Wabe River (also Wabi River, Uabi River) is a west-southwest flowing river of south-central Ethiopia, entirely confined within the reaches of Gurage Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region.
This river is a perennial river. A principal tributary of the Omo River on the left side, it joins the much larger Gibe River at 8°13′26″N37°37′23″E / 8.224°N 37.623°E from where the joint river continues as the Omo River. The river rises at an elevation of 2,850 m in the Shewan highlands and discharges into the Omo river at an elevation of 1060 m.
Due to its steep gradient, it is a quickly flowing river with many falls. In particular to mention are the Acho Falls near Welkite with a height of 60 meters. Southwest of Welkite and several kilometers short of its confluence with the Omo River the river shows a very steep series of rapids with an elevation drop of ~400 m in just four kilometers. Due to its special characteristics, the river is (in 2018) under investigation for hydroelectric electricity generation by using the hydropower of the river. [1]
Ethiopia is located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Djibouti and Somalia to the east, Sudan and South Sudan to the west, and Kenya to the south. Ethiopia has a high central plateau, the Abyssinian Highlands that varies from 1,290 to 3,000 m above sea level, with some 25 mountains whose peaks rise over 4,000 meters (13,200ft), the highest being Ras Dashen at 4,543 meters (14,538ft).
The Omo River in southern Ethiopia is the largest Ethiopian river outside the Nile Basin. Its course is entirely contained within the boundaries of Ethiopia, and it empties into Lake Turkana on the border with Kenya. The river is the principal stream of an endorheic drainage basin, the Turkana Basin.
Omo National Park is a national park in Ethiopia founded in 1980. Located in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region on the west bank of the Omo River, the park covers approximately 4,068 square kilometers, about 870 kilometers southwest of Addis Ababa; across the Omo is the Mago National Park and the Tama Wildlife Reserve. Although an airstrip was recently built near the park headquarters on the Mui River, this park is not easily reachable; the Lonely Planet guide Ethiopia and Eritrea describes Omo National Park as "Ethiopia's most remote park."
South Omo Zone is a zone in the Ethiopian South Ethiopia Regional State. South Omo is bordered to the south by Kenya, to the west by West Omo Zone, to the northwest by Keffa Zone, to the north by Ari Zone and Gofa Zone, to the northeast by Gardula, Ale Zone and Konso and to the east by the Oromia Region. The administrative center of South Omo is Dimeka.
Kuraz is one of the woredas in the South Ethiopia Regional State. It is the homeland of Daasanach people. Part of the Debub Omo Zone, Kuraz is bordered on the south by Kenya, on the west by the Ilemi Triangle, on the north by Nyangatom, and on the east by Hamer. The Omo River is flowing through Kuraz to Lake Turkana at the border of Kenya. The administrative center of this woreda is Omorate. Nyangatom woreda was separated from Kuraz.
The Gojeb River is eastward-flowing tributary of the Omo River in Ethiopia. It rises in the mountains of Guma, flowing in almost a direct line its confluence with the Omo at 7°20′25″N37°21′17″E.
Cheha is one of the woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. This woreda is named after one of the sub-groups of the Sebat Bet Gurage, the Cheha. Part of the Gurage Zone, Cheha is bordered on the south by Enemorina Eaner, on the west by the Oromia Region, on the north by the Wabe River which separates it from Abeshge and Kebena, on the east by Ezha, and on the southeast by Gumer and Geta. The administrative center for Cheha is Endibir; other towns include Gubre.
Omo Sheleko was one of 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Kembata Alaba and Tembaro Zone, Omo Sheleko was bordered on the south by the Semien Omo Zone, on the west by the Omo River which separates it from another part of the Semien Omo Zone, on the north by the Hadiya Zone, and on the east by Kacha Bira. Towns in Omo Sheleko included Mudula and Tunto. Omo Sheleko was divided for Hadero Tunto and Tembaro woredas.
Kedida Gamela is a woreda in the Central Ethiopia Regional State of Ethiopia. Part of the Kembata Zone. Kedida Gamela is bordered on the east and south by an Misraq Badawacho woreda of the Hadiya Zone, on the west by Kacha Bira, on the northwest by Angacha, on the north by Damboya, and on the northeast by the Bilate River which separates it from Halaba Zone. The northern part of Kedida Gamela was separated to create Damboya woreda. The administrative center of the district is Durame.
Halaba is a zone in the Central Ethiopia Regional State. It is named after the Halaba people, and covers part of their homeland. Located in the Great Rift Valley, Halaba zone is bordered on the south by an exclave of Hadiya Zone, on the southwest by the Kembata Zone, on the west and north by Hadiya Zone, on the north east by Lake Shala, and on the east by Oromia Region; the Bilate River, which is its major body of water, defines its western boundary. The administrative center is halaba Kulito.
