Bure (Gojjam), Ethiopia

For other towns or places named Bure, see Bure.
Bure
Bure
Location in Ethiopia
Coordinates:
Country Ethiopia
Region Amhara Region
Zone Misraq Gojjam Zone
Elevation 2,091 m (6,860 ft)
Population (2005)
 • Total 23,292 (est)
Time zone EAT (UTC+3)

Bure (also transliterated Burye) is a town in western Ethiopia. Located in the Mirab Gojjam Zone of the Amhara Region, this town has a longitude and latitude of with an elevation of 2091 meters above sea level.

Bure enjoys a flourishing small business and connection point of businesses between Wolega, Gondar and Shewa. An agricultural training college and Bure Baguna, a mineral water factory, are the main modern industrial opportunities in the town.[1]

History

An early mention of Bure is Emperor Susenyos's visit in 1608, after had had celebrated Easter at Wancha near the Melka Saytant ford over the Abay River.[2]

Ras Mikael Sehul and his puppet Emperor Tekle Haymanot camped at Bure in 1770 for three days after their victory at the Battle of Faggeta.[3] The Enderase (Regent) of the Emperor of Ethiopia, Ras Ali II, was born in Bure while his father Dejazmach Alula was governor of Damot.[4]

Bure is located at a group of hot springs that were popular during the 19th century for their therapeutic properties.[5] When Charles Beke visited Bure in 1842, he reports he found the market "to be very small. It is occasionally visited by a few Gallas from Shinasha and A'muru." Beke continues, "The Baso market is, however, now-a-days so generally frequented by the merchants, that it has drawn away from Burie the trade which I apprehend formerly existed here."[4] By 1880, its market was mentioned as having some trade in gold.[6]

In the late 1930s, during the Italian occupation, Bure was described as a large village with a market located on a ridge between the upper valleys of Fettam/Sarki and Selala. It had two churches, one dedicated to Kidus Yohannes and the other to Kidane Mihret. It also reportedly had a radio telegraph station, a clinic, and the residence of the local Italian official.[6] Because the town was an important strongpoint on the Bahir Dar-Debre Marqos road, its capture by Gideon Force and the followers of Dejazmach Negash Bezibeh 4 March 1941 was a significant contribution to the defeat of the Italians in Ethiopia.[7]

Due to ethnic unrest in the Misraq (East) Welega Zone during 2001, over 10,900 Amhara sought refuge in Bure.[6]

Demographics

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this town has an estimated total population of 23,292, of whom 11,535 are men and 11,757 are women.[8] The 1994 census reported this town had a total population of 13,437 of whom 6,069 were men and 7,368 were women. It is the larger of two towns in Bure Wemberma woreda.

Notes

  1. ^ Current Exploration and Mining, Geological Survey of Ethiopia Web Page (accessed 26 January 2009)
  2. ^ G.W.B. Huntingford, The historical geography of Ethiopia from the first century AD to 1704, (Oxford University Press: 1989), p. 160
  3. ^ H. Weld Blundell, The Royal chronicle of Abyssinia, 1769-1840 Cambridge: University Press, 1922), p. 207
  4. ^ a b Charles T. Beke, "Abyssinia. Being a Continuation of Routes in That Country", Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, 14 (1844), pp. 1-76
  5. ^ Richard Pankhurst, An Introduction to the Medical History of Ethiopia (Trenton: Red Sea Press, 1990), p. 121
  6. ^ a b c "Local History in Ethiopia" The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 7 April 2008)
  7. ^ Mockler, Anthony (2003) [1984]. Haile Selassie's War. New York: Olive Branch. ISBN 1-56656-473-5. 
  8. ^ CSA 2005 National Statistics, Table B.4

The then Bure wonberma worda is now changed to Bure worda.