Gera (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Gera is one of the 180 woreda
s in the Oromia Region
of Ethiopia
. It is named after the former Kingdom of Gera
, whose territory was approximately the same as the modern woreda. Part of the Jimma Zone
, Gera is bordered on the south by the Gojeb River
which separates it from the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, on the northwest by Sigmo
, on the north by Setema
, on the northeast by Gomma
, and on the east by Seka Chekorsa
. The administrative center of this woreda is Chira; other towns in Gera include Cheriko and Dusta.
are important cash crops. Coffee
is an important cash crop of this woreda. Over 50 square kilometers are planted with this crop.
Industry in the woreda includes 7 grain mills. Clay and iron deposits are known in the woreda, but have not yet been developed. There are 27 Farmers Associations with 10,545 members and 16 Farmers Service Cooperatives with the same number of members. Gera has 41 kilometers of dry-weather and 50 of all-weather road, for an average road density of 62.7 kilometers per 1,000 square kilometers. About 20.4% of the urban and 17.2% of the rural population has access to drinking water
.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 104,036, of whom 52,183 are men and 51,853 are women; 8,185 or 7.87% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 12.3%. With an estimated area of 1,451.25 square kilometers, Gera has an estimated population density of 71.7 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 150.6.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 74,337, of whom 37,183 were men and 37,154 women; 4,573 or 6.15% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Gera were the Oromo
(86.08%), the Amhara
(8.27%), and the Kafficho (4.16%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.49% of the population. Oromiffa
was spoken as a first language by 86.02%, 9.71% spoke Amharic
, and 3.48% spoke Kafa
; the remaining 1.52% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim
, with 87.22% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 11.15% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 1.26% were Protestant
.
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...
. It is named after the former Kingdom of Gera
Kingdom of Gera
The Kingdom of Gera was one of the kingdoms in the Gibe region of Ethiopia that emerged in the late 19th century. It shared its northern border with the Kingdom of Gumma, its eastern border with the Kingdom of Gomma, and was separated from the Kingdom of Kaffa to the south by the Gojeb River...
, whose territory was approximately the same as the modern woreda. Part of the Jimma Zone
Jimma Zone
Jimma is one of the 17 Zones of the Ethiopian Region of Oromia. Jimma is named for the former Kingdom of Jimma, which was absorbed into the former province of Kaffa in 1932...
, Gera is bordered on the south by the Gojeb River
Gojeb River
The Gojeb River is eastward-flowing tributary of the Omo River in Ethiopia. It rises in the mountains of Guma, flowing in almost a direct line its confluence with the Omo at....
which separates it from the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, on the northwest by Sigmo
Sigmo (woreda)
Sigmo is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. This woreda shares the same name as its administrative center, Sigmo. Located in the western part of the Jimma Zone, Sigmo is bordered on the south by Gera, on the west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, on...
, on the north by Setema
Setema
Setema is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Located in the western part of the Jimma Zone, Setema is bordered on the south by Gera, on the west by Sigmo, on the north by the Illubabor Zone, and on the southeast by Gomma. The administrative center of the woreda is Gatira.-...
, on the northeast by Gomma
Gomma (woreda)
Gomma is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the former Kingdom of Gomma, whose territory was roughly the same as the modern woreda...
, and on the east by Seka Chekorsa
Seka Chekorsa (woreda)
Seka Chekorsa is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the administrative center, Seka Chekorsa. Part of the Jimma Zone, Seka Chekorsa is bordered on the south by the Gojeb River which separates it from the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, on...
. The administrative center of this woreda is Chira; other towns in Gera include Cheriko and Dusta.
Overview
The altitude of this woreda ranges from 1390 to 2980 meters above sea level; mountains include Waka, Kimbibit and Timba. Perennial rivers include the Naso. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 26.5% is arable or cultivable (23.4% was under annual crops), 7.0% pasture, 56.6% forest, and the remaining 9.9% is considered degraded, built-up or otherwise unusable. Spices, corn and teffTeff
Eragrostis tef, known as teff, taf , or khak shir , is an annual grass, a species of lovegrass native to the northern Ethiopian Highlands of Northeast Africa....
are important cash crops. Coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
is an important cash crop of this woreda. Over 50 square kilometers are planted with this crop.
Industry in the woreda includes 7 grain mills. Clay and iron deposits are known in the woreda, but have not yet been developed. There are 27 Farmers Associations with 10,545 members and 16 Farmers Service Cooperatives with the same number of members. Gera has 41 kilometers of dry-weather and 50 of all-weather road, for an average road density of 62.7 kilometers per 1,000 square kilometers. About 20.4% of the urban and 17.2% of the rural 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...
.
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 104,036, of whom 52,183 are men and 51,853 are women; 8,185 or 7.87% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 12.3%. With an estimated area of 1,451.25 square kilometers, Gera has an estimated population density of 71.7 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 150.6.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 74,337, of whom 37,183 were men and 37,154 women; 4,573 or 6.15% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Gera 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...
(86.08%), 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...
(8.27%), and the Kafficho (4.16%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.49% 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 86.02%, 9.71% 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...
, and 3.48% spoke 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 :...
; the remaining 1.52% 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 87.22% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 11.15% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 1.26% were Protestant
P'ent'ay
P'ent'ay or Pentay is a slang term widely used in modern Ethiopia, and among Ethiopians living abroad, to describe Ethiopian Christians who are not members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo, Ethiopian Orthodox Tehadeso, Roman Catholic or Ethiopian Catholic churches...
.