Gidole
Encyclopedia
Gidole is a town in southern Ethiopia
, and is the administrative center of the Dirashe special
woreda
. Located in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of 05°39′N 37°22′E with an elevation ranging from 2045 to 2650 meters above sea level. The town is named after the Gidole or Gardulla people, an ethnic group of southern Ethiopia better known as the Dirashe.
, who visited the town in 1902, Gidole was the seat of the queen of the Dirashe until the Ethiopians under Menelik II conquered them; the woman was still alive at the time of Neumann's visit.
During the Italian occupation
, the occupiers opened a post office in Gidole on either 11 or 17 November 1937; the sources are unclear about the exact date.
In the 1950s, Gidole was the administrative center of one of the provinces, Gemu Gofa Teklay Gizat, which was later incorporated to create Gamu-Gofa
province. During the next decade, Islam
won converts in the area and a mosque was built in the town. At the same time, Borana
caravans supplied the market in Gidole with salt
.
in 2005, Gidole has an estimated total population of 14,799 of whom 7,107 were men and 7,692 women. The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 8,167 of whom 3,935 were men and 4,232 women.
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...
, and is the administrative center of the Dirashe special
Dirashe special woreda
Dirashe is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region of Ethiopia. Because Dirashe is not part of any Zone in the SNNPR, it is considered a Special woreda, an administrative subdivision which is similar to an autonomous area...
woreda
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...
. Located in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of 05°39′N 37°22′E with an elevation ranging from 2045 to 2650 meters above sea level. The town is named after the Gidole or Gardulla people, an ethnic group of southern Ethiopia better known as the Dirashe.
History
According to Oscar Rudolph NeumannOscar Rudolph Neumann
Oscar Rudolph Neumann was a German ornithologist.Neumann travelled to Africa on several occasions, in particular between 1892 and 1894, and described many new African species...
, who visited the town in 1902, Gidole was the seat of the queen of the Dirashe until the Ethiopians under Menelik II conquered them; the woman was still alive at the time of Neumann's visit.
During the Italian occupation
Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa was an Italian colonial administrative subdivision established in 1936, resulting from the merger of the Ethiopian Empire with the old colonies of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea. In August 1940, British Somaliland was conquered and annexed to Italian East Africa...
, the occupiers opened a post office in Gidole on either 11 or 17 November 1937; the sources are unclear about the exact date.
In the 1950s, Gidole was the administrative center of one of the provinces, Gemu Gofa Teklay Gizat, which was later incorporated to create Gamu-Gofa
Gamu-Gofa
Gamu-Gofa was a province in the southern part of Ethiopia, named after two of the ethnic groups living within its boundaries, the Gamo and the Goffa. First incorporated into Ethiopia by Emperor Menelik II in the 1880s , its capital was first at Chencha, then around 1965 the capital was moved to...
province. During the next decade, Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
won converts in the area and a mosque was built in the town. At the same time, Borana
Borana
The Borana Oromo, also called the Boran, are a pastoralist ethnic group living in southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya. They are a moiety of the Oromo people, the other being the Barentu Oromo.-Profile:...
caravans supplied the market in Gidole with salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
.
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, Gidole has an estimated total population of 14,799 of whom 7,107 were men and 7,692 women. The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 8,167 of whom 3,935 were men and 4,232 women.