Kofele (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Kofele is one of the 180 woreda
s 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 northwest by the Mirab Shewa Zone
, on the north by Munesa
, on the northeast by Bekoji
, and on the east by Gedeb
. Other towns in Kofele include Kore and Wabe Gefersa.
. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 30% is arable or cultivable, 29% pasture, 2.9% forest, and the remaining 38.1% is considered swampy, mountainous or otherwise unusable. Vegetables are an important cash crop; hides and skins are the primary export for Kofele.
Industry in the woreda includes 35 grain mills, one edible oil mill and one wood-working shop employing 103 people, as well as 991 registered businesses which include 162 wholesalers, 253 retailers and 576 service providers. There were 55 Farmers Associations with 21,083 members and 6 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 8466 members. Kofele has 12 kilometers of dry-weather and 65 of all-weather road, for an average of road density of 64.8 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 9.3% of the total population has access to drinking water
.
Kofele is the birthplace of famous Ethiopian runner Gelete Burika.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 251,761, of whom 126,891 are men and 124,870 are women; 20,874 or 8.29% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 12.3%. With an estimated area of 1,187.66 square kilometers, Kofele has an estimated population density of 212 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 179,708, of whom 89,443 were men and 90,265 women; 11,665 or 6.49% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Kofele were the Oromo
(94.86%), and the Amhara
(3.83%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.31% of the population. Oromiffa
was spoken as a first language by 94.59%, and 4.55% spoke Amharic
; the remaining 0.86% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim
, with 55.63% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 44.01% 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...
. It is named after the administrative center of the woreda, Kofele
Kofele
Kofele is a town in southern Ethiopia, and the administrative center of the Kofele woreda. Located in the Arsi Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 2695 meters above sea level....
. 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...
, Kofele 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 southwest by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, on the northwest by the Mirab Shewa Zone
Mirab Shewa Zone
Mirab Shewa is one of the 12 zones of the Oromia Region in Ethiopia. This zone takes its name from the kingdom or former province of Shewa...
, on the north by Munesa
Munesa
Munesa is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Arsi Zone located in the Great Rift Valley, Munesa is bordered on the south by Kofele, on the west by the Mirab Shewa Zone and Lake Langano, on the northwest by Ziway Dugda, on the north by Tiyo, on the northeast by...
, on the northeast 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...
, and on the east by Gedeb
Gedeb
Gedeb is one of the 180 woredas 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...
. Other towns in Kofele include Kore and Wabe Gefersa.
Overview
The altitude of this woreda ranges from 2000 to 3050 meters above sea level; Mount Duro is the highest point. Rivers include the 35 kilometers of the Anjelo, 30 kilometers of the Totalamo, and 35 kilometers of the Ashoka, all of which are tributaries of the Shebelle RiverShebelle River
The Shebelle River begins in the highlands of Ethiopia, and then flows southeast into Somalia towards Mogadishu. Near Mogadishu, it turns sharply southwest, where it follows the coast. Below Mogadishu, the river becomes seasonal...
. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 30% is arable or cultivable, 29% pasture, 2.9% forest, and the remaining 38.1% is considered swampy, mountainous or otherwise unusable. Vegetables are an important cash crop; hides and skins are the primary export for Kofele.
Industry in the woreda includes 35 grain mills, one edible oil mill and one wood-working shop employing 103 people, as well as 991 registered businesses which include 162 wholesalers, 253 retailers and 576 service providers. There were 55 Farmers Associations with 21,083 members and 6 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 8466 members. Kofele has 12 kilometers of dry-weather and 65 of all-weather road, for an average of road density of 64.8 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 9.3% 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...
.
Kofele is the birthplace of famous Ethiopian runner Gelete Burika.
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 251,761, of whom 126,891 are men and 124,870 are women; 20,874 or 8.29% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 12.3%. With an estimated area of 1,187.66 square kilometers, Kofele has an estimated population density of 212 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 179,708, of whom 89,443 were men and 90,265 women; 11,665 or 6.49% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Kofele 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...
(94.86%), 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...
(3.83%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.31% 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 94.59%, and 4.55% 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 0.86% 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 55.63% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 44.01% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.