Tahtay Adiyabo
Encyclopedia
Tahtay Adiyabo is one of the 36 woreda
s in the Tigray Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Mi'irabawi Zone
, Tahtay Adiyabo is bordered on the south by the Asigede Tsimbela
, then by the Tekezé River
which separates Tahtay Adiyabo from Wolqayt
and Kafta Humera
on the southwest, on the north by Eritrea
, and on the east by La'ilay Adiyabo
; part of the northern border with Eritrea is delineated by the Mareb River
. The northernmost point of this woreda is the northernmost point of Ethiopia
. The administrative center of Tahtay Adiyabo is Shiraro
; other towns in this woreda include Addi Awuala, Addi Hageray, and Badme
.
, the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front
(TPLF) turned back an advance by an armed detachment of 250 Ethiopian Democratic Union fighters at Chiameskebet, a village near Shiraro, on 26 September 1976, forcing them to retreat across the Tekezé. Both sides suffered heavy casualties; amongst the TPLF wounded was their general, Mehari Tekle ("Mussie"), who was fatally wounded in the battle and died a few days later.
Flooding by the Tekezé in August 2006 damaged 68.5 hectares planted in fruits and vegetables and buried 21 water pumps. A violent storm in the second week of the same month also damaged 48.5 hectares of crops.
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 90,144, an increase of 80,934 over the 1994 census, of whom 45,834 are men and 44,310 women; 6,377 or 7.07% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 3,841.51 square kilometers, Tahtay Adiyabo has a population density of 23.47 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 40.21. A total of 20,553 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.39 persons to a household, and 19,141 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 80,934 of whom 41,136 were men and 39,798 were women; 12,761 or 15.77% of its population were urban dwellers. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Tahtay Adiyabo were the Tigrayan
(71.36%), foreign residents from Eritrea (26.23%), and the Kunama
(1.41%); all other ethnic groups made up 1% of the population. Tigrinya is spoken as a first language by 97.35%, and 1.39% speak Kunama
; the remaining 1.26% spoke all other primary languages reported. 96.33% of the population said they were Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 3.49% were Muslim
. Concerning education
, 9.58% of the population were considered literate, which is greater than the Zone average of 9.01%; 11.09% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school, which is less than the Zone average of 11.34%; 0.21% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school, which is less than the Zone average of 0.65%; none of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, about 90% of the urban houses and 34% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; about 12% of the urban and 6% of the total had toilet facilities.
is missing. For the land under cultivation in this woreda, 76.82% is planted in cereals, 2.42% in pulses, 5.57% in oilseeds, and 0.4% in vegetables. The number of hectares planted in fruit trees is missing. 80.88% of the farmers both raise crops and livestock, while 16.72% only grow crops and 2.39% only raise livestock. Land tenure in this woreda is distributed amongst 70.22% owning their land, 27.22% renting, and those holding their land under other forms of tenure 2.58%.
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 Tigray Region
Tigray Region
Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine ethnic regions of Ethiopia containing the homeland of the Tigray people. It was formerly known as Region 1...
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 Mi'irabawi Zone
Mi'irabawi Zone
Mi'irabawi is one of four Zones in the Ethiopian Tigray Region. Mi'irabawi is bordered on the east by the Mehakelegnaw Zone, the south by the Amhara Region, the west by Sudan and on the north by Eritrea...
, Tahtay Adiyabo is bordered on the south by the Asigede Tsimbela
Asigede Tsimbela
Asegede Tsimbela is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mi'irabawi Zone, Asegede Tsimbela is bordered along the south by the Tekezé River which separates the woreda on the south from Tselemti and to the west by Wolqayt, then on the northwest by La'ilay Adiyabo, on...
, then by the Tekezé River
Tekezé River
The Tekezé River, also known as the Takkaze River, is a major river of Ethiopia, and forms a section the westernmost border of Ethiopia and Eritrea for part of its course. The river is also known as the Setit in Eritrea, western Ethiopia, and eastern Sudan. According to materials published by the...
which separates Tahtay Adiyabo from Wolqayt
Wolqayt
Wolqayt is a woreda and region in northwestern Ethiopia...
and Kafta Humera
Kafta Humera
Kafta Humera is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mi'irabawi Zone, Kafta Humera is bordered on the south by Tsegede, on the west by Sudan, then by the Tekezé River which separates Kafta Humera from Eritrea on the north and Tahtay Adiyabo on the east, and on the...
on the southwest, on the north by Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
, and on the east by La'ilay Adiyabo
La'ilay Adiyabo
La'ilay Adiyabo is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mi'irabawi Zone, La'ilay Adiyabo is bordered on the south by Tahtay Koraro, on the southwest by Asigede Tsimbela, on the northwest by Tahtay Adiyabo, on the northeast by the Mareb River which separates it from...
; part of the northern border with Eritrea is delineated by the Mareb River
Mareb River
The Mareb River , is a river flowing out of central Eritrea. Its chief importance is defining part of the boundary between Eritrea and Ethiopia between the point where the Mai Ambassa enters the river at to the confluence of the Balasa with the Mareb at .According to the Statistical Abstract of...
