Hawa Welele

Hawa Welele is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mirab Welega Zone, Hawa Welele is bordered on the south by Sayo, on the west by Anfillo, on the northwest by Jimma Gidami, on the north and east by Gawo Dale, and on the southeast by the Illubabor Zone. Towns in Hawa Welele include Rob Gebeya and Tejo.

The highest point in this woreda, and in the Zone, is Mount Welel (3312 meters). Coffee is an important cash crop of this woreda. Between 2,000 and 5,000 hectares is planted with this crop. [ [http://www.oromiacoffeeunion.org/production.htm "Coffee Production"] Oromia Coffee Cooperative Union website]

Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 113,604, of whom 56,943 were males and 56,661 were females; 5,347 or 4.71% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 10.9%. With an estimated area of 1,329.14 square kilometers, Hawa Welele has an estimated population density of 85.5 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 91.7. [ [http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics] , Tables B.3 and B.4]

Hawa Welele was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2003 as an area for voluntary resettlement for farmers from overpopulated areas and this woreda became the home for a total of 7006 heads of households and 20,053 total family members in that year. [ [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)] Hawa Welele was selected again the next year and became the new homes of another 11,369 heads of households and 56,625 total family members. [ [http://www.dppc.gov.et/downloadable/map/Thematic%20maps/resettlement/Resettlement%202004.pdf "Resettlement 2004"] , DPPA (accessed 26 November 2006)]

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