Konta, previously called Ela, is a zone in the Southwest Region of Ethiopia. It is named after Konta people who speak the dialects called Kontatsuwa, Omotic languages. Before joining to Southwest Ethiopia Regional states, Konta was special woreda. This zone is bordered on the south by the Omo River which separates it from the Gamo Zone, Gofa Zone, and Selamgo woreda, Debub Omo Zone, on the west by the Keffa Zone, on the north by Oromia Region,Dedo and Mancho woreda, and on the east by the Dawro Zone; the Denchya River defines the southern part of the boundary with the Keficho Shekicho Zone. The administrative center is Ameya; other towns include Chida.
Mareka Gena was one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Semien Omo Zone, Mareka Gena was a triangle-shaped area located south of the confluence of the Omo River and its east-flowing tributary the Gojeb River, bordered on the southeast by Loma Bosa, on the west by Isara Tocha, and on the north by the Oromia Region. Towns in Mareka Gena included Wacca and Weldehane. Mareka Gena was divided for Gena Bosa and Mareka woredas.
Boreda Abaya was one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Semien Omo Zone, Boreda Abaya was bordered on the south by Arba Minch Zuria, on the southwest by Chencha, on the west by Kucha, on the north by Humbo, and on the east by Lake Abaya which separates it from the Oromia Region. Aruro Island, the largest island in Lake Abaya, was administratively part of this woreda. Towns in Boreda Abaya included Birbir and Zefene. Boreda Abaya was separated for Boreda and Mirab Abaya woredas.
Kemba is one of the woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Gamo Gofa Zone, Kemba is bordered on the southwest by the Debub Omo Zone, on the west by Uba Debretsehay, on the northwest by Zala, on the northeast by Deramalo, on the east by Bonke, and on the southeast by the Dirashe special woreda; the Weito River defines the boundary with Bonke and Dirashe. The major town in this woreda is Kemba.
Kersa is a woreda in the Jimma Zone of the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. It is bordered on the south by Dedo, on the southwest by Seka Chekorsa, on the west by Mana, on the north by Limmu Kosa, on the northeast by Tiro Afeta, and on the southeast by Omo Nada. Towns and cities in Kersa include Jimma, the zone's capital, and Serbo.
Omo Nada is one of the woredas in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Part of the Jimma Zone, Omo Nada is bordered on the south by the Gojeb River, which separates it from the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR), on the west by Dedo, on the northwest by Kersa, on the north by Nadhi Gibe, on the northeast by Sokoru, and on the east by the Omo River which separates it from the SNNPR. Nada is the administrative center of the district; other towns in Omo Nada include Asendabo.
Gilgel Gibe River is a major tributary of the larger Gibe River in southwest Ethiopia in western Oromia Region. It flows in an arc through the south of the Jimma Zone, defining part of the Zone's boundary with that of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region as it turns north. It then joins the eastwards flowing Gibe River less than ten miles from its own confluence with the Omo River.
Welkite is a town and separate woreda in south-western Ethiopia. The second administrative center of the Central Ethiopia Regional State, and Gurage Zone. The town has a latitude and longitude of 8°17′N37°47′E and an elevation between 1910 and 1935 meters above sea level. According to the government, Welkite is one of 12 towns with electrical power, one of 11 with telephone service and one of nine that have postal service. The SNNPR's Bureau of Finance and Economic Development, adds that as of 2003 Welkite also had a bank branch and other financial institutions, as well as a hospital. An all-weather road was built in 1963 which connects Welkite to Addis Ababa by way of Endibir.
The Gibe River is by far the largest tributary of the Omo River in southwestern Ethiopia and flows generally south-southeast. The confluence of the Gibe River 8°19′N37°28′E with the smaller Wabe River forms the Omo River. The whole drainage basin is sometimes referred to as the Omo-Gibe River Basin with the Gibe and the Omo draining the (respectively) upper and lower reaches.
Dawuro is a zone in the Southwest Region of Ethiopia. The name "Dawuro" represents both the land and the people. It is located at about 500km southwest of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, about 111 km west of Wolaita Sodo, the capital of South Ethiopia Regional State and 319 km of Hawassa the capital of the Sidama Region. Dawuro is bordered on the south by Gofa Zone, on the west by the Konta Zone, on the north by the Gojeb River which defines its boundary with the Oromia Region, Jimma zone, on the northeast by Hadiya and Tembaro Special Woreda in Central Ethiopia Regional State, and on the east by Wolayita Zone; the Omo River defines its eastern and southern boundaries.