Waliso is a town in central 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...

. Located in the Debub Mirab Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region

Oromia Region

Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...

, 115km southwest of Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...

, it has a latitude and longitude of 8°32′N 37°58′E with an elevation of 2063 meters above sea level. Waliso is the administrative center of this Zone

Zones of Ethiopia

||The regions of Ethiopia are divided into 68 or more zones . The exact number of zones is unclear, as the names and number of zones given in documents by Ethiopia's Central Statistical Agency differ between 2005...

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History

The road that ran from Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...

 to Waliso was one of the few roads built by the Ethiopian government before the Italian-Abyssinian War; by 1938, the 110 kilometers from Addis Ababa to Waliso had been asphalted, and the 90 kilometers beyond to Abelti gravelled. Two rival Arbegnoch operated around Waliso: Gurassu Duke and Olona Dinkel. Gurassu Duke (a former member of the Crown Prince's bodyguard) was in the end the better-known - and the longer-lived - but in his day Olona Dinkel, a Welega Oromo

Welega Oromo

Welega is a branch of the Oromo people who live in Ethiopia in the former Welega Province; a few live across the border in Sudan. They speak West Central Oromo, a dialect of the Oromo language....

, was as legendary.

In 1955 a 40 kW hydro-electric power station was built; by 1965 the installed electrical capacity was 32 kVA and the annual production 64,500 kWh. In 1958, Waliso was one of 27 places in Ethiopia ranked as First Class Township. The Multipurpose Community Telecentre was opened in February 2000, with assistance from the British Council

British Council

The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...

. It was the first of its kind in Ethiopia, and the next one was opened in Debre Berhan

Debre Berhan

Debre Berhan is a city and woreda in central Ethiopia. Located in the Semien Shewa Zone of the Amhara Region, about 120 kilometers north east of Addis Ababa on the paved highway to Dessie, the town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 2,840 meters...

 almost two years later. That same year, construction of a 150-bed hospital was completed. Launched in 1997 by an Italian organization equipment included surgical, X-ray and laboratory equipment, at a cost of 72 million Birr

Ethiopian birr

The birr is the unit of currency in Ethiopia. Before 1976, dollar was the official English translation of birr. Today, it is officially birr in English as well....

.

The second largest flower farm in Ethiopia, owned by the Indian company Surya Blossoms, had its official opening in Woliso on 22 June 2009. Present at the opening was Trade and Industry Minister Girma Biru, Indian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Gurjit Sing, Oromia Regional president Abadula Gemeda, and Chairman of Karuturi Global Limited, the parent corporation of Surya Blossoms, Surya Rao

Surya Rao

Surya Rao or Surya Rau is one of the Indian names.* Surya Rau Bahadur, Maharajah of Pithapuram.* Kutikuppala Surya Rao, Padmasri recipient in Social worker.----* Suryaraopeta, a census town in East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh....

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Demographics

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency

Central 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, Waliso has an estimated total population of 45,537 of whom 21,940 were males and 23,597 were females. The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 25,491 of whom 11,899 were males and 13,592 were females. It is the largest town in Walisona Goro

Walisona Goro

Walisona Goro is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mirab Shewa Zone, it is bordered on the south by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, on the west by Amaya, on the northwest by Wonchi, on the north by Dawo, on the northeast by Becho and on...

woreda.