Selamago
Encyclopedia
Selamago is one of the 77 woreda
s in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia
. Part of the Debub Omo Zone
, Selamago is bordered on the south by Kuraz
, on the west and north by the Omo River
which separates it from the Bench Maji
and the Keficho Shekicho Zone
s and the Konta special woreda, on the northeast by the Gamo Gofa Zone
, on the east by the Basketo special woreda and Bako Gazer
, and on the southeast by the Usno River
which separates it from Hamer Bena
; the Mago River
defines part of the boundary with Bako Gazer. The administrative center of Selamago is Hana.
. According to a 2004 report, Selamago had no all-weather roads and 185 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 44 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.
David Turton describes this area as one of the most isolated in Ethiopia: the Omo and Mago rivers make access difficult and the conquering armies of Menelik II bypassed it. Although the occupying Italians
briefly occupied a military post along the Omo in what later became Selamago in 1940, it was not until the 1970s that direct Ethiopian administration reached this area.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 19,329, of whom 9,825 are men and 9,504 are women; 718 or 3.71% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 8.5%. With an estimated area of 4,191.25 square kilometers, Selamago has an estimated population density of 4.6 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 21.1.
In the 1994 national census Selamago had a population of 13,608, of whom 6,675 were men and 6,933 women; 397 or 2.92% of its population were urban dwellers. The five largest ethnic groups reported in this woreda were the Dime (39.23%), the Bodi otherwise known as the Me'en (33.07%), the Mursi (22.94%), the Amhara
(2.2%), and the Basketo
(1.26%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.3% of the population. Dime
was spoken as a first language by 40.39% of the inhabitants, 33.07% spoke Me'en, and 22.94% spoke Mursi
; the remaining 3.6% spoke all other primary languages reported. A 1996 UNDP report states that the "Bodi" and "Dimi" peoples were not counted in the 1984 census. One group who were missed were the Kwegu
, whose villages can be found along the Omo River; they may have been counted as belonging to the Mursi.
Concerning education
, 5.77% of the population were considered literate. Concerning sanitary conditions
, about 80% of the urban inhabitants and 9% 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 Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' 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...
. Part of the Debub Omo Zone
Debub Omo Zone
Debub Omo is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . Debub Omo is bordered on the south by Kenya, on the southwest by the Ilemi Triangle, on the west by Bench Maji, on the northwest by Keficho Shekicho, on the north by Semien Omo, on the northeast by the...
, Selamago is bordered on the south by Kuraz
Kuraz
Kuraz is a woreda in the extreme south of Ethiopia. Part of the Debub Omo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Kuraz is bordered on the south by Kenya, on the west by the Ilemi Triangle , on the north by Selamago, and on the east by the Omo River which separates it from...
, on the west and north by the Omo River
Omo River
The Omo River is an important river of southern Ethiopia. Its course is entirely contained within the boundaries of Ethiopia, and empties into Lake Turkana on the border with Kenya...
which separates it from the Bench Maji
Bench Maji Zone
Bench Maji is one of the 13 Zones of the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . Bench Maji is bordered on the south by the Ilemi Triangle, on the west by Sudan, on the northwest by the Gambela Region, on the north by Keficho Shekicho and on the east by Debub Omo...
and the Keficho Shekicho Zone
Keficho Shekicho Zone
Keficho Shekicho is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . While in their latest population estimates the Central Statistical Agency includes it as a single Zone, the list of second administrative level bodies maintained by the United Nations Geographic...
s and the Konta special woreda, on the northeast by the Gamo Gofa Zone
Gamo Gofa Zone
Gamo Gofa is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . It is named for the Gamo and Gofa peoples, whose homelands lie in this Zone...
, on the east by the Basketo special woreda and Bako Gazer
Bako Gazer
Bako Gazer is one of the 79 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Debub Omo Zone, Bako Gazer is bordered on the south by Hamer Bena, on the west by the Mago River which separates it from Selamago, and on the north by the Basketo special woreda,...
