Bedele (woreda)

Bedele is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Illubabor Zone, Bedele is bordered on the south by Gechi, on the southwest by Chora, on the west by Dega, on the north by the southern exclave of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the northeast by the Didessa River which separates it from the Misraq Welega Zone, and on the southeast by Gechi. Towns in Bedele include Bedele and Kone.

Coffee is an important cash crop of this woreda, where over 50 km² is planted with this crop. [ [http://www.oromiacoffeeunion.org/production.htm "Coffee Production"] Oromia Coffee Cooperative Union website] Other local industry includes the Bedele brewery. [Camerapix, "Spectrum Guide to Ethiopia" (Brooklyn: Interlink, 2000), p. 201.]

Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 139,425, of whom 71,749 were males and 67,676 were females; 23,673 or 16.98% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 12%. With an estimated area of 1,678.44 square kilometers, Bedele has an estimated population density of 83.1 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 72.3. [ [http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics] , Tables B.3 and B.4]

This woreda was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2003 as one of several areas for voluntary resettlement for farmers from overpopulated areas. Bedele became the new home for a total of 2087 heads of households and 4042 total family members. [ [http://www.dppc.gov.et/downloadable/map/Thematic%20maps/resettlement/Resettlement%202003.pdf "Resettlement 2003"] , Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA) (accessed 26 November 2006)]

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