,Amaro,Burji,Ale,and Basketo special woredas of the Southern Nations,Nationalities,and Peoples' Region (SNNP) of Ethiopia,on whether the included areas should leave SNNP and form their own Region.
Getahun Garedew Wodaje is Ethiopian politician serving as Director general of FDRE environmental protection authority. Getahun is from Wolaita people and he served as Wolayita Zone chief administrator in 2018.
Endrias Geta Baldada is an Ethiopian politician serving as State Minister of Ministry of Irrigation and Lowland and Areas. Endrias is from the Wolaita people and he served as chief administrator of Wolayita Zone after SNNPR Prosperity Party ousted Dagato Kumbe from his position in August 2020.
Asrat Tera Dolebo is an Ethiopian politician serving as Director General of Livestock Development Institute of Ethiopia since October 2018. Asrat is from the Wolaita people and previously served as the chief administrator of Wolayita Zone. He also worked in South Agricultural Research Institute and Areka Agricultural Research Center.
