Wukro (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Wukro woreda, also known as Kilte Awulaelo, is one of the 36 woreda
s in the Tigray Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Misraqawi Zone
, Wukro is bordered on the south by the Debubawi (Southern) Zone
, on the west by the Mehakelegnaw (Central) Zone
, on the north by Hawzen
, and on the east by Atsbi Wenberta
. Wukro
is the main city of the woreda. Other towns in the Wukro woreda include Agula
, Tsigereda and Maymagden.
inscriptions, an obelisk carved from stone, rocks shaped to resemble Egyptian pyramids, and ancient metal utensils in an area which has been left uncultivated due to religious beliefs. Gezaei Haile, a scientist and geology instructor at Mekelle University
, in an interview with Jimma Times dated these artifacts to "a time of 200 years before birth of Christ, as none of the antiquities have sign of cross on them." There are several local monolithic church
es in this woreda. These include Wukro Chirkos
(at the edge of Wukro town), Abreha we Atsbeha, and Minda'e Mikael. The village of Negash
, widely believed to be the first Muslim
settlement in Africa, is also an important local landmark.
Wukro was one of nine woredas in Tigray most affected by a drought during 2008, requiring emergency food supplies to be requested for an estimated 600,000 people.
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 99,708, an increase of 16.53% over the 1994 census, of whom 48,645 are men and 51,063 women; 4,808 or 4.82% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 2,068.25 square kilometers, Wukro has a population density of 48.21, which is less than the Zone average of 56.93 persons per square kilometer. A total of 21,657 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.60 persons to a household, and 20,932 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 85,561, of whom 41,404 were men and 44,157 were women; 19,894 or 23.25% of its population were urban dwellers. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Wukro were the Tigrayan
(98.55%), and the Afar
(1.16%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.29% of the population. Tigrinya
is spoken as a first language by 99.83%. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 95.2% reporting that as their religion, while 4.69% were Muslim
. Concerning education
, 18.08% of the population were considered literate, which is greater than the Zone average of 9.01%; 28.78% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 1.85% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; 4.65% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, about 90% of the urban houses and 37% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; about 40% of the urban and about 17% of the total had toilet facilities.
, and 3.38% was devoted to other uses. For the land under cultivation in this woreda, 73% was planted in cereals, 8.2% in pulses, 2% in oilseeds, and 9 hectares in vegetables. The total area planted in fruit trees was 408 hectares, while 4 hectare was planted in gesho. 74.83% of the farmers both raised crops and livestock, while 20.18% only grew crops and 4.99% only raised livestock. Land tenure in this woreda is distributed amongst 84.22% owning their land, 14.35% renting, and 1.43% holding their land under other forms of tenure.
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 Misraqawi Zone
Misraqawi Zone
Misraqawi is a Zone in the Ethiopian Region of Tigray. Misraqawi is bordered on the east by the Afar Region, on the south by Debubawi , on the west by Mehakelegnaw and on the north by Eritrea. Its highest point is Mount Asimba...
, Wukro is bordered on the south by the Debubawi (Southern) Zone
Debubawi Zone
Debubawi is one of five Zones in the Ethiopian Region of Tigray. Debubawi is bordered on the south and west by the Amhara Region, on the northwest by Mehakelegnaw , the north by Misraqawi and on the east by the Afar Region...
, on the west by the Mehakelegnaw (Central) Zone
Mehakelegnaw Zone
Mehakelegnaw is a Zone in the Ethiopian Region of Tigray. Mehakelegnaw is bordered on the east by Misraqawi , on the south by Debubawi , on the west by Mirabawi and on the north by Eritrea...
, on the north by Hawzen
Hawzen (woreda)
Hawzen is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraqawi Zone, Hawzen is bordered on the south by Wukro, on the west by the Mehakelegnaw Zone, on the north by Ganta Afeshum, and on the east by Saesi Tsaedaemba...
, and on the east by Atsbi Wenberta
Atsbi Wenberta
Atsbi Wenberta is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Located in the Misraqawi Zone at the eastern edge of the Ethiopian highlands, Atsbi Wenberta is bordered on the south by the Debubawi Zone, on the southwest by Wukro, and on the northwest by Saesi Tsaedaemba, and on the...
