Gimbi

Gimbi
Gimbi
Location within Ethiopia
Coordinates:
Country Ethiopia
Region Oromia
Zone West Welega
Elevation 1,845 m (6,053 ft)
Population (2005)
 • Total 19,887
Time zone EAT (UTC+3)

Gimbi is a town in western Ethiopia. Located in the West Welega Zone of the Oromia Region, it has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation between 1845 and 1930 meters above sea level. It is the administrative center of Gimbi woreda.

Gimbi has had telephone service from some point between 1954 and 1967. Iron had traditionally been produced in the area. A North Korean team of specialists investigated the deposits in the mid-1980s.[1]

Contents

History

An Ethiopian Orthodox church was built in Gimbi around 1895. By the 1930s, Gimbi was one of the most important markets of Welega Province and a meeting point of roads. The extension of the main road to Nekemte had not yet reached as far as Gimbi by 1935.[1]

A school for the blind was opened in Gimbi by the Western Synod of the Mekane Yesus Church in 1971. However by 1981 all Evangelical churches in the neighboring region were closed, except the one in the town itself.[1]

Seventh Day Adventist Churches, and Schools, have being serving the city. The Seventh Day Adventist Hospital is the one and only inpatient hospital.

The Oromia TV sub-station and the Gimbi Campus of Wolega University were opened by Regional president Abadula Gemeda 23 February 2009.[2]

Demographics

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Gimbi has an estimated total population of 36,612, of whom 18,623 are men and 17,989 are women.[3] The 1994 census reported this town had a total population of 20,462 of whom 10,100 were men and 10,362 were women.

Use in popular culture

In the fictional Harry Potter universe, Gimbi is the hometown of the professional Quidditch team the Gimbi Giant-Slayers.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Local History in Ethiopia" The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 15 February 2008)
  2. ^ "Abadulla inagurates TV Sub-station, Gimbi Campus of Wollega University", Ethiopian News Agency website (accessed 14 April 2009)
  3. ^ CSA 2005 National Statistics, Table B.4
  4. ^ Whisp, Kennilworthy (2001). Quidditch Through the Ages. WhizzHard Books. pp. 31–46. ISBN 1551924544.