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.
Districts, or woreda, are the third-level administrative divisions of Ethiopia. They are further subdivided into a number of wards (kebele) or neighborhood associations, which are the smallest unit of local government in Ethiopia.
Benishangul-Gumuz, also known as Benshangul/Gumuz, is one of the nine ethnic divisions (kililoch) of Ethiopia. It was previously known as Region 6. The region's capital is Assosa. Following the adoption of the 1995 constitution, the Region was created from the westernmost portion of the Gojjam province, and the northwestern portion of the Welega Province. The name of the region comes from two local ethnic groups – Berta and Gumuz.
Ethiopia, Oromo: Itiyoophiyaa, Somali: Itoobiya, Hebrew: אתיופיה -officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country in the northeastern part of Africa, popularly known as the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, and Somalia to the east, Sudan and South Sudan to the west, and Kenya to the south. With over 102 million inhabitants, Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world and the second-most populous nation on the African continent that covers a total area of 1,100,000 square kilometres (420,000 sq mi). Its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa, which lies a few miles west of the East African Rift that splits the country into the Nubian Plate and the Somali Plate.
The book Mystery of the Nile narrates how one of the authors, Pasquale Scaturro, had been detained at the administrative center of Sirba Abay by the woreda administrator, Faisa Ayana, while travelling down the Abay in 2004. Near the administrative center there was a missionary station run by a Norwegian church. [1]
This woreda is located on the southern slopes of the Abay River, with elevations ranging from approximately 2500 meters above sea level in the south to just under 1000 meters at the bottom of the Abay valley.
Demographics
The 2007 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 17,996, of whom 9,192 were men and 8,804 were women; 2,725 or 15.14% of its population were urban dwellers. The majority of the inhabitants said they were Protestant, with 48.62% of the population reporting they observed this belief, while 29.7% of the population were Moslem, 14.51% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 5.54% practiced traditional beliefs, and 1.27% were Catholic. [2]
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.
Islam is the second largest religion in Ethiopia with over 33,9% of the population practicing it in 2007. The faith arrived in Ethiopia at an early date, shortly before the hijira. Islam is the religion of the overwhelming majority of the Somali, Afar, Argobba, Harari, Berta, Alaba, and Silt'e and also has many adherents among the Gurage and the Oromo, the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, as well as a minority of Amhara, the second largest ethnic group in the country.
Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 12,230, of whom 6,341 are men and 5,889 are women. [3] With an estimated area of 1,308.44 square kilometers, Sirba Abbay has a population density of 9.3 people per square kilometer which is greater than the Zone average of 7.61. Information is lacking on the towns of this woreda.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 9,221 in 1,818 households, of whom 4,802 were men and 4,419 were women; no urban inhabitants were reported for this woreda. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Sirba Abbay were the Gumuz (75.6%), and the Oromo (22.7%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.3% of the population. Gumuz is spoken as a first language by 68%, and Oromiffa by 29.6%; the remaining 0.2% spoke all other primary languages reported. Most of the inhabitants were Protestant, with 43.6% of the population reporting they professed that religion, while 31.7% were Muslim, and 25.4% observed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. Concerning education, 8.49% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 11.36%; 7.52% 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, 0.6% of all houses had access to safe drinking water, and 0.8% had toilet facilities at the time of the census. [4]
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.
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.
Asosa is one of the 20 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Asosa Zone, it is bordered by Kormuk and Komesha in the north, by Menge in the northeast, by Oda Buldigilu in the east, by Bambasi in the southeast, by Mao-Komo special woreda in the south and by Sudan in the west. This Woreda is named after its largest settlement, Asosa. Rivers include the Yabus and its tributary the Buldidine. One of the highest points in Asosa is Mount Bange.
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.
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.
Agalo Mite is one of the 20 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Kamashi Zone, it is bordered by Kamashi woreda on the southeast, the Oromia Region on the southwest, Sirba Abbay on the northwest, the Abay River on the north, and by the Didessa River on the northeast.
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.
Dega is one of the woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Buno Bedelle Zone, Dega is bordered on the south by Chora, on the west by Supena Sodo, on the north by the Mirab Welega Zone, on the northeast by the southern exclave of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, and on the east by Bedele. Towns in Dega include Dega and Mako. Mako woreda was part of Dega woreda.
Wemberma is one of the woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Its name comes from the historic district of Wemberma, which lay north of the Abay River between its tributaries the Zingini and Fatam. Part of West Gojjam Zone Wemberma is bordered on the south by the Abay River which separates it from the Oromia Region and Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the north by the Agew Awi Zone, and on the east by Bure, Gojjam. The administrative center of Wemberma is Shendi. Wemberma was part of former Bure Wemberma woreda.
