Jijiga (woreda)
Encyclopedia
Jijiga is one of the 67 woreda
s in the Somali Region
of Ethiopia
. Part of the Jijiga Zone
, Jijiga is bordered on the south by Babille
, on the southwest by Gursum
, on the west by the Oromia Region
, on the north by the Shinile Zone
, on the northeast by Awbere
and on the southeast by the Degehabur Zone
. Towns and cities in Jijiga include Jijiga
tuli gulled and Chinhahsan
.
The average elevation in this woreda is 1803 meters above sea level. The only perennial rivers in this woreda are the Fafen
and the Jerer
. , Jijiga has 80 kilometers of asphalt road and 60 kilometers of all-weather gravel road; about 34.1% of the total population has access to drinking water.
The Karamara hills to the west of the city of Jijiga were thoroughly mined during the Ogaden War
, and there are still dangerous areas which have been marked off limits.
Prior to the 2004 October referendum, which established the disputed boundary between the Oromia and Somali Regions, a large section in the north of this woreda became the Chinhahsen woreda, which was transferred to the Oromia Region.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 348,421, of whom 171,072 were men and 177,349 were women; 109,634 or 31.47% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 22.5%. Information is not available on the area of Jijiga, so its population density cannot be calculated. This woreda is primarily inhabited by the Bartire, Geeri Koombe and Ogaden
subclan of the Darood
.
The 1997 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 269,096, of whom 138,483 were men and 130,613 were women; 73,548 or 27.33% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Jijiga was the Somali
138,483 (99.9%).
, sorghum
and maize
, 1.61% in pulses, 1.61% in root crops, and 0.07% in vegetables. Permanent crops included 4108 hectares planted in khat
, 1 in enset, and 14.55 in fruit trees. 78.33% of the farmers both raise crops and livestock, while 19.88% only grow crops and 1.79% only raise livestock. Land tenure in this woreda is distributed amongst 94.28% owned their land, 1.29% rented, and the remaining 4.43% held their land under other forms of tenure.
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 Somali Region
Somali Region
Somali Region ; is the eastern-most of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia. It is often called Somalia, though it is not to be confused with the independent country of the same name. The capital of Somali State is Jijiga...
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 Jijiga Zone
Jijiga Zone
Jijiga is one of nine zones of the Ethiopian Somali Region. This zone is named after its largest city, Jijiga. Other towns and cities in this zone include Qarbibayax, Dhurwaale Awbere, Derwonaji, tuli gulled and Hart Sheik...
, Jijiga is bordered on the south by Babille
Babille, Somali (woreda)
Babille is one of the 47 woredas in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. It is named after one of the 12 major tribes of the Oromo people, the Babille Oromo. Part of the Jijiga Zone, Babille is bordered on the southwest by the Oromia Region, on the northwest by Gursum, on the northeast and east by...
, on the southwest by Gursum
Gursum, Somali (woreda)
Gursum is one of the 47 woredas in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Jijiga Zone, Gursum is bordered on the south by Babille, on the west by the Oromia Region, and on the north and east by Jijiga. The map of the Oromia Region published by Disaster Prevention and Disaster Agency shows that...
, on the west by the Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
, on the north by the Shinile Zone
Shinile Zone
Shinile is one of nine Zones of the Ethiopian Somali Region. Shinile is named for its largest town, Shinile.Located at the northwestern point of the Somali Region, and stretching across the savanna north of the Amhar mountains, Shinile is bordered on the south by the Oromia Region, on the west by...
, on the northeast by Awbere
Awbere (woreda)
Awbere , , is one of the 47 woredas in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Jijiga Zone, Awbere is bordered on the southwest by Jijiga, on the west and north by the Shinile Zone, on the east by Somalia, and on the southeast by Kebri Beyah...
and on the southeast by the Degehabur Zone
Degehabur Zone
Degehabur Zone is one of the nine Zones in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. This zone is named after its largest city, Degehabur. Degehabur Zone is bordered on the south by Korahe, on the west by Fiq, on the northwest by the Oromia Region, on the north by Jijiga and Somalia, and on the east by...