. The northernmost point of this woreda is the northernmost point of Ethiopia
Extreme points of Ethiopia
The extreme points of Ethiopia include the coordinates that are further north, south, east or west than any other location in Ethiopia; and the highest and the lowest elevations in the country...
. The administrative center of Tahtay Adiyabo is Shiraro
Shiraro, Ethiopia
Shiraro is a town in northern Ethiopia. Located in the Mi'irabawi Zone of the Tigray Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1246 meters above sea level...
; other towns in this woreda include Addi Awuala, Addi Hageray, and Badme
Badme
Badme is a town in the Horn of Africa and the focus of a territorial dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia. It is claimed by both Eritrea, which considers Badme to be a part of Gash-Barka Zone, and Ethiopia, which considers Badme part of the Mirabawi Zone of the Tigray Region. This dispute was the...
.
History
On 26 September 1976, on the eve of MeskelMeskel
Meskel , in the Ethiopian Orthodox and Eritrean Orthodox Churches, is an annual religious holiday commemorating the discovery of the True Cross by Queen Helena in the fourth century. Meskel occurs on 17 Meskerem in the Ethiopian calendar...
, the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front
Tigrayan People's Liberation Front
The Tigrayan People's Liberation Front , known more commonly and sometimes pejoratively in Ethiopia as Woyane or Weyane is a political party in Ethiopia...
(TPLF) turned back an advance by an armed detachment of 250 Ethiopian Democratic Union fighters at Chiameskebet, a village near Shiraro, on 26 September 1976, forcing them to retreat across the Tekezé. Both sides suffered heavy casualties; amongst the TPLF wounded was their general, Mehari Tekle ("Mussie"), who was fatally wounded in the battle and died a few days later.
Flooding by the Tekezé in August 2006 damaged 68.5 hectares planted in fruits and vegetables and buried 21 water pumps. A violent storm in the second week of the same month also damaged 48.5 hectares of crops.
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 90,144, an increase of 80,934 over the 1994 census, of whom 45,834 are men and 44,310 women; 6,377 or 7.07% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 3,841.51 square kilometers, Tahtay Adiyabo has a population density of 23.47 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 40.21. A total of 20,553 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.39 persons to a household, and 19,141 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 80,934 of whom 41,136 were men and 39,798 were women; 12,761 or 15.77% of its population were urban dwellers. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Tahtay Adiyabo were the Tigrayan
Tigray-Tigrinya people
Tigray-Tigrinya are an ethnic group who live in the southern, central and northern parts of Eritrea and the northern highlands of Ethiopia's Tigray province. They also live in Ethiopia's former provinces of Begemder and Wollo, which are today mostly part of Amhara Region, though a few regions...
(71.36%), foreign residents from Eritrea (26.23%), and the Kunama
Kunama people
The Kunama are a Nilotic people living in Eritrea and Ethiopia. 80% of Kunamas live in Eritrea yet make up only 2 percent of the population of Eritrea, where they are one of the smallest ethnic groups. Most of the estimated 100,000 Kunama live in the remote and isolated area between the Gash and...
(1.41%); all other ethnic groups made up 1% of the population. Tigrinya is spoken as a first language by 97.35%, and 1.39% speak Kunama
Kunama language
The Kunama language is a language isolate which has been included in the proposed Nilo-Saharan language family. Kunama spoken by the Kunama people of western Eritrea and just across the Ethiopian border. The language has several dialects including: Barka. Marda, Aimara, Odasa, Tika, Lakatakura,...
; the remaining 1.26% spoke all other primary languages reported. 96.33% of the population said they were Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 3.49% 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...
. 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...
, 9.58% of the population were considered literate, which is greater than the Zone average of 9.01%; 11.09% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school, which is less than the Zone average of 11.34%; 0.21% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school, which is less than the Zone average of 0.65%; none 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...
, about 90% of the urban houses and 34% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; about 12% of the urban and 6% of the total had toilet facilities.
Agriculture
A sample enumeration performed by the CSA in 2001 interviewed 17,471 farmers in this woreda, who held an average of 1.23 hectares of land. Of the 21,514 hectares of private land surveyed in Tahtay Adiyabo, 85.25% was under cultivation, 1.66% pasture, 11.53% fallow, and 1.56% was devoted to other uses; the amount in woodlandForestry in Ethiopia
In the late nineteenth century, about 30% of Ethiopia was covered with forest. The clearing of land for agricultural use and the cutting of trees for fuel gradually changed the scene, and today forest areas have dwindled to less than 4% of Ethiopia's total land. The northern parts of the highlands...
is missing. For the land under cultivation in this woreda, 76.82% is planted in cereals, 2.42% in pulses, 5.57% in oilseeds, and 0.4% in vegetables. The number of hectares planted in fruit trees is missing. 80.88% of the farmers both raise crops and livestock, while 16.72% only grow crops and 2.39% only raise livestock. Land tenure in this woreda is distributed amongst 70.22% owning their land, 27.22% renting, and those holding their land under other forms of tenure 2.58%.