Kokosa (woreda)

Kokosa is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Located at the westernmost point of the Bale Zone, Kokosa is bordered on the south and west by the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, on the north by the Arsi Zone, on the northeast by Dodola, and on the southeast by Nensebo. The woreda capital is Nensebo; other towns include Kokosa.

The majority of this woreda (95%) consists of undulating plains, with hills, valleys and mountains covering the rest. Rivers include the Genale, Logeta, Webe, Meganamo and Areba. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 19.5% is arable or cultivable (51% of which was under annual crops), 70% pasture, 7.3% forest, and the remaining 3.2% is considered unusable or other. Ensete is an important food source. [ [http://www.oromiagov.org/Socio%20Economic%20Profile/Bale/Bale%20Zone.pdf "Socio-economic profile of the Bale Zone"] Government of Oromia Region (last accessed 1 August 2006).] .

Industry in the woreda includes some mining, some small scale businesses and open markets. There were 16 Farmers Associations with 7640 members and Farmers Service Cooperatives with 254 members. Kokosa has 68 kilometers of road, for an average density of 106 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 48% of the total population has access to drinking water. [Government of Oromia Region, "Socio-economic profile."]

Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 122,811, of whom 63,512 were males and 59,299 were females; 3,188 or 2.60% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 13.5%. With an estimated area of 636.88 square kilometers, Kokosa has an estimated population density of 192.8 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 27. [ [http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics] , Tables B.3 and B.4]

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