Bambasi (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Bambasi is one of the 21 woreda
s in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia
. Part of the Asosa Zone
, it is bordered by the Mao-Komo special woreda
on the southwest, Asosa
in the northwest, by Menge
in the north, by Oda Godere
in the northeast, and by the Oromia Region
in the south.
This woreda and its only town, Bambasi
, are named for the tallest point in this zone, Mount Bambasi. Rivers include the Dabus
, which originates in this woreda.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 47,374, of whom 23,863 are men and 23,511 are women; 7,166 or 15.1% of the population are urban dwellers. With an estimated area of 2,210.16 square kilometers, Bambasi has a population density of 21.4 people per square kilometer which is greater than the Zone average of 19.95.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 34,475 in 8,117 households, of whom 17,419 were men and 17,056 were women; 4,164 or 12.08% of its population were urban dwellers. The five largest ethnic groups reported in Bambasi were the Amhara (42%), the Berta
(33.8%), the Oromo
(12.4%), 12.3% Fadashi, the Tigray
(5.7%), and the Mao (3.7%). Amharic
is spoken as a first language by 42.7%, 33.7% speak Berta
, 13.4% Fadashi
12.2% Oromiffa
, 5.6% Tigrinya
, and 3.7% speak Mao
one of the northern group
of Omotic languages
. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim
, with 72.3% of the population reporting they belonged to that faith, while 26.3% observed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. Concerning education
, 17.1% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 18.49%; 8.68% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 1.06% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 0.14% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, 56.8% of the urban houses and 26% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 72.7% of the urban and 34.9% 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 Benishangul-Gumuz 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 Asosa Zone
Asosa Zone
Asosa is one of the three Zones in Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. This Zone was named after the Asosa Sultanate, which had approximately the same boundaries. Asosa is bordered on the south by the Mao-Komo special woreda, on the west by Sudan, on the northeast by the Abay River which...
, it is bordered by the Mao-Komo special woreda
Mao-Komo special woreda
Mao-Komo is one of the 21 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Because it is not part of any Zone in Benishangul-Gumuz, it is considered a Special woreda, an administrative subdivision which is similar to an autonomous area....
on the southwest, Asosa
Asosa (woreda)
Asosa is one of the 21 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Asosa Zone, it is bordered by Kormuk in the north, by Menge in the northeast, by Bambasi in the southeast, and by Sudan in the west. This Woreda is named after its largest settlement, Asosa. Rivers include the...
in the northwest, by Menge
Menge (woreda)
Menge is one of the 21 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Asosa Zone, it is bordered by Bambasi on the south, by Asosa in the southwest, by Kormuk in the northwest, by Sherkole in the north, and by the Dabus River on the east which separates it from Oda Godere...
in the north, by Oda Godere
Oda Godere
Oda Godere is one of the 21 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Asosa Zone, it is bordered by the Kamashi Zone in the north and east, by Oromia Region in the south, by Bambasi and Menge in the west, and by Sherkole in the north...
in the northeast, and by the Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
in the south.
This woreda and its only town, Bambasi
Bambasi
Bambasi is a town in western Ethiopia. The town is named after the highest point in the Asosa Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, Mount Bambasi. Bambasi has a longitude and latitude of with an elevation of 1668 meters above sea level...
, are named for the tallest point in this zone, Mount Bambasi. Rivers include the Dabus
Dabus River
The Dabus River is a north-flowing tributary of the Abay River in southwestern Ethiopia; it joins its parent stream at . The Dabus has a drainage area of about 21,032 square kilometers....
, which originates in this woreda.
Demographics
Based on figures from 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 47,374, of whom 23,863 are men and 23,511 are women; 7,166 or 15.1% of the population are urban dwellers. With an estimated area of 2,210.16 square kilometers, Bambasi has a population density of 21.4 people per square kilometer which is greater than the Zone average of 19.95.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 34,475 in 8,117 households, of whom 17,419 were men and 17,056 were women; 4,164 or 12.08% of its population were urban dwellers. The five largest ethnic groups reported in Bambasi were the Amhara (42%), the Berta
Berta people
The Berta or Bertha are an ethnic group living along the border of Sudan and Ethiopia. They speak a Nilo-Saharan language that is not related to those of their Nilo-Saharan neighbors . Their total Ethiopian population is about 183,000 people....
(33.8%), 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...
(12.4%), 12.3% Fadashi, the Tigray
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...
(5.7%), and the Mao (3.7%). 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...
is spoken as a first language by 42.7%, 33.7% speak Berta
Berta language
Berta, Wetawit, is spoken by the Berta in Sudan and Ethiopia. It is a language isolate which has been also included as branch of the proposed Nilo-Saharan language family. It has the typical word order subject–verb–object. It is a tonal language. It has significantly influenced some of the...
, 13.4% Fadashi
Fadashi language
Fadashi is an erstwhile dialect of Berta that is distinct enough to be considered a separate language....
12.2% 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...
, 5.6% 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...
, and 3.7% speak Mao
Mao languages
The Mao languages are a branch of the Omotic languages spoken in Ethiopia. This group comprises Bambasi spoken in the Bambasi woreda of Benishangul-Gumuz Region, Hozo and Seze spoken around Begi in the Mirab Welega Zone of the Oromia Region, and Ganza, which is spoken south of Bambasi in the...
one of the northern group
North Omotic languages
The North Omotic or Nomotic languages belong to the Afro-Asiatic family and are spoken in Ethiopia.- References :*...
of Omotic languages
Omotic languages
The Omotic languages are a branch of the Afroasiatic family spoken in southwestern Ethiopia. The Ge'ez alphabet is used to write some Omotic languages, the Roman alphabet for some others. They are fairly agglutinative, and have complex tonal systems .-Language list:The North and South Omotic...
. 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 72.3% of the population reporting they belonged to that faith, while 26.3% observed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. 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...
, 17.1% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 18.49%; 8.68% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 1.06% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 0.14% 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...
, 56.8% of the urban houses and 26% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 72.7% of the urban and 34.9% of the total had toilet facilities.