Guba (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Guba is one of the 21 woreda
s 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 southeast by the Beles River
, which separates it from Wenbera
. Towns in Guba include Mankush
. A refugee camp
for displaced persons from Sudan operated in this woreda at Yarenja until all of its inhabitants were repatriated and the camp closed 28 March 2007.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 10,851, of whom 5,305 are men and 5,546 are women; 1,255 or 11.57% of the population are urban dwellers which is greater than the Zone average of 10.7%. With an estimated area of 3,896.10 square kilometers, Guba has a population density of 2.8 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 7,962 in 2193 households, of whom 3,899 were men and 4,063 were women; 729 or 9.16% of its population were urban. The four largest ethnic groups reported in Guba were the Gumuz (66.5%), the Amhara (6.6%), the Awi
(1%) a subgroup of the Agaw
, and the Tigrayans (1%); all other ethnic groups made up 24.9% of the population. Gumuz
is spoken as a first language by 65.1%, 7.2% speak Amhara
; the remaining 27.7% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim
, with 88.9% of the population reporting that they held that belief, while 7% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. Concerning education
, 9.5% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 18.61%; 5.67% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; a negligible number of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and a negligible number of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, 98% of the urban houses and 9.2% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 33.3% of the urban and 3.8% 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 former Sultanate of Gubba. 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...
, Guba is bordered by the Abay River on the south which separates it from the Asosa Zone
Asosa Zone
Asosa is one of the three Zones in Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. This Zone was named after the Asosa Sultanate, which had approximately the same boundaries. Asosa is bordered on the south by the Mao-Komo special woreda, on the west by Sudan, on the northeast by the Abay River which...
, 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...
on the west, Dangur
Dangur
Dangur is one of the 21 woredas 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...
on the north and east, and on the southeast by the Beles River
Beles River
Beles River is a river of western Ethiopia. A tributary of the Abay river , the Beles rises in Dangur woreda to flow in a south-west direction to its confluence. Its catchment area amounts to about 14,200 square kilometers....
, which separates it from 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...
. Towns in Guba include Mankush
Mankush
Mankush is a town in western Ethiopia. Located in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, Mankush is the largest settlement in Guba woreda....
. A refugee camp
Refugee camp
A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to receive refugees. Hundreds of thousands of people may live in any one single camp. Usually they are built and run by a government, the United Nations, or international organizations, or NGOs.Refugee camps are generally set up in an impromptu...
for displaced persons from Sudan operated in this woreda at Yarenja until all of its inhabitants were repatriated and the camp closed 28 March 2007.
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 10,851, of whom 5,305 are men and 5,546 are women; 1,255 or 11.57% of the population are urban dwellers which is greater than the Zone average of 10.7%. With an estimated area of 3,896.10 square kilometers, Guba has a population density of 2.8 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 7,962 in 2193 households, of whom 3,899 were men and 4,063 were women; 729 or 9.16% of its population were urban. The four largest ethnic groups reported in Guba were the Gumuz (66.5%), the Amhara (6.6%), 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 :...
(1%) 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...
, and the Tigrayans (1%); all other ethnic groups made up 24.9% of the population. 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...
is spoken as a first language by 65.1%, 7.2% speak Amhara
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 27.7% 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 88.9% of the population reporting that they held that belief, while 7% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. 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...
, 9.5% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 18.61%; 5.67% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; a negligible number of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and a negligible number 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...
, 98% of the urban houses and 9.2% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 33.3% of the urban and 3.8% of the total had toilet facilities.