Dibate (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Dibate is one of the 21 woreda
s, or districts, in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia
. Part of the Metekel Zone
, it is bordered by Mandura
on the north, by the Dura River on the east which separates it from the Amhara Region
, by the Abay River on the south which separates it from the Kamashi Zone
, and by Bulen
on the west. This woreda is named for its largest town, Dibate
; other settlements include Borebo.
Originally Dibate and Mandura were subunits of Guangua
woreda, which was part of the Metekel awraja; in the 1960s these two subunits were split off to form separate woredas in order to strengthen government control over the local Gumuz people. Remaining parts of Guangua was transferred to Amhara when that region was organized in the 1992.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 56,290, of whom 28,078 are men and 28,212 are women; 5,010 or 8.90% of the population are urban dwellers which is less than the Zone average of 10.7%. With an estimated area of 2,425.32 square kilometers, Dibate has a population density of 23.2 people per square kilometer which is above the Zone average of 8.57.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 41,570 in 8,831 households, of whom 20,843 were men and 20,727 were women; 2,912 or 7.01% of its population were urban dwellers. The five largest ethnic groups reported in Dibate were the Gumuz (30.6%), the Amhara (26.3%), the Oromo
(24%), the Shinasha
(16.5%) and the Awi
(2%) a subgroup of the Agaw
. Gumuz
is spoken as a first language by 30.6%, 26.5% speak Amhara
, Oromiffa
25%, and 2% Awngi
. Most of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 46% of the population reporting that they held that belief, while 25% observed traditional religions, 17.6% were Muslim
, and 8.9% were Protestant
. Concerning education
, 15.49% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 18.61%; 11.22% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 4.62% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 0.71% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions
, 14.3% of the urban houses and 5.9% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 57.6% of the urban and 7.1% 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, or districts, 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 Metekel Zone
Metekel Zone
Metekel is one of the three Zones in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia, named after the former Metekkel province. It is bordered on the south by Kamashi, on the southwest by Asosa, on the west by Sudan, and on the north and east by the Amhara Region...
, it is bordered by Mandura
Mandura
Mandura is one of the 21 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Metekel Zone, it is bordered by Dangur in the north and northwest, by Pawe special woreda in the northeast, by Amhara Region in the east, by Dibate in the south, and by Bulen in the southwest...
on the north, by the Dura River on the east which separates it from 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....
, by the Abay River on the south which separates it from the Kamashi Zone
Kamashi Zone
Kamashi is one of the three Zones in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. It covers part of the southern bank of the Abay and the valley of the Didessa Rivers...
, and by Bulen
Bulen (woreda)
Bulen is one of the 21 woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. It is named after its highest point, Mount Bulen. Part of the Metekel Zone, Bulen is bordered by Dangur in the north, Mandura in the northeast, Dibate in the east, the Abay River on the south , and by Wenbera in the west...
on the west. This woreda is named for its largest town, Dibate
Dibate
Dibate is a town in western Ethiopia, named after a local tribe. Located in the Metekel Zone of Benishangul-Gumuz, Dibate has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1438 meters above sea level....
; other settlements include Borebo.
Overview
High points include the Danjiga mountains in the southern part of the woreda, which run along the Abay river as it turns to the south.Originally Dibate and Mandura were subunits of 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...
woreda, which was part of the Metekel awraja; in the 1960s these two subunits were split off to form separate woredas in order to strengthen government control over the local Gumuz people. Remaining parts of Guangua was transferred to Amhara when that region was organized in the 1992.
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 56,290, of whom 28,078 are men and 28,212 are women; 5,010 or 8.90% of the population are urban dwellers which is less than the Zone average of 10.7%. With an estimated area of 2,425.32 square kilometers, Dibate has a population density of 23.2 people per square kilometer which is above the Zone average of 8.57.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 41,570 in 8,831 households, of whom 20,843 were men and 20,727 were women; 2,912 or 7.01% of its population were urban dwellers. The five largest ethnic groups reported in Dibate were the Gumuz (30.6%), the Amhara (26.3%), 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...
(24%), the Shinasha
Shinasha
The Shinasha, also known as Bworo or Boro, are an ethnic group of Ethiopia. Their language belongs to the North Omotic family . They live north of the Blue Nile in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region and number around 33,000 individuals. Their neighbors in the area include Gumuz and...
(16.5%) 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 :...
(2%) a subgroup 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...
. Gumuz
Gumuz language
Gumuz is a dialect cluster spoken along the border of Ethiopia and Sudan. Most Ethiopian speakers live in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, although a group of 1,000 live outside the town of Welkite...
is spoken as a first language by 30.6%, 26.5% speak Amhara
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...
, 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...
25%, and 2% 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...
. Most of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 46% of the population reporting that they held that belief, while 25% observed traditional religions, 17.6% 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...
, and 8.9% were Protestant
P'ent'ay
P'ent'ay or Pentay is a slang term widely used in modern Ethiopia, and among Ethiopians living abroad, to describe Ethiopian Christians who are not members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo, Ethiopian Orthodox Tehadeso, Roman Catholic or Ethiopian Catholic churches...
. 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...
, 15.49% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 18.61%; 11.22% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 4.62% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 0.71% 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...
, 14.3% of the urban houses and 5.9% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 57.6% of the urban and 7.1% of the total had toilet facilities.