Semien Gondar Zone

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Semien Gondar (or "North Gondar") is a Zone in the Ethiopian Amhara Region. This Zone is named for the city of Gondar, the capital of Ethiopia until the mid-19th century, which has often been used as a name for the 20th century province of Begemder.

Semien Gondar is bordered on the south by Lake Tana, Mirab (West) Gojjam and the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the west by Sudan, on the north by the Tigray Region, on the east by Wag Hemra and on the southeast by Debub Gondar. Towns and cities in Semien Gondar include Debarq, Emfranz, Gondar, Gorgora and Metemma.

[edit] Demographics

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this zone has an estimated total population of 2,903,165, of whom 1,467,567 were males and 1,435,598 were females; 409,821 or 14.1% of its population are urban dwellers. With an estimated area of 48,204.39 square kilometers, Semien Gondar has an estimated population density of 60.23 people per square kilometer.^[1]

According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank memorandum, 7% of the inhabitants of Semien Gondar have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 21.2 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers (compared to the national average of 30 kilometers)^[2], the average rural household has 1.2 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and an average of 0.75 for the Ahmara Region)^[3] and the equivalent of 0.8 heads of livestock. 24.6% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a Regional average of 21%. 50% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 13% in secondary schools. 62% of the zone is exposed to malaria, and none to Tsetse fly. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 506.^[4]