. Towns and cities in Jijiga include Jijiga
Jijiga
Jijiga is a city in eastern Ethiopia and the capital of the Somali Region of that country. Located in the Jijiga Zone approximately 80 km east of Harar and 60 km west of the border with Somalia, this city has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1,609 meters above sea...
tuli gulled and Chinhahsan
Chinhahsan
Chinhahsan is a city in eastern Ethiopia. Located in the Jijiga Zone of the Somali Region, this city has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1816 meters above sea level....
.
The average elevation in this woreda is 1803 meters above sea level. The only perennial rivers in this woreda are the Fafen
Fafen River
Fafen River is a river of eastern Ethiopia. Rising to the east of Harar, this river cuts through a series of wide, flat shelves of sedimentary rocks made of sandstone, limestone, and gypsum as it descends in a south-eastern direction towards the Shebelle River. The Fafen only joins the Shebelle...
and the Jerer
Jerer River
The Jerer is an intermittent river of eastern Ethiopia. A tributary of the Fafen River, it rises near Jijiga to flow in a south-easternly direction....
. , Jijiga has 80 kilometers of asphalt road and 60 kilometers of all-weather gravel road; about 34.1% of the total population has access to drinking water.
The Karamara hills to the west of the city of Jijiga were thoroughly mined during the Ogaden War
Ogaden War
The Ogaden War was a conventional conflict between Somalia and Ethiopia in 1977 and 1978 over the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. In a notable illustration of the nature of Cold War alliances, the Soviet Union switched from supplying aid to Somalia to supporting Ethiopia, which had previously been...
, and there are still dangerous areas which have been marked off limits.
Prior to the 2004 October referendum, which established the disputed boundary between the Oromia and Somali Regions, a large section in the north of this woreda became the Chinhahsen woreda, which was transferred to the Oromia Region.
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 348,421, of whom 171,072 were men and 177,349 were women; 109,634 or 31.47% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 22.5%. Information is not available on the area of Jijiga, so its population density cannot be calculated. This woreda is primarily inhabited by the Bartire, Geeri Koombe and Ogaden
Ogaden (clan)
The Ogaden is a Somali clan, and one of the largest Darod subclans.-Overview:Members of the Ogaden clan primarily live in the central Ogaden plateau of Ethiopia , the North Eastern Province of Kenya, and the Jubaland region of Southern Somalia...
subclan of the Darood
Darood
Darood can mean:*Darod, a Somali clan*Durood, a phrase complimenting Muhammad*Darood, a Sufi concentration...
.
The 1997 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 269,096, of whom 138,483 were men and 130,613 were women; 73,548 or 27.33% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Jijiga was the Somali
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
138,483 (99.9%).
Agriculture
A sample enumeration performed by the CSA in 2001 interviewed 37,413 farmers in this woreda, who held an average of 1.05 hectares of land. Of the 39.37 square kilometers of private land surveyed, 81.21% was under cultivation, 10.6% pasture, 3.72% fallow, and 1.8% was devoted to other uses; the percentage in woodland is missing. For the land under cultivation in Jijiga, 66.08% is planted in cereals like 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....
, 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...
and maize
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...
, 1.61% in pulses, 1.61% in root crops, and 0.07% in vegetables. Permanent crops included 4108 hectares planted in khat
Khat
Khat, qat, gat or Waquish Spoken from true Yemeni, is a flowering plant native to tropical East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula....
, 1 in enset, and 14.55 in fruit trees. 78.33% of the farmers both raise crops and livestock, while 19.88% only grow crops and 1.79% only raise livestock. Land tenure in this woreda is distributed amongst 94.28% owned their land, 1.29% rented, and the remaining 4.43% held their land under other forms of tenure.