Overview
The altitude of this woreda ranges from 2200 to 4180 meters above sea level; Mount Kaka is the highest point in the woreda. Melka Wakena Dam, its power station and its lake of 816 hectares are located in this woreda. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 76.9% is arable or cultivable, 17.3% pasture, 0.4% forest, and the remaining 5.4% is considered swampy, mountainous or otherwise unusable. Garadela and Temela are the two state farms in this woreda. Linseed is an important cash crop. [2]
Industry in the woreda includes two edible oil mills, four flour factory, one purified water factory, 22 grain mills and one brick factory employing 104 people, rock quarries, as well as 722 registered businesses which include 284 wholesalers, 216 retailers and 222 service providers. There were 25 Farmers Associations with 21,373 members and 4 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 4270 members. Gedeb has 46 kilometers of dry-weather and 78 of all-weather road, for an average of road density of 108.8 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 42.5% of the total population has access to drinking water. [2]
In the 1970s, J. Desmond Clark of the University of California excavated a Paleolithic site in this woreda, located on the upper reaches of the Shabelle River. [3]
Demographics
The 2007 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 186,907, of whom 92,471 were men and 94,436 were women; 20,667 or 11.06% of its population were urban dwellers. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim, with 80.68% of the population reporting they observed this belief, while 17.89% of the population said they practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 1.31% of the population were Protestant. [4]
Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 169,940, of whom 86,633 are men and 83,307 are women; 19,506 or 11.48% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 12.3%. With an estimated area of 1,139.38 square kilometers, Gedeb has an estimated population density of 149.2 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 132.2. [5]
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 120,382, of whom 59,146 were men and 61,236 women; 10,903 or 9.06% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Gedeb were the Oromo (93.69%), and the Amhara (4.6%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.11% of the population. Oromiffa was spoken as a first language by 93.03%, and 6.51% spoke Amharic; the remaining 0.46% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim, with 77.87% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 21.76% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. [6]
Jeju is one of the woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Arsi Zone, Jeju is bordered by Dodotana Sire to the west, the Misraq Shewa Zone to the north, Merti to the east, and Sude to the south. Its administrative centre is Arboye, located 168 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa. Other towns in this woreda include Bolo.
Kofele is one of the Districts in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the administrative center of the District, Kofele. Part of the West Arsi Zone, Kofele is bordered on the south by the Kokosa, on the west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, on the northwest by the Shashamene(District), on the north by Kore, on the east by Gedeb Asasa, and on the south east by Dodola. Other towns in Kofele include Wabe Gefersa.
Nono was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2003 as an area for voluntary resettlement for farmers from overpopulated areas. That year this woreda became the home for a total of 590 heads of households and 391 total family members. The settlers included 861 individuals who came from Dodotana Sire, Hitosa, Merti, and Ziway Dugda woredas in the Arsi Zone. The next year this woreda was selected again as a resettlement area, and became the home of a total of 2370 heads of household and a total of 16,350 family members.
Daru labu is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia. Part of the West Hararghe Zone, Daru labu is bordered on the south by the Shebelle River which separates it from the Bale Zone, on the west by the Arsi Zone, on the northwest by Guba Koricha, on the north by the Habro, and on the east by Boke. Towns in Darolebu include Mechara and Micheta.
Seraro is one of the woredas in the Oromia of Ethiopia. Part of the West Arsi Zone located in the Great Rift Valley, Seraro is bordered on the south and west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, on the north by Shala, and on the east by Naannawa Shashamane; its western boundary is defined by the course of the Bilate River. The administrative center of this woreda is Loke.
Sokoru is one of the woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. This woreda is named after the former awraja of the same name, and covering much of the same territory as the current woreda, as well as its administrative center, Sokoru. Part of the Jimma Zone, Sokoru is bordered on the south by Omo Nada, on the west by Tiro Afeta, and on the north and east by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region; the Gibe River defines the northern boundary. Other towns in this woreda include Deneba, Kumbi and Natri.
Fentale is one of the districts in the Oromia of Ethiopia. Part of the East Shewa Zone located in the Great Rift Valley, Fentale is bordered on the southeast by the Arsi Zone, on the southwest by Boset, on the northwest by the Amhara Region, and on the northeast by the Afar Region. The administrative center of Fentale is Metehara; other towns include Haroo Adii.
Boset is one of the districts in the Oromia of Ethiopia. Part of the East Shewa Zone located in the Great Rift Valley, Boset is bordered on the south by the Arsi Zone, on the west by the Awash River which separates it from Adama, on the north by the Amhara Region, and on the east by Fentale. The administrative center of the woreda is Welenchiti; other towns in Boset include Bofe, Bole and Doni.
