Misraqawi Zone

Misraqawi (or "Eastern") is a Zone in the Ethiopian Region of Tigray. Misraqawi is bordered on the east by the Afar Region, on the south by Debubawi (Southern), on the west by Mehakelegnaw (Central) and on the north by Eritrea. Its highest point is Mount Asimba (3,250 m). Towns and cities in Misraqawi include Adigrat, Atsbi, Hawzen, and Wiqro.

Demographics

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this zone has an estimated total population of 807,824, of whom 388,626 were males and 419,198 were females; 158,472 or 19.6% of its population are urban dwellers. With an estimated area of 5,705.34 square kilometers, Misraqawi has an estimated population density of 141.59 people per square kilometer.^[1]

In the 1994 Census, the Misraqawi Zone's population was 584,946, of whom 280,679 were males and 304,267 females; 85,508 or 14.6% of its population were urban dwellers. The Zone is predominantly Tigrayan, at 94.9% of the population, while 3.6% were Saho 0.9% were Afar, 0.3% Eritrean, and all other ethnic groups 0.2%.^[2]

According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank memorandum, 9% of the inhabitants of Misraqawi have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 88.2 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers, the average rural household has 0.5 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and a regional average of 0.51)^[3] and the equivalent of 0.7 heads of livestock. 38.9% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a regional average of 28%. 91% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 35% in secondary schools. It is not known how much of the zone is exposed to malaria, but none is exposed to Tsetse fly. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 573.^[4]

Notes

1. ^ CSA 2005 National Statistics, Tables B.3 and B.4
2. ^ The 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Tigray Region, vol. 1, part 1: Tables 2.1 and 2.11
3. ^ Comparative national and regional figures comes from another World Bank publication, Klaus Deininger et al. "Tenure Security and Land Related Investment", WP-2991 (accessed 23 March 2006).
4. ^ World Bank, Four Ethiopias: A Regional Characterization (accessed 23 March 2006).

Coordinates: 14°10′N 39°30′E / 14.167°N 39.5°E / 14.167; 39.5