Sekela (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Sekela is one of the 105 woreda
s in the Amhara Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Mirab (West) Gojjam Zone
, Sekela is bordered on the southwest by Bure Wemberma
, on the west by the Agew Awi Zone
, on the north by Merawi
, on the northeast by Adet
, on the east by Kuarit
, and on the southeast by Jabi Tehnan
. The administrative center of Sekela is Gish Abay
.
, originates in this woreda, and flows north into Lake Tana
.
In June 2002, heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in nine kebele
s in Sekela and neighboring woredas, which covered or completely washed away more than 1200 hectares of land planted in crops, and destroyed about 8600 quintals of harvested crops. One person and more than a hundred animals died in this disaster.
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 138,691, an increase of 61.36% over the 1994 census, of whom 69,018 are men and 69,673 women; 6,779 or 4.89% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 768.83 square kilometers, Sekela has a population density of 180.39, which is greater than the Zone average of 158.25 persons per square kilometer. A total of 29,908 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.64 persons to a household, and 29,093 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 85,950 in 17,216 households, of whom 43,616 were men and 42,334 were women; 1,959 or 2.28% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Sekela was the Amhara
(99.93%). Amharic
was spoken as a first language by 99.95%. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 99.96% reporting that as their religion.
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 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....
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 Mirab (West) 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...
, Sekela is bordered on the southwest by Bure Wemberma
Bure Wemberma
Bure Wemberma is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Its name is created from a combination of its largest town, Bure, and the historic district of Wemberma , which lay north of the Abay River between its tributaries the Zingini and Fatam...
, on the west by the Agew Awi Zone
Agew Awi Zone
Agew Awi is one of 10 Zones in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Agew Awi is named for the Awi sub-group of the Agaw people, some of whom live in this Zone. Agew Awi is bordered on the south by the Oromia Region, on the west by Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the north-west by Semien Gondar Zone and on...
, on the north by Merawi
Merawi (woreda)
Merawi is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mirab Gojjam Zone, Merawi is bordered on the south by Sekela, on the west by the Agew Awi Zone, on the northwest by the Lesser Abay River which separates it from Achefer, on the northeast by Bahir Dar Zuria, and on the...
, on the northeast by Adet
Adet (woreda)
Adet is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mirab Gojjam Zone, Adet is bordered on the south by Kuarit, on the southwest by Sekela, on the west by Merawi, on the north by Bahir Dar Zuria, on the east by the Abay River which separates it from the Debub Gondar Zone,...
, on the east by Kuarit
Kuarit
Kuarit is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mirab Gojjam Zone, Kuarit is bordered on the southwest by Jabi Tehnan, on the west by Sekela, on the north by Adet, on the east by the Misraq Gojjam Zone, and on the southeast by Dega Damot...
, and on the southeast by Jabi Tehnan
Jabi Tehnan
Jabi Tehnan is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mirab Gojjam Zone, Jabi Tehnan is bordered on the southeast by Dembecha, on the west by Bure Wemberma, on the northwest by Sekela, on the north by Kuarit, and on the east by Bibugn...
. The administrative center of Sekela is Gish Abay
Gish Abay
Gish Abay is a town in west-central Ethiopia. Located in the Mirab Gojjam Zone of the Amhara Region, it is the administrative center of Sekela woreda. The town is named after the nearby Mount Gish and the Abay River whose source is in the foothills of the mountain...
.
Overview
The Lesser Abay River, commonly considered to be the uppermost reach of the Blue NileBlue Nile
The Blue Nile is a river originating at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. With the White Nile, the river is one of the two major tributaries of the Nile...
, originates in this woreda, and flows north into Lake Tana
Lake Tana
Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile and is the largest lake in Ethiopia...
.
In June 2002, heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in nine kebele
Kebele
A kebele is the smallest administrative unit of Ethiopia similar to ward, a neighbourhood or a localized and delimited group of people...
s in Sekela and neighboring woredas, which covered or completely washed away more than 1200 hectares of land planted in crops, and destroyed about 8600 quintals of harvested crops. One person and more than a hundred animals died in this disaster.
Demographics
Based on the 2007 national census conducted 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...
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 138,691, an increase of 61.36% over the 1994 census, of whom 69,018 are men and 69,673 women; 6,779 or 4.89% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 768.83 square kilometers, Sekela has a population density of 180.39, which is greater than the Zone average of 158.25 persons per square kilometer. A total of 29,908 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.64 persons to a household, and 29,093 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 85,950 in 17,216 households, of whom 43,616 were men and 42,334 were women; 1,959 or 2.28% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Sekela was 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...
(99.93%). 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...
was spoken as a first language by 99.95%. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 99.96% reporting that as their religion.