Dangur
Encyclopedia
Dangur is one of the 21 woreda
s in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia
. It is named after the Dangur range of mountains, which extend southwest from the mountains along the west side of Lake Tana
. The administrative center of this woreda is Manbuk
.
Part of the Metekel Zone
, Dangur is bordered by Amhara Region
in the north, by Pawe special woreda
in the east, by Mandura
in the southeast, by Bulen
in the south, by Wenbera
in the southwest, and by Guba
and Sudan
in the west. Landmarks include the rock of Abu Ramlah in the westernmost part of the woreda, which was made into a fortified village by the local inhabitants, which was visited by Juan Maria Schuver
June 1882.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 42,059, of whom 20,778 are men and 21,281 are women; 5,596 or 13.31% of the population are urban dwellers which is greater than the Zone average of 10.7%. With an estimated area of 8,387.19 square kilometers, Dangur has a population density of 5 people per square kilometer which is less than the Zone average of 8.57.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 30,741 in 5,948 households, of whom 15,284 were males and 15,457 were females; 3,253 or 10.58% of its population were urban dwellers. The four largest ethnic groups reported in Dangur were the Awi
(40.5%) a subgroup of the Agaw
, Gumuz (34%), the Amhara (16.5%), and the Shinasha
(3.3%); all other ethnic groups made up 5.7% of the population. Awngi
is spoken as a first language by 40%, 34% speak Gumuz
, 17.5% speak Amharic
, and 3.2% speak Boro
; the remaining 5.3% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 52% of the population reporting that they held that belief, while 21.6% traditional religions, and 21% were Muslim
. Concerning education
, 11.51% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 18.61%; 11.83% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 2.02% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 0.18% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, 12.6% of the urban houses and 2.9% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 34% of the urban and about 7.4% of the total had toilet facilities.
Woreda
Woreda is an administrative division of Ethiopia , equivalent to a district . Woredas are composed of a number of Kebele, or neighborhood associations, which are the smallest unit of local government in Ethiopia...
s in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. It is named after the Dangur range of mountains, which extend southwest from the mountains along the west side of Lake Tana
Lake Tana
Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile and is the largest lake in Ethiopia...
. The administrative center of this woreda is Manbuk
Manbuk
Manbuk is a town in western Ethiopia. Located in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, Manbuk has a latitude and longitude of . The city is located near the southern foot of Mount Belaya, at an elevation of 1200 meters. It is the administrative center of Dangur, and the largest...
.
Part of the Metekel Zone
Metekel Zone
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 by Kamashi, on the southwest by Asosa, on the west by Sudan, and on the north and east by the Amhara Region...
, Dangur is bordered by Amhara Region
Amhara Region
Amhara is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia, containing the homeland of the Amhara people. Previously known as Region 3, its capital is Bahir Dar....
in the north, by Pawe special woreda
Pawe special woreda
Pawe is one of the 21 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Because it is not part of any Zone in Benishangul-Gumuz, it is considered a Special woreda, an administrative subdivision which is similar to an autonomous area. Pawe is bordered on the south and west by Metekel, and on the...
in the east, by Mandura
Mandura
Mandura is one of the 21 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...
in the southeast, by Bulen
Bulen (woreda)
Bulen is one of the 21 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...
in the south, by Wenbera
Wenbera
Wenbera is one of the 21 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Metekel Zone, it is bordered on the south by the Kamashi Zone, on the west by the Asosa Zone, on the north by Guba, on the northeast by the Beles River which separates it from Dangur, and by Bulen on the...
in the southwest, and by Guba
Guba (woreda)
Guba is one of the 21 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 Asosa Zone, Sudan on the west, Dangur on the north and east, and on the...
and Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
in the west. Landmarks include the rock of Abu Ramlah in the westernmost part of the woreda, which was made into a fortified village by the local inhabitants, which was visited by Juan Maria Schuver
Juan Maria Schuver
Juan Maria Schuver was a Dutch explorer who was a native of Amsterdam....
June 1882.
Demographics
Based on figures from the Central Statistical AgencyCentral Statistical Agency (Ethiopia)
The Central Statistical Agency is an agency of the government of Ethiopia designated to provide all surveys and censuses for that country used to monitor economic and social growth, as well as to act as an official training center in that field. It is part of the Ethiopian Ministry of Finance and...
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 42,059, of whom 20,778 are men and 21,281 are women; 5,596 or 13.31% of the population are urban dwellers which is greater than the Zone average of 10.7%. With an estimated area of 8,387.19 square kilometers, Dangur has a population density of 5 people per square kilometer which is less than the Zone average of 8.57.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 30,741 in 5,948 households, of whom 15,284 were males and 15,457 were females; 3,253 or 10.58% of its population were urban dwellers. The four largest ethnic groups reported in Dangur were the Awi
Awi people
The Awi people are an ethnic group in Ethiopia, and are grouped as one of the Agaw people. The Awis live in Agew Awi Zone in Central Gojjam, and have a few communities in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region.- Population :...
(40.5%) a subgroup of the Agaw
Agaw
The Agaw are an ethnic group in Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea.-History:The Agaw are perhaps first mentioned in the 3rd c. AD Aksumite inscription recorded by Cosmas Indicopleustes in the 6th century...
, Gumuz (34%), the Amhara (16.5%), and the Shinasha
Shinasha
The Shinasha, also known as Bworo or Boro, are an ethnic group of Ethiopia. Their language belongs to the North Omotic family . They live north of the Blue Nile in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region and number around 33,000 individuals. Their neighbors in the area include Gumuz and...
(3.3%); all other ethnic groups made up 5.7% of the population. Awngi
Awngi language
The Awngi language, in older publications also called Awiya , is a Central Cushitic language spoken by the Awi people, living in Central Gojjam in northwestern Ethiopia...
is spoken as a first language by 40%, 34% speak Gumuz
Gumuz language
Gumuz is a dialect cluster spoken along the border of Ethiopia and Sudan. Most Ethiopian speakers live in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, although a group of 1,000 live outside the town of Welkite...
, 17.5% speak Amharic
Amharic language
Amharic is a Semitic language spoken in Ethiopia. It is the second most-spoken Semitic language in the world, after Arabic, and the official working language of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Thus, it has official status and is used nationwide. Amharic is also the official or working...
, and 3.2% speak Boro
Boro language (Ethiopia)
Shinasha, also known as Boro is a North Omotic language spoken in western Ethiopia by the Shinasha people. Its speakers live in scattered areas north of the Abay River: in the Dangur, Dibate and Wenbera districts, which are parts of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region.-References:* Lamberti, Marcello ...
; the remaining 5.3% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 52% of the population reporting that they held that belief, while 21.6% traditional religions, and 21% were Muslim
Islam in Ethiopia
According to the latest 2007 national census, Islam is the second most widely practised religion in Ethiopia after Christianity, with over 25 million of Ethiopians adhering to Islam according to the 2007 national census, having arrived in Ethiopia in 615...
. Concerning education
Education in Ethiopia
Education in Ethiopia has been dominated by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church for many centuries until secular education was adopted in the early 1900s. Prior to 1974, Ethiopia had an estimated illiteracy rate well above 90% and compared poorly with the rest of Africa in the provision of schools and...
, 11.51% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 18.61%; 11.83% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 2.02% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 0.18% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
Water supply and sanitation in Ethiopia
Access to water supply and sanitation in Ethiopia is amongst the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa and the entire world. While access has increased substantially with funding from external aid, much still remains to be done to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving the share of people...
, 12.6% of the urban houses and 2.9% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 34% of the urban and about 7.4% of the total had toilet facilities.