Telo is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. This woreda has its origins in the province Chetta of the former Kingdom of Kaffa. A triangle-shaped sub-unit of the Keficho Shekicho Zone, Telo is bordered on the west by Decha, at the northwest point by Ginbo, on the north by Menjiwo, and on the east by the Semien Omo Zone. Towns in Telo include Felege Selam and Shama.
Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 108,182, of whom 54,913 are men and 53,269 are women; 3,519 or 3.25% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 9.7%. With an estimated area of 1,191.72 square kilometers, Telo has an estimated population density of 90.8 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 81.9.[1]
In the 1994 national census Telo had a population of 76,241, of whom 37,564 were men and 38,677 women; 1,942 or 2.55% of its population were urban dwellers. The four largest ethnic groups reported in this woreda were the Kafficho (95.28%), the Kullo (1.97%), the Chara (1.33%), and the Amhara (1.01%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.41% of the population. Kafa was spoken as a first language by 96.08% of the inhabitants, 1.91% spoke Kullo, 1.33% Chara, and 0.46% spoke Amharic; the remaining 0.22% spoke all other primary languages reported.[2] Concerning education, 12.82% of the population were considered literate; 6.87% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 1.78% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 0.44% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions, about 25.77% of the urban houses and 5.72% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census, while about 71.16% of the urban and 6.80% of the total had toilet facilities.[3]