Aseko is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia of Ethiopia. It is named after the administrative center of the Aanaa, Aseko. Part of the Arsi Zone, Aseko is bordered on the southwest by Chole, on the northwest by Merti, on the north by the West Hararghe Zone, and on the east by Gololcha.
Dodota is one of the woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Arsi Zone it is located in the Great Rift Valley. It is part of the former Dodotana Sire woreda, which was divided for Dodota and Sire woredas. Dodotana Sire is bordered on the south by Tena, on the southwest by Hitosa, on the north by the Misraq Shewa Zone, on the east by Jeju, and on the southeast by Sude. The administrative center for the woreda is Dera; other towns include Awash Melkasa.
Hitosa is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia. Aanaa of Lude Hitosa was separated from Hitosa. Part of the Arsi Zone, Hitosa is bordered on the south by Digeluna Tijo, on the southwest by Tiyo, on the west by Batu Dugda, on the northwest by the East Shewa Zone, on the northeast by Dodotana Sire, and on the east by Tena. The administrative center of the woreda is Iteya; other towns include Borujawi and Ligaba.
Chole is one of the woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Arsi Zone, Chole is bordered on the south by Amigna, on the southwest by Sude, on the northwest by Merti, on the north by Aseko, and on the east by Gololcha. Towns in Chole include Chole and Moye.
Sherka is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia. Research by Ulrich Braukämper uncovered a local tradition that traced the origins of this woreda's name to an ancient Ethiopian province, Sharkha, which vanished as a political unit in the 16th century. Part of the Arsi Zone, Sherka is bordered on the south by the Shebelle River which separates it from the Bale Zone, on the southwest by Bekoji, on the west by Digeluna Tijo, on the north by Tena, and on the east by Robe. Gobesa is the administrative center; other towns include Gado Guna.
Tiyo is one of the districts in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Arsi Zone, Tiyo is bordered on the south by Munesa, on the west by Batu Dugda, on the northeast by Hitosa, and on the southeast by Digeluna Tijo. The administrative center of the woreda and Zone is Asella; other towns in Tiyo include Gonde.
Dodola is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia of Ethiopia. It is named after the administrative center of the woreda, Dodola. It was the capital city of Ganale Awraja. Ganale's modern administration leadership was begun by Fit Awrary Woldemecael Buie Falama. He was a single charismatic leader who attracted both his nation and the last Ethiopian king, Haile Selassie. Because of his impact and legacy, thousands of Ganale Awraja residents still remember him as their transforming leader who thought ahead of his time. Because he transformed his nation, a nation which never had school, road, telephone, or airport, to test the modern services, by starting modern education in 1940s and the second school 1950s, airport, road, and telephone. His nephew, Mekonnen Hassen Buie, who is best known as a great mediator and inclusiveness, kept his uncle's legacy and helped to build the first high school in the Awraja Ganale in 1961 and get adequate drinking water for his city. Today, Dodola is part of the West Arsi Zone, Dodola is bordered on the south by Nensebo, on the west by Kokosa, on the north by the Shebelle River which separates it from the Kofele and Gedeb Asasa, and on the east by Adaba. Other towns include Herero.
Adaba is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia of Ethiopia; it shares the name of its administrative center, Adaba. Part of the West Arsi Zone, Adaba is bordered on the southwest by Nensebo, on the west by Dodola, on the northwest by the Shabelle River which separates it from the Gedeb Asasa, and on the east and south by Bale Zone.
Goba is a woreda in the Oromia Region, Ethiopia. It is named after the town of Goba. Part of the Bale Zone, Goba is bordered on the south by Mennana Harena Buluk, on the west by Mirab Arsi Zone, on the north by the Mena River which separates it from Sinanana Dinsho, and on the southeast by Berbere.
Nensebo is one of the Aanaas in the Oromia of Ethiopia. Part of the West Arsi Zone, Nensebo is bordered on the south by the Borena Zone, on the west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, on the northwest by Kokosa, on the north by Dodola, on the northeast by Adaba, on the east by Bale Zone. Towns in Nensebo include Werka.
Moyale(Oromo: Moyyaalee) is one of the Districtss in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the administrative center of the woreda, Moyale. Located in the southeast corner of the Borena Zone, Moyale is bordered on the south by Kenya, on the west by Dire, on the northwest by Arero, on the north by the Dawa River which separates it from Liben, and on the east by Dawa Zone Somali Region.
Kore is one of the woredas in the Oromia of Ethiopia. It is named after the administrative center of the woreda, Kore. It was part of Kofele woreda. Part of the West Arsi Zone, Kore is bordered on the south by the Kofele, on the southwest by the Naannawa Shashamane, on the northwest by Arsi Negele, on the north by Arsi Zone, and on the east by Gedeb Asasa.
