Dembecha
Encyclopedia
Dembecha is a town in northwestern Ethiopia
340 km north of Addis Ababa
. Located in the Mirab Gojjam Zone
of the Amhara Region
, this town has a latitude and longitude of 10°33′N 37°29′E with an elevation of 2083 meters above sea level. It is one of three towns in Dembecha
woreda
.
Located near Dembecha are hot springs, which were well known and popular throughout Gojjam
. Other landmarks include a venerable monastery.
passed through between 8 May and 18 July 1683 on his journey from Yebaba to Gondar
.
Dembecha was included as one of the stages of the Gondar-Boso trade route of the 1840s, according to a list compiled by Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie
in his Geodesie d'Ethiopie. The British traveller C.T. Beke
stayed several times in this town during 1842, beginning with several days during February 1842 while he waited for Dejazmach Goshu Zewde to complete his homage to Ras Ali
and return. Beke described the town at the time as a "large town" located "on the slope of another ridge of the mountains coming from the N.E." He also notes its importance due to its location on one of the principal caravan routes through Gojjam
.
As part of the East African Campaign
of World War II
, Gideon Force
encountered a vastly superior Italian force under Colonel Natale near the fort at Dembecha on 5 March 1942. Although defeated in the battle, the British force inflicted such heavy casualties that three days later the Italian garrison was forced to withdraw to Debre Marqos
. Seizing this fort allowed the British to isolate Debre Marqos from the rest of the Italian forces.
in 2005, Dembecha has an estimated total population of 15,008, of whom 7,384 are men and 7,624 are women. The 1994 census reported this town had a total population of 8,663 of whom 3,885 were men and 4,775 were women.
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...
340 km north of Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
. Located in the Mirab Gojjam Zone
Mirab Gojjam Zone
Mirab Gojjam is a Zone in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Mirab Gojjam is named after the former province of Gojjam was divided in to two administrative zones by EPRDF...
of the 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....
, this town has a latitude and longitude of 10°33′N 37°29′E with an elevation of 2083 meters above sea level. It is one of three towns in Dembecha
Dembecha (woreda)
Dembecha is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mirab Gojjam Zone, Dembecha is bordered on the west by Bure Wemberma, on the northwest by Jabi Tehnan, and on the north, east and south by the Misraq Gojjam Zone...
woreda
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...
.
Located near Dembecha are hot springs, which were well known and popular throughout Gojjam
Gojjam
Gojjam was a kingdom in the north-western part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Debre Marqos. This region is distinctive for lying entirely within the bend of the Abbay River from its outflow from Lake Tana to the Sudan...
. Other landmarks include a venerable monastery.
History
Dembecha is mentioned as one of the places the Emperor YohannesYohannes I of Ethiopia
Yohannes I , throne name A'ilaf Sagad was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
passed through between 8 May and 18 July 1683 on his journey from Yebaba to Gondar
Gondar
Gondar or Gonder is a city in Ethiopia, which was once the old imperial capital and capital of the historic Begemder Province. As a result, the old province of Begemder is sometimes referred to as Gondar...
.
Dembecha was included as one of the stages of the Gondar-Boso trade route of the 1840s, according to a list compiled by Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie
Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie
Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie d'Arrast was a French and Basque explorer, geographer, ethnologue, linguist and astronomer notable for his travels in Ethiopia during the first half of the 19th century...
in his Geodesie d'Ethiopie. The British traveller C.T. Beke
Charles Tilstone Beke
Charles Tilstone Beke was an English traveller, geographer and Biblical critic. Born in Stepney, London, the son of a merchant in the City of London, for a few years Beke engaged in mercantile pursuits...
stayed several times in this town during 1842, beginning with several days during February 1842 while he waited for Dejazmach Goshu Zewde to complete his homage to Ras Ali
Ali II of Yejju
Ali II of Yejju was a Ras of Begemder and Enderase of the Emperor of Ethiopia. He was the son of Alula of Yejju, sometime governor of Damot and then of Gojjam, and Menen Liben Amede, later Empress of Ethiopia, and grandson of Gugsa of Yejju, by his fourth wife, Amata Selassie, daughter of Emperor...
and return. Beke described the town at the time as a "large town" located "on the slope of another ridge of the mountains coming from the N.E." He also notes its importance due to its location on one of the principal caravan routes through Gojjam
Gojjam
Gojjam was a kingdom in the north-western part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Debre Marqos. This region is distinctive for lying entirely within the bend of the Abbay River from its outflow from Lake Tana to the Sudan...
.
As part of the East African Campaign
East African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Gideon Force
Gideon Force
The Gideon Force was a small British-led African regular force which acted as a Corps d'Elite amongst the irregular Ethiopian forces fighting the Italian occupation forces in Ethiopia during the East African Campaign of World War II...
encountered a vastly superior Italian force under Colonel Natale near the fort at Dembecha on 5 March 1942. Although defeated in the battle, the British force inflicted such heavy casualties that three days later the Italian garrison was forced to withdraw to Debre Marqos
Debre Marqos
Debre Marqos is a city and woreda in east-central Ethiopia. Located in the Misraq Gojjam Zone of the Amhara Region, it has a latitude and longitude of , and an elevation of 2,446 meters. The city is named Debre Marqos after its principal church, which was constructed in 1869 and dedicated to St....
. Seizing this fort allowed the British to isolate Debre Marqos from the rest of the Italian forces.
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, Dembecha has an estimated total population of 15,008, of whom 7,384 are men and 7,624 are women. The 1994 census reported this town had a total population of 8,663 of whom 3,885 were men and 4,775 were women.