Mehakelegnaw Zone

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Mehakelegnaw (or "The central [Zone]") is a Zone in the Ethiopian Region of Tigray. Mehakelegnaw is bordered on the east by Misraqawi (Eastern), on the south by Debubawi (Southern), on the west by Mirabawi (Western) and on the north by Eritrea. Towns and cities in Mehakelegnaw include Axum and Adwa, as well as the historically significant village of Yeha and the ancient monastery of Debre Damo.

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this zone has an estimated total population of 1,283,388, of whom 630,140 were males and 653,248 were females; 307,324 or 23.9% of its population are urban dwellers. With an estimated area of 10,353.50 square kilometers, Mehakelegnaw has an estimated population density of 123.96 people per square kilometer.^[1]

According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank memorandum, 13% of the inhabitants of Mehakelegnaw have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 29.0 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers, the average rural household has 0.8 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and a regional average of 0.51)^[2] and the equivalent of 0.8 heads of livestock. 17% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a regional average of 28%. 74% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 28% in secondary schools. 78% of the zone is exposed to malaria, and none to Tsetse fly. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 616.^[3]