Gedeb
Encyclopedia
Gedeb is one of the 180 woreda
s in the Oromia Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Arsi Zone
, Gedeb is bordered on the south by the Bale Zone
, on the west by Kofele
, and on the north and east by Bekoji
. The administrative center of the woreda is Asasa
.
Ulrich Braukämper theorizes that the name "Gedeb" comes from a Hadiya subgroup mentioned in the Royal Chronicle of Zara Yaqob
, where they are referred to as the "Gab". Braukämper has argued that the Hadiya kingdom prior to the Great Oromo migration in the 16th century included in this area, presenting a number of facts supporting his argument, as opposed to other experts who argue that it extended to the east.
, and the remaining 5.4% is considered swampy, mountainous or otherwise unusable. Garadela and Temela are the two state farms in this woreda. Linseed is an important cash crop.
Industry in the woreda includes two edible oil mills, 22 grain mills and one brick factory employing 104 people, rock quarries, as well as 722 registered businesses which include 284 wholesalers, 216 retailers and 222 service providers. There were 25 Farmers Associations with 21,373 members and 4 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 4270 members. Gedeb has 46 kilometers of dry-weather and 78 of all-weather road, for an average of road density of 108.8 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 42.5% of the total population has access to drinking water
.
In the 1970s, J. Desmond Clark
of the University of California excavated a Paleolithic
site in this woreda, located on the upper reaches of the Shabelle River.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 169,940, of whom 86,633 are men and 83,307 are women; 19,506 or 11.48% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 12.3%. With an estimated area of 1,139.38 square kilometers, Gedeb has an estimated population density of 149.2 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 132.2.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 120,382, of whom 59,146 were men and 61,236 women; 10,903 or 9.06% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Gedeb were the Oromo
(93.69%), and the Amhara
(4.6%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.11% of the population. Oromiffa
was spoken as a first language by 93.03%, and 6.51% spoke Amharic
; the remaining 0.46% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim
, with 77.87% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 21.76% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.
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 Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
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...
. Part of the Arsi Zone
Arsi Zone
Arsi is one of the 12 zones of the Oromia Region in Ethiopia. Arsi is also the name of a former province. Both the Zone and the former province are named after a subgroup of the Oromo, who inhabit both...
, Gedeb is bordered on the south by the Bale Zone
Bale Zone
Bale is one of the 17 zones in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Bale is named for the former kingdom of Bale, which was in approximately the same area...
, on the west by Kofele
Kofele (woreda)
Kofele is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the administrative center of the woreda, Kofele. Part of the Arsi Zone, Kofele is bordered on the south by the Bale Zone, on the southwest by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, on the...
, and on the north and east by Bekoji
Bekoji (woreda)
Bekoji is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Arsi Zone, Bekoji is bordered on the south by Gedeb, on the southwest by Kofele, on the west by Munesa, on the north by Digeluna Tijo, on the east by Sherka, and on the southeast by the Shebelle River which separates it...
. The administrative center of the woreda is Asasa
Asasa
Asasa is a town in southeastern Ethiopia. Located in the Arsi Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 2367 meters above sea level. It is the administrative center of Gedeb woreda....
.
Ulrich Braukämper theorizes that the name "Gedeb" comes from a Hadiya subgroup mentioned in the Royal Chronicle of Zara Yaqob
Zara Yaqob
Zar'a Ya`qob or Zera Yacob was of Ethiopia , and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
, where they are referred to as the "Gab". Braukämper has argued that the Hadiya kingdom prior to the Great Oromo migration in the 16th century included in this area, presenting a number of facts supporting his argument, as opposed to other experts who argue that it extended to the east.
Overview
The altitude of this woreda ranges from 1000 to 3280 meters above sea level; Mount Kaka is the highest point in the woreda. Melka Wakena Dam, its power station and its lake of 816 hectares are located in this woreda. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 76.9% is arable or cultivable, 17.3% pasture, 0.4% forestForestry in Ethiopia
In the late nineteenth century, about 30% of Ethiopia was covered with forest. The clearing of land for agricultural use and the cutting of trees for fuel gradually changed the scene, and today forest areas have dwindled to less than 4% of Ethiopia's total land. The northern parts of the highlands...
, and the remaining 5.4% is considered swampy, mountainous or otherwise unusable. Garadela and Temela are the two state farms in this woreda. Linseed is an important cash crop.
Industry in the woreda includes two edible oil mills, 22 grain mills and one brick factory employing 104 people, rock quarries, as well as 722 registered businesses which include 284 wholesalers, 216 retailers and 222 service providers. There were 25 Farmers Associations with 21,373 members and 4 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 4270 members. Gedeb has 46 kilometers of dry-weather and 78 of all-weather road, for an average of road density of 108.8 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 42.5% of the total population has access to drinking water
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...
.
In the 1970s, J. Desmond Clark
J. Desmond Clark
John Desmond Clark was a British archaeologist noted particularly for his work on prehistoric Africa.Educated at Monkton Combe School near Bath, J. Desmond Clark graduated with a B.A...
of the University of California excavated a Paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
site in this woreda, located on the upper reaches of the Shabelle River.
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 169,940, of whom 86,633 are men and 83,307 are women; 19,506 or 11.48% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 12.3%. With an estimated area of 1,139.38 square kilometers, Gedeb has an estimated population density of 149.2 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 132.2.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 120,382, of whom 59,146 were men and 61,236 women; 10,903 or 9.06% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Gedeb were the Oromo
Oromo people
The Oromo are an ethnic group found in Ethiopia, northern Kenya, .and parts of Somalia. With 30 million members, they constitute the single largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and approximately 34.49% of the population according to the 2007 census...
(93.69%), and the Amhara
Amhara people
Amhara are a highland people inhabiting the Northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Numbering about 19.8 million people, they comprise 26% of the country's population, according to the 2007 national census...
(4.6%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.11% of the population. Oromiffa
Oromo language
Oromo, also known as Afaan Oromo, Oromiffa, Afan Boran, Afan Orma, and sometimes in other languages by variant spellings of these names , is an Afro-Asiatic language, and the most widely spoken of the Cushitic family. Forms of Oromo are spoken as a first language by more than 25 million Oromo and...
was spoken as a first language by 93.03%, and 6.51% spoke 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...
; the remaining 0.46% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants 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...
, with 77.87% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 21.76% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.