Qwiha

Qwiha (also Kuha) is a town located in northern Ethiopia. Located in the Debubawi Zone of the Tigray Region, it lies 10 kilometers south of Mek'ele straddling the highway that leads to Addis Ababa. It has a latitude and longitude of coord|13|29|N|39|38|E with an elevation of 2247 meters above sea level.

Qwiha has had telephone service at least as early as 1956, when it is reported that the only hotel in town had the only telephone. [http://130.238.24.99/library/resources/dossiers/local_history_of_ethiopia/k/ORTKUS.pdf "Local History in Ethiopia"] (pdf) The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 10 January 2008)]

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Qwiha has an estimated total population of 12,543 of whom 5,644 were males and 6,899 were females. [ [http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics] , Table B.4] The 1994 census reported it had a total population of 9,867 of whom 4,336 were males and 5,531 were females. It is one of two towns in Enderta woreda.

The "Guido" describes Qwiha in 1938, during the Italian occupation, as having a small Italian settlement below the center of town, and little north of the pass a small church of "San Francesco da Páola" built by an Italian military unit. The town was occupied by the Woyane during their rebellion against the Ethiopian government in late 1943. [Gebru Tareke, "Ethiopia: Power and protest" (Lawrenceville: Red Sea Press, 1996), pp. 108ff]

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