Decha
Encyclopedia
Decha is one of the 77 woreda
s in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia
. The name Decha comes from one of the provinces in the former Kingdom of Kaffa
, which had the approximately same boundaries. Part of the Keficho Shekicho Zone
, Decha is bordered on the south by the Omo River
which separates it from the Debub Omo Zone
, on the southwest by the Bench Maji Zone
, on the northwest by Chena
, on the north by Ginbo
, on the northeast by Telo
, and on the southeast by the Denchya River
which separates it from the Konta special woreda. The major town in Decha is Chiri.
According to a 2004 report, Decha had 47 kilometers of all-weather roads and 5 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 18 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. The southern tip of Decha is included in the territory of the Omo National Park
.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 106,026, of whom 53,675 are men and 52,351 women; 3,000 or 2.83% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 9.7%. With an estimated area of 2,841.26 square kilometers, Decha has an estimated population density of 37.3 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 81.9.
In the 1994 national census Decha had a population of 74,792, of whom 36,964 were men and 37,828 women; 1,655 or 2.21% of its population were urban dwellers. The five largest ethnic groups reported in this woreda were the Kafficho (78.23%), the Bench (7.69%), the Chara (5.57%), the Nao (5.13%), and the Me'en
(1.81%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.57% of the population. Kafa
was spoken as a first language by 78.67% of the inhabitants, 8.15% spoke Bench
, 5.5% Chara
, 4.62% Nayi
, and 1.24% spoke Me'en; the remaining 1.82% spoke all other primary languages reported. Concerning education
, 15.88% of the population were considered literate; 9.91% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 2.36% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 0.73% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, about 11.24% of the urban houses and 60.05% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census, while about 9.83% of the urban and 73.45% 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 Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' 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...
. The name Decha comes from one of the provinces in the former Kingdom of Kaffa
Kingdom of Kaffa
The Kingdom of Kaffa was an early modern state located in what is now Ethiopia, with its capital at Bonga. The Gojeb River formed its northern border, beyond which lay the Gibe kingdoms; to the east the territory of the Konta and Kullo peoples lay between Kaffa and the Omo River; to the south...
, which had the approximately same boundaries. Part of the Keficho Shekicho Zone
Keficho Shekicho Zone
Keficho Shekicho is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . While in their latest population estimates the Central Statistical Agency includes it as a single Zone, the list of second administrative level bodies maintained by the United Nations Geographic...
, Decha is bordered on the south by the Omo River
Omo River
The Omo River is an important river of southern Ethiopia. Its course is entirely contained within the boundaries of Ethiopia, and empties into Lake Turkana on the border with Kenya...
which separates it from the Debub Omo Zone
Debub Omo Zone
Debub Omo is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . Debub Omo is bordered on the south by Kenya, on the southwest by the Ilemi Triangle, on the west by Bench Maji, on the northwest by Keficho Shekicho, on the north by Semien Omo, on the northeast by the...
, on the southwest by the Bench Maji Zone
Bench Maji Zone
Bench Maji is one of the 13 Zones of the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . Bench Maji is bordered on the south by the Ilemi Triangle, on the west by Sudan, on the northwest by the Gambela Region, on the north by Keficho Shekicho and on the east by Debub Omo...
, on the northwest by Chena
Chena (woreda)
Chena is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. The name Chena comes from one of the provinces in the former Kingdom of Kaffa, whose administrative center had been at Wacha...
, on the north by Ginbo
Ginbo
Ginbo is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. The name Ginbo comes from one of the provinces in the former Kingdom of Kaffa...
, on the northeast by Telo
Telo
Telo is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. This woreda has its origins in the province Chetta of the former Kingdom of Kaffa. A triangle-shaped sub-unit of the Keficho Shekicho Zone, Telo is bordered on the west by Decha, at the northwest...
, and on the southeast by the Denchya River
Denchya River
The Denchya River is a river of southern Ethiopia. It is a south-flowing tributary of the Omo River, entering it on the right bank at ....
which separates it from the Konta special woreda. The major town in Decha is Chiri.
According to a 2004 report, Decha had 47 kilometers of all-weather roads and 5 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 18 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. The southern tip of Decha is included in the territory of the Omo National Park
Omo National Park
Omo National Park is one of the National Parks of Ethiopia. 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...
.
Demographics
Based on figures published by 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 106,026, of whom 53,675 are men and 52,351 women; 3,000 or 2.83% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 9.7%. With an estimated area of 2,841.26 square kilometers, Decha has an estimated population density of 37.3 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 81.9.
In the 1994 national census Decha had a population of 74,792, of whom 36,964 were men and 37,828 women; 1,655 or 2.21% of its population were urban dwellers. The five largest ethnic groups reported in this woreda were the Kafficho (78.23%), the Bench (7.69%), the Chara (5.57%), the Nao (5.13%), and the Me'en
Surma people
Surma is a panethnicity residing in South Sudan and southwestern Ethiopia. It includes the Nilo-Saharan-speaking Suri, Mursi and Me'en.-Overview:...
(1.81%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.57% of the population. Kafa
Kafa language
Kaffa is an Afroasiatic language spoken in Ethiopia around Bonga in the Keficho Shekicho Zone. The language is also called Kafi nono.- Further reading :...
was spoken as a first language by 78.67% of the inhabitants, 8.15% spoke Bench
Bench language
Bench is a Northern Omotic language of the "Gimojan" subgroup, spoken by about 174,000 people in the Bench Maji Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, in southern Ethiopia, around the towns of Mizan Teferi and Shewa Gimira...
, 5.5% Chara
Chara language
Chara is an Afro-Asiatic language of the North Omotic variety spoken in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region of Ethiopia by more than 13,000 people.-Status:...
, 4.62% Nayi
Nayi language
Nayi is an Omotic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken in western Ethiopia. The 2007 census listed 1998 census listed 7,188 speakers; the 1998 census 3,656 speakers, with 1,137 identified as monolinguals....
, and 1.24% spoke Me'en; the remaining 1.82% spoke all other primary languages reported. 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...
, 15.88% of the population were considered literate; 9.91% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 2.36% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 0.73% 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...
, about 11.24% of the urban houses and 60.05% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census, while about 9.83% of the urban and 73.45% of the total had toilet facilities.