Woreda
Encyclopedia
Administrative division
An administrative division, subnational entity, or country subdivision is a portion of a country or other political division, established for the purpose of government. Administrative divisions are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and are required to manage themselves through their own...
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...
(managed by a local government), equivalent to a district
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
. Woredas are composed of a number of Kebele
Kebele
A kebele is the smallest administrative unit of Ethiopia similar to ward, a neighbourhood or a localized and delimited group of people...
, or neighborhood associations, which are the smallest unit of local government in Ethiopia. Woredas are typically collected together into zones
Zones of Ethiopia
||The regions of Ethiopia are divided into 68 or more zones . The exact number of zones is unclear, as the names and number of zones given in documents by Ethiopia's Central Statistical Agency differ between 2005...
, which form a kilil (Regional administration); some woredas are not part of a zone, and are called Special Woredas, which function as autonomous entities.
Although some woredas can be traced back as institutions to earliest times—for example the Yem special woreda
Yem special woreda
Yem is one of the 79 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region of Ethiopia. Because Yem 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. Yem is named for the Yem, or Janjero,...
, the Gera
Gera (woreda)
Gera is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the former Kingdom of Gera, whose territory was approximately the same as the modern woreda...
and Gomma
Gomma (woreda)
Gomma is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. It is named after the former Kingdom of Gomma, whose territory was roughly the same as the modern woreda...
woredas preserve the boundaries of kingdoms
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
that were absorbed into Ethiopia, and in Mam Midrina Lalo Midir
Mam Midrina Lalo Midir
Mam Midrina Lalo Midir is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. It is named in part after the central and southern districts of the former province of Menz, Mama Meder and Lalo Meder...
those of historic districts of Ethiopia (in this case, two of the districts of Menz
Menz
Menz or Manz is a province of Ethiopia, located inside the boundaries of the modern Semien Shewa Zone of the Amhara Region...
)—many are of more recent creation. Beginning with 2002, more authority was passed to woredas, in the form of staff and budgets transferred from the Regional governments.
See also
- List of woredas in the Afar Region
- List of woredas in the Amhara Region
- List of woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region
- List of woredas of the Oromia Region
- List of woredas in the Somali Region
- List of woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region
- List of woredas in the Tigray Region