Yeki is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Keficho Shekicho Zone, Yeki is bordered on the south by the Bench Maji Zone, on the west by the Gambela Region, on the north by Masha Anderacha, on the northeast by Gesha, and on the east by Chena. The major town in Yeki is Tepi.
The highest point in Yeki is Mount Teppi (2728 meters), a dormant volcano. Major rivers include the Beko and Shiy. Two varieties of subsistence agriculture are practiced in this woreda: one, in the northwestern corner, is based on growing cereals and enset; the other, in the rest of the woreda, is based on coffee and spices. Important cash crops in the first part include corn, teff, wheat, pulses, and enset; while in the second they are corn, sorghum, coffee, ginger and tumeric. Other important non-agricultural sources of income include selling milk.[1] According to a 2004 report, Yeki had 76 kilometers of all-weather roads, for an average road density of 126 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.[2]
A 2002 United Nations Emergency Unit for Ethiopia assessment report mentions increasing conflict between the Mezhenger and Sheko, which spilled over into neighboring Godere of the Gambela Region.[3]
Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 124,998, of whom 60,801 are men and 64,197 are women; 19,231 or 15.39% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 9.7%. With an estimated area of 603.91 square kilometers, Yeki has an estimated population density of 207 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 81.9.[4]
In the 1994 national census Yeki had a population of 85,699, of whom 44,004 were men and 41,695 women; 10,616 or 12.39% of its population were urban dwellers. The six largest ethnic groups reported in this woreda were the Kafficho (29.78%), the Amhara (29.48%), the Oromo (11.67%), the Mocha (7.45%), the Bench (7.33%), and the Sheko (7.26%); all other ethnic groups made up 7.03% of the population. Amharic was spoken as a first language by 32.91% of the inhabitants, 28.48% spoke Kafa, 11.36% Oromiffa, 7.55% Mocha, 7.17% Sheko, and 6.84% spoke Bench; the remaining 5.69% spoke all other primary languages reported.[5] Concerning education, 41.40% of the population were considered literate; 32.09% of children aged 7-12 were in primary school; 11.17% of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school; and 6.78% of the inhabitants aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions, about 78.87% of the urban houses and 27.95% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census, while about 77.26% of the urban and 38.24% of the total had toilet facilities.[6]