West Arsi (or "Mirab Arsi" in Amharic or Arsi Lixa in Oromo) is one of the 12 Zones of the Ethiopian Region of Oromia. This zone takes its name from the kingdom or former province of Arsi. Mirab Arsi is located in the middle of Oromia, connecting the western regions to the eastern ones. This zone is bordered on the south and southwest by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, on the west by Mirab Shewa, on the northwest by Semien Shewa, on the north by the Amhara Region, on the northeast by the Afar Region, and on the southwest by Arsi; its westernmost reach is defined by the course of the Bilate River. Towns and cities in West Arsi Zone include Shashamane, Negele Arsi and others.
With the intent to rehabilitate degraded forests, the Zonal Agriculture and Rural Development Office announced 2 October 2006 that it had planted over 36.3 million seedlings in 10 of the Zone's 12 woredas, covering 4,000 hectares of land.[1]
Demographics
Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this zone has an estimated total population of 2,475,945, of whom 1,246,576 were males and 1,229,369 were females; 794,683 or 32.1% of its population are urban dwellers. With an estimated area of 13,624.09 square kilometers, Misraq Shewa has an estimated population density of 181.73 people per square kilometer.[2]
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this Zone of 1,668,184 in 343,656 households, of whom 837,614 were men and 830,670 women; 444,376 or 26.64% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The five largest ethnic groups reported in Misraq Shewa were the Oromo (69.59%), the Amhara (16.77%), the Soddo Gurage (2.21%), the Kambaata (2%), and the Welayta (1.78%); all other ethnic groups made up 7.65% of the population. Afan Oromo was spoken as a first language by 64.97%, 26.58% Amharic, 1.43% Soddo, and 1.28% spoke Hadiya; the remaining 5.74% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 58.76% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 35.01% of the population said they were Muslim, 3.47% were Protestant, and 1.57% held traditional beliefs.[3]
According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank memorandum, 9% of the inhabitants of Misraq Shewa have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 54.7 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers (compared to the national average of 30 kilometers),[4] the average rural household has 1.2 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and an average of 1.14 for the Oromia Region)[5] and the equivalent of 1.0 heads of livestock. 14.5% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a Regional average of 24%. Concerning education, 61% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 19% in secondary schools.[6] In a recent development, the Oromia Regional government announced 30 November 2007 that 110 new primary schools were put into operation in 10 woredas to improve the educational situation.[7] Concerning health, 21% of the zone is exposed to malaria, and 49% to Tsetse fly. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 372.[6]
Woredas
- Ada'a Chukala
- Adama
- Adami Tullu and Jido Kombolcha
- Akaki
- Arsi Negele
- Boset
- Dugda Bora
- Fentale
- Gimbichu
- Lome
- Seraro
- Shashamene
Notes
- ^ "Zone transplants over 36mln seedlings" (Walta)
- ^ CSA 2005 National Statistics, Tables B.3 and B.4
- ^ 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Oromia Region, Vol. 1, part 1, Tables 2.1, 2.7, 2.12, 2.15, 2.17 (accessed 6 April 2009)
- ^ "Ethiopia - Second Road Sector Development Program Project", p.3 (World Bank Project Appraisal Document, published 19 May 2003)
- ^ Comparative national and regional figures comes from the World Bank publication, Klaus Deininger et al. "Tenure Security and Land Related Investment", WP-2991 (accessed 23 March 2006).
- ^ a b World Bank, Four Ethiopias: A Regional Characterization (accessed 23 March 2006).
- ^ "Some 110 new primary schools go operational in East Shoa Zone" (Walta)
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