Dera (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Dera is one of the 105 woreda
s in the Amhara Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Debub Gondar Zone
, Dera is bordered on the south by the Abbay River which separates it from the Misraq Gojjam Zone
, on the west by Lake Tana
, on the north by Fogera
, and on the east by Este
. Towns in Dera include Amba Same, Arb Gebeya, Hamusit, and Qorata.
, corn
, sorghum
, cotton
and sesame
are important cash crops.
The woreda of Dera was heavily affected by the flash floods in Ethiopia that started 6 September and receded by 26 September 2006. The heavy rain caused Lake Tana to overflow its banks, making thousands of people homeless. "Thousands of heads of cattle
, whole silos of grain, and significant tracts of grazing and farmland have been washed away," according to IRIN.
of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 248,464, an increase of 17.01% over the 1994 census, of whom 126,961 are men and 121,503 women; 16,772 or 6.75% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 1,525.24 square kilometers, Dera has a population density of 162.90, which is greater than the Zone average of 145.56 persons per square kilometer. A total of 57,237 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.34 persons to a household, and 55,424 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 212,341 in 44,156 households, of whom 110,015 were men and 102,326 were women; 12,515 or 5.89% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Dera was the Amhara
(99.84%). Amharic
was spoken as a first language by 99.94%. The majority of the population practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity with 97.42% professing that belief, and 2.48% of the population said they were Muslim
.
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...
. Part of the Debub Gondar Zone
Debub Gondar Zone
Debub Gondar is a Zone in the Ethiopian Amhara Region. This zone is named for the city of Gondar, which was the capital of Ethiopia until the mid-19th century, and has often been used as a name for the local province....
, Dera is bordered on the south by the Abbay River which separates it from the Misraq Gojjam Zone
Misraq Gojjam Zone
Misraq Gojjam is a Zone in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Misraq Gojjam is named after the former province of Gojjam.Misraq Gojjam is bordered on the south by the Oromia Region, on the west by Mirab Gojjam, on the north by Debub Gondar, and on the east by Debub Wollo; the bend of the Abay River...
, on the west by Lake Tana
Lake Tana
Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile and is the largest lake in Ethiopia...
, on the north by Fogera
Fogera
Fogera is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Debub Gondar Zone, Fogera is bordered on the south by Dera, on the west by Lake Tana, on the north by the Reb which separates it from Kemekem, and on the east by Farta. The administrative center for this woreda is...
, and on the east by Este
Este (woreda)
Este is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Debub Gondar Zone, Este is bordered on the south by the Abay River which separates it from the Misraq Gojjam Zone, on the west by Dera, on the northwest by Fogera, on the north by Farta, on the northeast by Lay Gayint, and...
. Towns in Dera include Amba Same, Arb Gebeya, Hamusit, and Qorata.
Overview
Points of interest include the Tis Issat falls of the Abbay, and the old Portuguese bridge over the same river at Alata. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 46% is arable or cultivable, 6% pasture, 1% forest or shrubland, 25% covered with water and the remaining 25.9% is considered degraded or other. TeffTeff
Eragrostis tef, known as teff, taf , or khak shir , is an annual grass, a species of lovegrass native to the northern Ethiopian Highlands of Northeast Africa....
, corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
, cotton
Cotton production in Ethiopia
Cotton is grown throughout Ethiopia at elevations above 1000 meters and below 1400 meters. Because most of the lowlands lack adequate rainfall, cotton cultivation depends largely on irrigation.-History:...
and sesame
Sesame
Sesame is a flowering plant in the genus Sesamum. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods....
are important cash crops.
The woreda of Dera was heavily affected by the flash floods in Ethiopia that started 6 September and receded by 26 September 2006. The heavy rain caused Lake Tana to overflow its banks, making thousands of people homeless. "Thousands of heads of cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, whole silos of grain, and significant tracts of grazing and farmland have been washed away," according to IRIN.
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 248,464, an increase of 17.01% over the 1994 census, of whom 126,961 are men and 121,503 women; 16,772 or 6.75% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 1,525.24 square kilometers, Dera has a population density of 162.90, which is greater than the Zone average of 145.56 persons per square kilometer. A total of 57,237 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.34 persons to a household, and 55,424 housing units.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 212,341 in 44,156 households, of whom 110,015 were men and 102,326 were women; 12,515 or 5.89% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Dera was 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...
(99.84%). 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 99.94%. The majority of the population practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity with 97.42% professing that belief, and 2.48% of the population said they 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...
.