Raytu

Raytu is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Located in the eastern part of the Bale Zone, Raytu is bordered on the south by the Somali Region, on the west by Ginir, and on the north and east by Seweyna; the Gestro River defines the southwest boundary. [The Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency [http://www.dppc.gov.et/downloadable/map/administrative/Atlas_Oromiya.pdf map for Oromia] (copyright 2006) shows a woreda of the Oromia Region named Dawe Serara southeast of Raytu, inside the Somali Region.] Towns in Raytu include Tedecha Bela'a.

The geography of this woreda consists of mountainous terrain along the northern and southern edges, while the remainder is dominated by a flat plain. Perennial rivers include the Shabelle, Weyib, and Dinikte. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 17% is arable (15% was under annual crops), 39% pasture, 37% forest or heavy vegetation, and the remaining 7% is considered swampy, mountainous or otherwise unusable. Teff, corn and sorghum are important local crops. [ [http://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 consists of a few small-scale establishments, as well as some retailers and service providers. There were 12 Farmers Associations with 6,273 members and 3 Farmers Service Cooperatives. Raytu has 52 kilometers of dry-weather road, for an average road density of 0.28 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 7% 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 43,222, of whom 20,788 were males and 22,434 were females; 2,409 or 5.57% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 13.5%. With an estimated area of 7,055.22 square kilometers, Raytu has an estimated population density of 6.1 people per square kilometer, which is less 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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