Aroresa is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Located at the tip of the Sidama Zone that extends into the Oromia Region like a peninsula, Aroresa is bordered on every side by that Region, except on the west where it is bordered by Bensa. The major town in Aroresa is Mejo.
According to a 2004 report, Aroresa had 20 kilometers of all-weather roads and no kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 23 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.[1]
Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 134,384, of whom 65,461 are men and 68,923 are women; 3,011 or 2.24% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 8.9%. With an estimated area of 853.13 square kilometers, Aroresa has an estimated population density of 157.5 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 430.03.[2]
In the 1994 Census this woreda had a population of 94,923, of whom 48,703 were men and 46,220 women; 1,662 or 1.75% of its population were urban dwellers. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Aroresa were the Sidama (96.6%), the Oromo (2.46%), and the Amhara (0.77%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.17% of the population. Sidamo is spoken as a first language by 96.92% of the inhabitants, 2.38% speak Oromiffa, and 0.64% Amharic; the remaining 0.06% spoke all other primary languages reported. 83.12% of the population said they were Protestants, 6.65% observed traditional religions, 4.51% were Muslim, and 2.63% were Ethiopian Orthodox.[3] Concerning education, 10.24% of the population were considered literate; 2.80% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; a negligible number of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 0.19% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions, about 68.6% of the urban houses and 6.39% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census, while about 13.37% of the urban and 3.79% of the total had toilet facilities.[4]