Bonke is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Gamo Gofa Zone, Bonke is bordered on the south by the Dirashe special woreda, on the west by the Weito River which separates it from Kemba, on the north by Dita Dermalo, and on the east by Arba Minch Zuria. The major town in Bonke is Gerese.
According to a 2004 report, Bonke had 32 kilometers of all-weather roads and 7 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 49 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 155,154, of whom 76,862 are men and 78,292 are women; 4,442 or 2.86% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 8.5%. With an estimated area of 797.82 square kilometers, Bonke has an estimated population density of 194.5 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 156.5.[2]
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 109,441 of whom 55,246 were men and 54,195 were women; 2,452 or 2.24% of its population were urban dwellers. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Bonke were the Gamo (97.99%), and the Amhara (1.53%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.48% of the population. Gamo is spoken as a first language by 94.49%, 3.17% Zergula, and 1.09% spoke Amharic; the remaining 1.25% spoke all other primary languages reported.[3]