- Arsi Zone
Arsi (or Arssi) is one of the 12 zones of the
Oromia Region inEthiopia . Arsi is also the name of a former province. Both the Zone and the former province are named after a subgroup of theOromo , who inhabit both.Arsi is bordered on the south by Bale, on the southwest by the
Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region , on the northwest by Misraq (East) Shewa, on the north by theAfar Region and on the east by Mirab (West) Hararghe. The highest point in Arsi isMount Chilalo ; other notable mountains in this zone includeMount Kaka andMount Gugu . The administrative center of this zone is inAsella ; other towns in this zone includeAbomsa andAsasa .Coffee has been a major cash crop in Arsi as early as 1912, when two Belgian companies were granted concessions of 1,464 hectares of land for cultivating coffee in the area of the current Zone. AfterWorld War I , these companies encountered financial difficulties and merged, and harvested as much as 613 tons of coffee at their peak (1931-21). [Richard Pankhurst, "Economic History of Ethiopia" (Addis Ababa: Haile Selassie I University, 1968), p. 203] The Central Statistical Agency (CSA), reported that 2198 tons of coffee were produced in this zone in the year ending in 2005, based on inspection records from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea authority. This represents 1.9% of the Region's output and 0.97% of Ethiopia's total output. [ [http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics] , Table D.2]Demographics
Based on figures from the CSA in 2005, this zone has an estimated total population of 3,135,686, of whom 1,557,984 were males and 1,577,702 were females; 386,707 or 12.3% of its population are urban dwellers. With an estimated area of 23,724.44 square kilometers, Arsi has an estimated population density of 132.17 people per square kilometer. [ CSA 2005 National Statistics, Tables B.3 and B.4]
According to a May 24, 2004
World Bank memorandum, 4% of the inhabitants of Arsi have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 45.0 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers (compared to the national average of 30 kilometers), [" [http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&theSitePK=523679&entityID=000112742_20030530104124&searchMenuPK=64187283&theSitePK=523679 Ethiopia - Second Road Sector Development Program Project] ", p.3 (World Bank Project Appraisal Document, published 19 May 2003)] 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) [Comparative national and regional figures comes from the World Bank publication, [http://econ.worldbank.org/external/default/main?ImgPagePK=64202990&entityID=000094946_03032704080562&menuPK=64168175&pagePK=64210502&theSitePK=477938&piPK=64210520 Klaus Deininger et al. "Tenure Security and Land Related Investment", WP-2991] (accessed 23 March 2006).] and the equivalent of 1.1 heads of livestock. 16.5% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a Regional average of 24%. 84% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 22% in secondary schools. 17% of the zone is exposed tomalaria , and none toTsetse fly . The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 364. [ [http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTETHIOPIA/Resources/PREM/FourEthiopiasrev6.7.5.May24.pdf World Bank, "Four Ethiopias: A Regional Characterization"] (accessed 23 March 2006).]Woreda s (administrative divisions)*
Amigna
*Aseko
*Bekoji
*Chole
*Digelu fi Tijo
*Dodota fi Sire
*Gedeb
*Gololcha
*Hitosa
*Jeju
*Kofele
*Merti
*Munesa
*Robe
*Seru
*Sherka
*Sude
*Tena
*Tiyo
*Ziway Dugda Notes
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