Chencha (woreda)

Chencha is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Gamo Gofa Zone, Chencha is bordered on the south by Arba Minch Zuria, on the west by Dita Dermalo, on the north by Kucha, and on the east by Boreda Abaya. Towns in Chencha include Chencha, Dorze and Ezo.

According to a 2004 report, Chencha had 36 kilometers of all-weather roads and 1 kilometer of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 101 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.^[1]

Demographics

Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 127,193, of whom 71,229 are men and 55,964 are women; 14,230 or 11.19% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 8.5%. With an estimated area of 365 square kilometers, Chencha has an estimated population density of 348.5 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 156.5.^[2]

The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 88,040 of whom 38,750 were men and 49,290 were women; 7,851 or 8.92% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Chencha was the Gamo people (98.7%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.3% of the population. Gamo was spoken as a first language by 95.89%, 1.88% Amharic, and 1.85% spoke Dorze; the remaining 1.4% spoke all other primary languages reported.^[3] While performing fieldwork in 1991, Alemayehu Abebe reports that he found 14 kebeles in Chencha inhabited by the Dorze people.^[4]

Notes

1. ^ "Detailed statistics on roads", SNNPR Bureau of Finance and Economic Development website (accessed 15 September 2009)
2. ^ CSA 2005 National Statistics, Tables B.3 and B.4
3. ^ 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Vol. 1, part 1, Tables 2.1, 2.12, 2.15 (accessed 30 December 2008)
4. ^ Alemayehu Abebe, "Ometo Dialect Pilot Survey Report" SIL Electronic Survey Reports SILESR 2002-068

Coordinates: 6°15′N 37°40′E / 6.25°N 37.667°E / 6.25; 37.667