. Wukro
Wukro
Wukro is a town in northern Ethiopia. Located in the Misraqawi zone of the Tigray region on the Asmara-Addis Ababa highway, it is the administrative center of the district named after the town.- Overview :The rock-hewn churches around Wukro are the town's most distinctive landmarks; in the early...
is the main city of the woreda. Other towns in the Wukro woreda include Agula
Agula
Agula is a town located in northern Ethiopia. Located in the Debubawi Zone of the Tigray Region, it lies about 32 km northeast of Mek'ele, just east of the Mek'ele - Addis Ababa highway, and 25 km north of Qwiha. It has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1930 metres above sea level...
, Tsigereda and Maymagden.
Overview
Archeological surveys at the village of Aynalem has recovered SabaeanSabaean language
Sabaean , also known as Himyarite , was an Old South Arabian language spoken in Yemen from c. 1000 BC to the 6th century AD, by the Sabaeans; it was used as a written language by some other peoples of Ancient Yemen, including the Hashidites, Sirwahites, Humlanites, Ghaymanites, Himyarites,...
inscriptions, an obelisk carved from stone, rocks shaped to resemble Egyptian pyramids, and ancient metal utensils in an area which has been left uncultivated due to religious beliefs. Gezaei Haile, a scientist and geology instructor at Mekelle University
Mekelle University
Mekelle University is located in Northern Ethiopia , at a distance of 783 kilometers from the Ethiopian capital city, Addis Ababa...
, in an interview with Jimma Times dated these artifacts to "a time of 200 years before birth of Christ, as none of the antiquities have sign of cross on them." There are several local monolithic church
Monolithic church
A monolithic church or rock-hewn church is a church made from a single block of stone. They are one of the most basic forms of monolithic architecture....
es in this woreda. These include Wukro Chirkos
Wukro Chirkos
Wukro Chirkos is a monolithic church in northern Ethiopia, on the northern edge of the town of Wukro near the main highway. From the time members of the British expedition of 1868 reported its existence until the early 20th century, it was the only rock-hewn church known to the outside world.Wukro...
(at the edge of Wukro town), Abreha we Atsbeha, and Minda'e Mikael. The village of Negash
Negash
Negash is a village in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia, which straddles the Adigrat-Mekele road 10 kilometers north of Wukro. Located in Wukro woreda, this settlement has a longitude and latitude of ....
, widely believed to be the first 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...
settlement in Africa, is also an important local landmark.
Wukro was one of nine woredas in Tigray most affected by a drought during 2008, requiring emergency food supplies to be requested for an estimated 600,000 people.
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 99,708, an increase of 16.53% over the 1994 census, of whom 48,645 are men and 51,063 women; 4,808 or 4.82% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 2,068.25 square kilometers, Wukro has a population density of 48.21, which is less than the Zone average of 56.93 persons per square kilometer. A total of 21,657 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.60 persons to a household, and 20,932 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 85,561, of whom 41,404 were men and 44,157 were women; 19,894 or 23.25% of its population were urban dwellers. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Wukro 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...
(98.55%), and the Afar
Afar people
The Afar , also known as the Danakil, are an ethnic group in the Horn of Africa. They primarily live in the Afar Region of Ethiopia and in northern Djibouti, although some also inhabit the southern point of Eritrea.-Early history:...
(1.16%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.29% of the population. Tigrinya
Tigrinya language
Tigrinya , also spelled Tigrigna, Tigrnia, Tigrina, Tigriña, less commonly Tigrinian, Tigrinyan, is a Semitic language spoken by the Tigrinya people in central Eritrea , where it is one of the two main languages of Eritrea, and in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia , where it...
is spoken as a first language by 99.83%. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 95.2% reporting that as their religion, while 4.69% 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...
, 18.08% of the population were considered literate, which is greater than the Zone average of 9.01%; 28.78% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 1.85% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; 4.65% 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 37% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; about 40% of the urban and about 17% of the total had toilet facilities.
Agriculture
A sample enumeration performed by the CSA in 2001 interviewed 15,542 farmers in this woreda, who held an average of 0.94 hectares of land. Of the 14,563 hectares of private land surveyed, 86.4% was under cultivation, 2.38% pasture, 7.2% fallow, 0.63% 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...
, and 3.38% was devoted to other uses. For the land under cultivation in this woreda, 73% was planted in cereals, 8.2% in pulses, 2% in oilseeds, and 9 hectares in vegetables. The total area planted in fruit trees was 408 hectares, while 4 hectare was planted in gesho. 74.83% of the farmers both raised crops and livestock, while 20.18% only grew crops and 4.99% only raised livestock. Land tenure in this woreda is distributed amongst 84.22% owning their land, 14.35% renting, and 1.43% holding their land under other forms of tenure.