Banja
Encyclopedia
Banja is one of the 105 woreda
s in the Amhara Region
of Ethiopia
. It is named after a significant mountain located in the woreda, Mount Banja, where Fasil crushed a revolt of the Agaw
in the late 18th century. Part of the Agew Awi Zone
, Banja is bordered on the south by Ankesha
, on the west by Guangua
, on the north by Faggeta Lekoma
, and on the east by the Mirab Gojjam Zone
. Towns in Banja include Injibara
, Kessa, Kosober and Tilili. Other high points include Mount Faddi. Bodies of water in this woreda include the Zengena crater lake
.
The woreda administration announced that by 22 March 2009, Banja had achieved 100% coverage of sanitation facilities
, an increase from 0.03% in the 1990s, and 61% as recently as 2005. Through an innovative program which focussed on education of every resident of the woreda, the local Health Desk was able to convince the inhabitants of all 26 kebele
s to construct enough latrines to ensure each household was no further than 6 meters from a latrine, as well as building one common latrine in every village. In addition, there are now public latrines for passers-by and boys who stay and sleep in the field herding cattle and sheep. However, only 28% of inhabitants currently have access to safe water.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 208,428, of whom 105,491 are men and 102,937 are women; 17,074 or 8.19% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 11.4%. With an estimated area of 832.51 square kilometers, Banja has an estimated population density of 250.4 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 155.7.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 151,950 in 28,557 households, of whom 75,645 were men and 76,305 were women; 9,866 or 6.49% of its population were urban dwellers. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Banja were the Amhara
(56.58%), and the Awi
(43.27%) one of the Agaw
peoples; all other ethnic groups made up 0.15% of the population. Amharic
was spoken as a first language by 66.19%, and 33.77% spoke Awngi
; the remaining 0.36% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 99.87% reporting that as their religion.
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 Amhara Region
Amhara Region
Amhara is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia, containing the homeland of the Amhara people. Previously known as Region 3, its capital is Bahir Dar....
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...
. It is named after a significant mountain located in the woreda, Mount Banja, where Fasil crushed a revolt of the Agaw
Agaw
The Agaw are an ethnic group in Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea.-History:The Agaw are perhaps first mentioned in the 3rd c. AD Aksumite inscription recorded by Cosmas Indicopleustes in the 6th century...
in the late 18th century. Part of the Agew Awi Zone
Agew Awi Zone
Agew Awi is one of 10 Zones in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Agew Awi is named for the Awi sub-group of the Agaw people, some of whom live in this Zone. Agew Awi is bordered on the south by the Oromia Region, on the west by Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the north-west by Semien Gondar Zone and on...
, Banja is bordered on the south by Ankesha
Ankesha
Ankesha is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. The woreda is named after a former confederation of the Agew, which James Bruce describes was formed of Dengui, Sakala, Dengila and Geesh. A triangle-shaped district in the Agew Awi Zone, Ankesha is bordered on the south by the...
, on the west by Guangua
Guangua
Guangua is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Agew Awi Zone, Guangua is bordered on the south by the Abay River, which separates it from the Oromia Region, on the west by the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the north by Dangila, on the northwest by Faggeta Lekoma, and...
, on the north by Faggeta Lekoma
Faggeta Lekoma
Faggeta Lekoma is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. The woreda is named in part after two former districts: Faggeta, best known as the location for the Battle of Faggeta , where Ras Mikael Sehul with the help of Goshu of Amhara and Wand Bewossen defeated Fasil of Damot; and...
, and on the east by the Mirab Gojjam Zone
Mirab Gojjam Zone
Mirab Gojjam is a Zone in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Mirab Gojjam is named after the former province of Gojjam was divided in to two administrative zones by EPRDF...
. Towns in Banja include Injibara
Injibara
Injibara is a town in Ethiopia. It is the administrative center of the Agew Awi Zone in the Amhara Region. Injibara is located at , in Banja Woreda at an elevation of 2560 meters above sea level....
, Kessa, Kosober and Tilili. Other high points include Mount Faddi. Bodies of water in this woreda include the Zengena crater lake
Zengena Lake
Zengena Lake is a crater lake located at in Awi Zone of Amhara Region in Ethiopia. The lake is situated between the towns Injibara and Kessa only 200 m from the Addis Ababa - Bahir Dar Highway with an elevation of 2500 m. The diameter of the lake is roughly 1 km....
.
The woreda administration announced that by 22 March 2009, Banja had achieved 100% coverage of sanitation facilities
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...
, an increase from 0.03% in the 1990s, and 61% as recently as 2005. Through an innovative program which focussed on education of every resident of the woreda, the local Health Desk was able to convince the inhabitants of all 26 kebele
Kebele
A kebele is the smallest administrative unit of Ethiopia similar to ward, a neighbourhood or a localized and delimited group of people...
s to construct enough latrines to ensure each household was no further than 6 meters from a latrine, as well as building one common latrine in every village. In addition, there are now public latrines for passers-by and boys who stay and sleep in the field herding cattle and sheep. However, only 28% of inhabitants currently have access to safe water.
Demographics
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 208,428, of whom 105,491 are men and 102,937 are women; 17,074 or 8.19% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 11.4%. With an estimated area of 832.51 square kilometers, Banja has an estimated population density of 250.4 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 155.7.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 151,950 in 28,557 households, of whom 75,645 were men and 76,305 were women; 9,866 or 6.49% of its population were urban dwellers. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Banja were 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...
(56.58%), and the Awi
Awi people
The Awi people are an ethnic group in Ethiopia, and are grouped as one of the Agaw people. The Awis live in Agew Awi Zone in Central Gojjam, and have a few communities in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region.- Population :...
(43.27%) one of the Agaw
Agaw
The Agaw are an ethnic group in Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea.-History:The Agaw are perhaps first mentioned in the 3rd c. AD Aksumite inscription recorded by Cosmas Indicopleustes in the 6th century...
peoples; all other ethnic groups made up 0.15% of the population. 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...
was spoken as a first language by 66.19%, and 33.77% spoke Awngi
Awngi language
The Awngi language, in older publications also called Awiya , is a Central Cushitic language spoken by the Awi people, living in Central Gojjam in northwestern Ethiopia...
; the remaining 0.36% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 99.87% reporting that as their religion.