Gewane (woreda)

Gewane is one of the 29 woredas in the Afar Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Administrative Zone 3, Gewane is bordered on the south by Amibara, on the west by Bure Mudaytu, on the northwest by Administrative Zone 5, on the north by the Administrative Zone 1, on the east by the Somali Region, and on the southeast by the Oromia Region; the Awash River defines parts of the boundary with Administrative Zone 5. The administrative center is Gewane; other towns in Gewane include Meteka.

The highest point in this woreda is Mount Ayalu (2145 meters); other important peaks include Mount Yangudi. Bodies of water include Lake Kadabassa, which lies in the swampy lowlands that stretch alongside the Awash and serve as an important pasture for nomadic pastoralists.[1] As of 2008, Ayesha has 56 kilometers of all-weather gravel road and 45 kilometers of community roads; about 41% of the total population has access to drinking water.[2] A notable local landmark is the Yangudi Rassa National Park, which occupies the northeastern corner of the woreda. There are known diatomite deposits near the village of Adamitulu, but these have not yet been developed.[3] An archeological site near the village of Aramis in this woreda produced remains of Australopithecus.

Demographics

Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 31,318, of whom 17,171 are men and 14,147 women; with an area of 967.85 square kilometers, Gewane has a population density of 32.36. While 5,986 or 19.11% are urban inhabitants, a further 1,280 or 4.09% are pastoralists. A total of 6,191 households were counted in this woreda, which results in an average of 5.1 persons to a household, and 6,708 housing units.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ "Afar Pastoralists Face Consequences of Poor Rains" UNDP Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia report, dated May 2000 (accessed 29 December 2008)
  2. ^ Hailu Ejara Kene, Baseline Survey of 55 Weredas of PCDP Phase II, Part I (Addis Ababa: August 2008), Annexes 16, 17
  3. ^ Current Exploration and Mining, Geological Survey of Ethiopia Web Page (accessed 26 January 2009)
  4. ^ Census 2007 Tables: Afar Region, Tables 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4.