The Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region was a regional state in southwestern Ethiopia. It was formed from the merger of five kililoch, called Regions 7 to 11, following the regional council elections on 21 June 1992. Its government was based in Hawassa.
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.
The Welayta, or Wolaitans are an ethnic group located in Southwestern Ethiopia. According to the most recent estimate (2017), the people of Wolayta numbered 5.83 million in Welayta Zone. The language of the Wolayta people, similarly called Wolaytta, belongs to the Omotic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Despite their small population, Wolayta people have widely influenced national music, dance, and cuisine in Ethiopia.
Dawro 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.
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.
Roman Tesfaye Abneh is an Ethiopian politician and activist who was the third First Lady of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia from September 2012 to February 2018. She is the wife of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. She holds two master's degrees in economics and leadership. Prior to her position as First Lady, she served in Arba Minch University in South Ethiopia Regional State, as a lecturer of Economics, economic advisor to South Region's administration, Federal level as the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, South Ethiopia as the administrator of Regional Bureau of Finance and Economic Development, Regional Secretariat for the National Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Preparation, and the Bureau of Plan and Economic Development.
Bitena is a town in Wolayita Zone, South Ethiopia Regional State, Ethiopia. It is administrative capital of Diguna Fango district of Wolayita Zone, Ethiopia. Bitena is located about 355 km away from Addis Ababa to the south on the path Addis-Hawassa-Dimtu-Sodo and 45 km away from Sodo, the capital of Wolaita Zone. It also specifically located between 22 km West of Dimtu town and 7 km northeast of Kercheche town. Bitena lies between 6°57'52.6"N 38°02'08.7"E.
Bedessa is a town in Wolayita Zone of the South Ethiopia Regional State, 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.
Samuel Urkato Kurke is an Ethiopian politician and cabinet minister since October 2018. He was president of Wolaita Sodo University before becoming Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and has been Minister of Science and Higher Education (MoSHE) since August 2020 until the ministry merge into Ministry of Education on 6 October 2021.
Bale Hawassa(Wolaytta: Bale Hawaassa) or in short Bale is a city in Wolayita Zone of South Ethiopia Regional State, Ethiopia. The city is one of seven city administrations in Wolaita Zone. It is administrative capital of Kindo Koysha district of Wolayita Zone, Ethiopia. Bale is located about 400 km away from Addis Ababa to the south on the path Addis-Butajira-Sodo and 38 km westward from Sodo, the capital of Wolaita Zone. The city has an average elevation 1500 meter above sea level. Bale Hawassa lies between 6°55'05" North, and 37°31'55" East.
Tebela or (Wolaita: Xabala) is a city in Wolaita Zone South Ethiopia Regional State. Tebela is an administrative capital of Humbo woreda district of Wolayita Zone. Tebela is located about 345 km away from Addis Ababa to the south. And also, Tebela is located 20 km, South from Sodo, the capital of the region and also Wolayita Zone. The coordinate point of the town in map is 6°42′24″N 37°46′10″E. The amenities in the town are; 24 hours electricity, pure public water, banks, primary and secondary schools, postal service, telecommunications services health centre, private clinics, drugs store, public market, public road light around high ways, internal and town crossing asphalt roads and others.
Gesuba or (Wolaita: Gasuubba) is a city in Offa Woreda, Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia. The approximate distance from the town of Sodo is about 33 kilometers to Southwest. And also the distance from Addis Ababa to Gesuba is 352 km via Butajira-Sodo to South. Gesuba town is used as an administrative capital of Offa woreda. It is located at an elevation of 1,549 meters above sea level. Gesuba is a populated place in Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples regional state. Gesuba town is one of the seven municipal administrations found in Wolaita Zone, South Ethiopia. It is a town with more than 30,000 populations and has two high schools. 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. Gesuba lies between about 6°43'27"N 37°33'24"E.
Bombe is a town in Wolayita Zone of the South Ethiopia Regional State, Ethiopia. Bombe town is located 325 km (202 mi) and 55 km (34 mi) 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 (5,023 ft) 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
Wolaita Tussa Sports Club, also known as Wolaita Tussa, is a professional football club based in Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia. The club was founded in 1988 by known pop of catholic missioner Gino Benanti. After its formation the club was well known and popular in southern region. They were a member of the Ethiopian Football Federation and now participating in Ethiopia U-20 Premier league. But latter on after playing the first round Wolaita Zone Youth and Sport department declared that Wolaita Tussa would not continue the second round because of budget deficit.
Wolaita Dicha Volleyball Club or in short Wolaita Dicha VC is a volleyball team from Ethiopia, based in Sodo. It is the member of Ethiopian Volleyball Federation. The club was founded in 2009. Wolaita Dicha VC plays their home games in the Wolaita Sodo Stadium.
The South Ethiopia Regional State is a region in southern Ethiopia. It was formed from the southern part of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR) on 19 August 2023 after a successful referendum.
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.
