| Waliso Ghion, Giyon |
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Waliso
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Region | Oromia |
| Zone | Debub Mirab Shewa |
| Elevation | 2,063 m (6,768 ft) |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Total | 45,537 |
| Time zone | EAT (UTC+3) |
Waliso (also known as Ghion, which is also transliterated "Giyon") is a town in central Ethiopia. Located in the Debub Mirab Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region, 115km southwest of Addis Ababa, it has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 2063 meters above sea level. Waliso is the administrative center of this Zone.
The road that ran from Addis Ababa to Waliso was one of the few roads built by the Ethiopian government before the Italian-Abyssinian War; by 1938, the 110 kilometers from Addis Ababa to Waliso had been asphalted, and the 90 kilometers beyond to Abelti gravelled. Two rival Arbegnoch operated around Waliso: Gurassu Duke and Olona Dinkel. Gurassu Duke (a former member of the Crown Prince's bodyguard) was in the end the better-known - and the longer-lived - but in his day Olona Dinkel, a Welega Oromo, was as legendary.[1]
In 1955 a 40 kW hydro-electric power station was built; by 1965 the installed electrical capacity was 32 kVA and the annual production 64,500 kWh. In 1958, Waliso was one of 27 places in Ethiopia ranked as First Class Township. The Multipurpose Community Telecentre was opened in February 2000, with assistance from the British Council. It was the first of its kind in Ethiopia, and the next one was opened in Debre Berhan almost two years later. That same year, construction of a 150-bed hospital was completed. Launched in 1997 by an Italian organization equipment included surgical, X-ray and laboratory equipment, at a cost of 72 million Birr.[1]
The second largest flower farm in Ethiopia, owned by the Indian company Surya Blossoms, had its official opening in Woliso on 22 June 2009. Present at the opening was Trade and Industry Minister Girma Biru, Indian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Gurjit Sing, Oromia Regional president Abadula Gemeda, and Chairman of Karuturi Global Limited, the parent corporation of Surya Blossoms, Surya Rao.[2]
Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Waliso has an estimated total population of 45,537 of whom 21,940 were males and 23,597 were females.[3] The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 25,491 of whom 11,899 were males and 13,592 were females. It is the largest town in Walisona Goro woreda.