Kedida Gamela
Encyclopedia
Kedida Gamela is one of the 77 woreda
s in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia
. Part of the Kembata Tembaro Zone (KT), Kedida Gamela is bordered on the south by an exclave of the Hadiya Zone
, on the southwest by Kacha Bira
, on the west by Angacha
, on the north by the Hadiya Zone, and on the east by the Bilate River
which separates it from Alaba. The administrative center for the KT is Durame
; other towns in Kedida Gamela include Damboya.
Into the early 1990s inhabitatns of this woreda would temporarily migrate to places like Harar
, Wonji, Welkite
, Negele Arsi
, Shashamene, and Wondo Genet
to look for work. Migrants went to Metahara and the Wonji Sugar Plantation to work as day laborers cutting sugarcane. They went to the Siraro State Farm in the Arsi Province
and Kedi Shamena State Farm as day laborers. In September and April they would migrate to Welkite to plant and harvest maize for farmers. They migrated to Alaba Kulito
in April, March, December, January and July to harvest or plant peppers for farmers. With the evolution of Regions during the Transitional Government of Ethiopia
, migrating for work was discouraged.
in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 202,926, of whom 101,032 were men and 101,894 were women; 20,100 or 9.91% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 8.8%. With an estimated area of 351.25 square kilometers, Kedida Gamela has an estimated population density of 577.7 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 429.40.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 140,880 of whom 70,783 were men and 93,194 were women; 16,723 or 11.87% of its population were urban dwellers. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Kedida Gamela were the Kambaata (97.32%), the Hadiya
(0.74%) and the Amhara
(0.71%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.23% of the population. Kambaata
is spoken as a first language by 96.98%, 1.43% speak Amharic
, and 0.54% speak Hadiya
; the remaining 1.05% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Protestants
, with 57.24% of the population reporting that belief, while 24.9% were Muslim
, 8.8% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 8.03% were Catholic
.
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 Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' 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 Kembata Tembaro Zone (KT), Kedida Gamela is bordered on the south by an exclave of the Hadiya Zone
Hadiya Zone
Hadiya is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region . This zone is named after the Hadiya of the Hadiya kingdom, whose homeland covers part of the administrative division...
, on the southwest by Kacha Bira
Kacha Bira
Kacha Bira is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Kembata Tembaro Zone, Kacha Bira is bordered on the south by an exclave of the Hadiya Zone, on the southwest by the Wolayita Zone, on the west by Omo Sheleko, on the northwest by...
, on the west by Angacha
Angacha (woreda)
Angacha is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Kembata Tembaro Zone, Angacha is bordered on the south by Kacha Bira, on the west and north by the Hadiya Zone, and on the east by Kedida Gamela...
, on the north by the Hadiya Zone, and on the east by the Bilate River
Bilate River
The Bilate is a river of south-central Ethiopia. It rises on the southwestern slopes of Mount Gurage near , flowing south along the western side of the Great Rift Valley, to empty into Lake Abaya at...
which separates it from Alaba. The administrative center for the KT is Durame
Durame
Durame is a town in southeastern Ethiopia. The administrative center of the Kembata Tembaro Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region , this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 2101 meters above sea level...
; other towns in Kedida Gamela include Damboya.
Overview
The altitude of this woreda ranges from 1700 to 3028 meters above sea level. Its area is divided into 7% highland (Dega) and 93% Weyna Dega (sub-tropical climate). Kedida Gamela has 45 kilometers of all-weather roads and 17 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 199 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.Into the early 1990s inhabitatns of this woreda would temporarily migrate to places like Harar
Harar
Harar is an eastern city in Ethiopia, and the capital of the modern Harari ethno-political division of Ethiopia...
, Wonji, Welkite
Welkite
Welkite is a town in southwestern Ethiopia. The administrative center of the Gurage Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region , this town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation between 1910 and 1935 meters above sea level.According to the Gurage Zone government,...
, Negele Arsi
Negele Arsi
Negele Arsi is a town in southeastern Ethiopia. Located in the Misraq Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region on the paved highway north of Shashamane, this town has a longitude and latitude of and an elevation of 2043 meters above sea level...
, Shashamene, and Wondo Genet
Wondo Genet
Wondo Genet is a resort town in Ethiopia. Located southeast of Shashemene in the Sidama Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, with a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 1723 meters....
to look for work. Migrants went to Metahara and the Wonji Sugar Plantation to work as day laborers cutting sugarcane. They went to the Siraro State Farm in the Arsi Province
Arsi Province
Arsi was a province of Ethiopia with its capital at Asella. The province was reduced to a Zone of the Oromia Region with the adoption of the new constitution in 1995....
and Kedi Shamena State Farm as day laborers. In September and April they would migrate to Welkite to plant and harvest maize for farmers. They migrated to Alaba Kulito
Alaba Kulito
Alaba Kulito is a town in southern Ethiopia. Located in the Alaba special woreda of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region , this town sits on the left bank of the Bilate River and has a latitude and longitude of , with an elevation of 1726 meters above sea level...
in April, March, December, January and July to harvest or plant peppers for farmers. With the evolution of Regions during the Transitional Government of Ethiopia
Transitional Government of Ethiopia
The Transitional government of Ethiopia was established immediately after the fall of the Dergue regime. It was led by Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia. Zenawi remains the prime minister of Ethiopia to this day....
, migrating for work was discouraged.
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 202,926, of whom 101,032 were men and 101,894 were women; 20,100 or 9.91% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 8.8%. With an estimated area of 351.25 square kilometers, Kedida Gamela has an estimated population density of 577.7 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 429.40.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 140,880 of whom 70,783 were men and 93,194 were women; 16,723 or 11.87% of its population were urban dwellers. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Kedida Gamela were the Kambaata (97.32%), the Hadiya
Hadiya
The Hadiya Kingdom was an ancient kingdom in located in southwestern Ethiopia, south of the Abbay River and west of Shewa. It was ruled by the Hadiya people, who spoke the Cushitic Hadiyya language. The historical Hadiya area was situated between Kembata, Gamo, and Waj, southwest of Shewa...
(0.74%) and 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...
(0.71%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.23% of the population. Kambaata
Kambaata language
Kambaata is a Highland East Cushitic language, part of the larger Afro-Asiatic family and spoken by the Kambaata. Dialects are Donga, Kambaata and Tambaro. It is one of the official languages of Ethiopia. The language has a large number of verbal affixes. When these are affixed to verbal roots,...
is spoken as a first language by 96.98%, 1.43% speak 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...
, and 0.54% speak Hadiya
Hadiya language
Hadiyya is the Afro-Asiatic language of the Hadiya people of Ethiopia. Most speakers live in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region in the Hadiya Zone around the town Hosaena....
; the remaining 1.05% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Protestants
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...
, with 57.24% of the population reporting that belief, while 24.9% 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...
, 8.8% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 8.03% were Catholic
Roman Catholicism in Ethiopia
The Catholic Church in Ethiopia is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.The Ethiopian Catholic Church, the primary organization of Catholicism in the country, is especially close to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, whose doctrine and...
.