Sokoru
Encyclopedia
Sokoru is one of the 180 woreda
s in the Oromia Region
of Ethiopia
. This woreda is named after the former awraja of the same name, and covering much of the same territory as the current woreda, as well as its administrative center, Sokoru. Part of the Jimma Zone
, Sokoru is bordered on the south by Omo Nada
, on the west by Tiro Afeta
, and on the north and east by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region; the Gibe River
defines the northern boundary. Other towns in this woreda include Deneba, Kumbi and Natri.
a tributary of the Gibe, and the Kawar; seasonal streams include the Melka Luku. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 36.6% is arable or cultivable, 16.8% pasture, 17.2% forest, and the remaining 29.4% is built-up or degraded. The Abelti-Gibe State Forest covers 159 square kilometers of the forested area. Teff
is one important cash crop. Although coffee
is another important cash crop of this woreda, less than 20 square kilometers are planted with this crop.
Industry in the woreda includes 21 grain mills and 2 furniture factories. There were 36 Farmers Associations with 14,161 members and 8 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 14,161 members. Sokoru has no kilometers of either dry-weather or all-weather road. About 72% of the urban population and 10.1% of the rural has access to drinking water
.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 157,552, of whom 79,305 were males and 78,247 were females; 19,676 or 12.49% of its population are urban dwellers, which is about the same as the Zone average of 12.3%. With an estimated area of 923.44 square kilometers, Sokoru has an estimated population density of 170.6 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 150.6.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 111,358, of whom 55,470 were men and 55,888 women; 11,006 or 9.88% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The six largest ethnic groups reported in Sokoru were the Oromo
(77.73%), the Yem
(8.19%), the Kebena (3.69%), the Hadiya (3.4%), the Amhara
(2.7%), and the Sebat Bet Gurage (1.72%); all other ethnic groups made up 2.57% of the population. However according to one source, in the early 1990s the Yem formed a significant minority, with significant populations in Sokoru, Deneba, and the surrounding villages. Oromiffa
was spoken as a first language by 83.74%, 4.62% spoke Amharic
, 3.8% spoke Kebena, 3.43% spoke Yemsa
, and 3.1% spoke Hadiya
; the remaining 1.31% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim
, with 91.23% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 8.07% 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...
. This woreda is named after the former awraja of the same name, and covering much of the same territory as the current woreda, as well as its administrative center, Sokoru. 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...
, Sokoru is bordered on the south by Omo Nada
Omo Nada
Omo Nada is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Jimma Zone, Omo Nada is bordered on the south by the Gojeb River which separates it from the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region , on the west by Dedo, on the northwest by Kersa, on the north by Tiro...
, on the west by Tiro Afeta
Tiro Afeta
Tiro Afeta is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Jimma Zone, Tiro Afeta is bordered on the south by Omo Nada, on the west by Kersa, on the north by Limmu Kosa, and on the east by Sokoru...
, and on the north and east by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region; the Gibe River
Gibe River
The Gibe River is a tributary of the Omo River. Located in southwest Ethiopia, it is not navigable, like almost all rivers in the country.-Overview:...
defines the northern boundary. Other towns in this woreda include Deneba, Kumbi and Natri.
Overview
The altitude of this woreda ranges from 1160 to 2940 meters above sea level; the highest points include Ali Shashema, Ali Derar and Kumbi. Perennial rivers include the Gilgel GibeGilgel Gibe River
Gilgel Gibe River is a tributary of the Gibe River in southwest Ethiopia. It flows in an arc through the south of the Jimma Zone, defining part of the Zone's boundary with that of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region west of the Omo River as it turns north...
a tributary of the Gibe, and the Kawar; seasonal streams include the Melka Luku. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 36.6% is arable or cultivable, 16.8% pasture, 17.2% forest, and the remaining 29.4% is built-up or degraded. The Abelti-Gibe State Forest covers 159 square kilometers of the forested area. Teff
Teff
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....
is one important cash crop. Although 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 another important cash crop of this woreda, less than 20 square kilometers are planted with this crop.
Industry in the woreda includes 21 grain mills and 2 furniture factories. There were 36 Farmers Associations with 14,161 members and 8 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 14,161 members. Sokoru has no kilometers of either dry-weather or all-weather road. About 72% of the urban population and 10.1% of the rural 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...
.
Population
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 157,552, of whom 79,305 were males and 78,247 were females; 19,676 or 12.49% of its population are urban dwellers, which is about the same as the Zone average of 12.3%. With an estimated area of 923.44 square kilometers, Sokoru has an estimated population density of 170.6 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 150.6.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 111,358, of whom 55,470 were men and 55,888 women; 11,006 or 9.88% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The six largest ethnic groups reported in Sokoru 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...
(77.73%), the Yem
Yem people
The Yem are an ethnic group living in south-western Ethiopia. They are also called by their neighbors as the Janjero, but the Yem consider this exonym derogatory, since it sounds similar to the Amharic word "zinjero" which means "monkey". Their native language is Yemsa, one of the Omotic languages,...
(8.19%), the Kebena (3.69%), the Hadiya (3.4%), 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...
(2.7%), and the Sebat Bet Gurage (1.72%); all other ethnic groups made up 2.57% of the population. However according to one source, in the early 1990s the Yem formed a significant minority, with significant populations in Sokoru, Deneba, and the surrounding villages. 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 83.74%, 4.62% 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...
, 3.8% spoke Kebena, 3.43% spoke Yemsa
Yemsa language
Yemsa is the language of the Yem people of the former Kingdom of Yamma, known as Kingdom of Janjero to the Amhara. It is a member of the Omotic group of languages, most closely related to Kaffa. It is distinctive in having a several levels of lexicon contingent on social hierarchy, rather like...
, and 3.1% spoke Hadiya
Hadiya language
Hadiyya is the Afro-Asiatic language of the Hadiya people of Ethiopia. Most speakers live in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region in the Hadiya Zone around the town Hosaena....
; the remaining 1.31% 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 91.23% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 8.07% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.