, and on the southeast by the Usno River
Usno River
The Usno River is a tributary of the Omo in Ethiopia. Formed by the confluence of the Magi and the Neri, it flows south past the Nyalibong Hills before it enters the Omo at . Almost all of its course is inside the boundaries of the Mago National Park....
which separates it from Hamer Bena
Hamer Bena
Hamer Bena is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Debub Omo Zone, Hamer Bena is bordered on the south by Kenya, on the southwest by Kuraz, on the northwest by the Usno River which separates it from Selamago, on the north by Bako...
; the Mago River
Mago River
Mago River is a river of southern Ethiopia, entirely located in the Debub Omo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region. It joins the Neri River to form the Usno River, a tributary of the Omo River....
defines part of the boundary with Bako Gazer. The administrative center of Selamago is Hana.
Overview
The highest point in this woreda is Mount Smith (2560 meters); other notable peaks include Mount Dara. Rivers in this woreda include the Hana. The southern part of Selamago along the Mago and Usno rivers, a length of about 20 kilometers, is included in the Mago National ParkMago National Park
Mago National Park is one of the National Parks of Ethiopia. Located in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region about 782 kilometers south of Addis Ababa and north of a large 90° bend in the Omo River, the 2162 square kilometers of this park are divided by the Mago River, a...
. According to a 2004 report, Selamago had no all-weather roads and 185 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 44 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.
David Turton describes this area as one of the most isolated in Ethiopia: the Omo and Mago rivers make access difficult and the conquering armies of Menelik II bypassed it. Although the occupying Italians
Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa was an Italian colonial administrative subdivision established in 1936, resulting from the merger of the Ethiopian Empire with the old colonies of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea. In August 1940, British Somaliland was conquered and annexed to Italian East Africa...
briefly occupied a military post along the Omo in what later became Selamago in 1940, it was not until the 1970s that direct Ethiopian administration reached this area.
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 19,329, of whom 9,825 are men and 9,504 are women; 718 or 3.71% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 8.5%. With an estimated area of 4,191.25 square kilometers, Selamago has an estimated population density of 4.6 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 21.1.
In the 1994 national census Selamago had a population of 13,608, of whom 6,675 were men and 6,933 women; 397 or 2.92% of its population were urban dwellers. The five largest ethnic groups reported in this woreda were the Dime (39.23%), the Bodi otherwise known as the Me'en (33.07%), the Mursi (22.94%), 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...
(2.2%), and the Basketo
Basketo people
The Basketo people are an Omotic-speaking ethnic group whose homeland lies in the southern part of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region . The Basketo special woreda is named after this ethnic group...
(1.26%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.3% of the population. Dime
Dime language
Dime is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken in the northern part of the Selamago district in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region of Ethiopia, around Mount Smith. Dime divides into at least two dialects, which include Us'a and Gerfa. It has six case suffixes, in addition to an...
was spoken as a first language by 40.39% of the inhabitants, 33.07% spoke Me'en, and 22.94% spoke Mursi
Mursi language
Mursi is a Nilo-Saharan Eastern Sudanic language spoken by the Mursi people, in the Central Omo region of southwest Ethiopia. It is similar to Suri, spoken in most of the immediately surrounding area.-Bibliography:...
; the remaining 3.6% spoke all other primary languages reported. A 1996 UNDP report states that the "Bodi" and "Dimi" peoples were not counted in the 1984 census. One group who were missed were the Kwegu
Kwegu people
The Kwegu people are a Surmic ethnic group inhabiting the shores of the Omo River in southwestern Ethiopia.-Overview:The Kwegu speak the Kwegu language as a mother tongue, which belongs to the Nilo-Saharan language family....
, whose villages can be found along the Omo River; they may have been counted as belonging to the Mursi.
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...
, 5.77% of the population were considered literate. 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...
, about 80% of the urban inhabitants and 9% of the total had toilet facilities.