Bensa is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Sidama Zone that extends into the Oromia Region like a peninsula, Bensa is bordered on the southeast and north by the Oromia Region, with Hula on the west and Arbegona on the northwest, and Aroresa on the east. The major town in Bensa is Daye.
According to a 2004 report, Bensa had 101 kilometers of all-weather roads and no kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 125 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 264,872, of whom 130,168 are men and 134,704 are women; 10,684 or 4.03% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 8.9%. With an estimated area of 806.88 square kilometers, Bensa has an estimated population density of 328.3 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 186,343, of whom 94,823 were men and 91,520 women; 5,897 or 3.16% of its population were urban dwellers. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Bensa were the Sidama (96.18%), the Amhara (2.2%), and the Oromo (0.96%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.66% of the population. Sidamo is spoken as a first language by 97.64% of the inhabitants, 1.46% speak Amharic, and 0.77% Oromiffa; the remaining 0.13% spoke all other primary languages reported. 77.76% of the population said they were Protestants, 7.59% observed traditional religions, 5.58% were Muslim, 3.21% were Ethiopian Orthodox, and 2.51% were Catholic.[3] Concerning education, 18.18% of the population were considered literate; 6.96% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 1.70% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 0.93% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions, about 62.36% of the urban houses and 13.61% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census, while about 65.72% of the urban and 5.1% of the total had toilet facilities.[4]