Gelana Abaya

Gelana Abaya is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Borena Zone, Gelana Abaya is bordered on the south by Hagere Mariam, and on the west, north and east by the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR). Lake Abaya, on the western border, is divided between this woreda and the SNNPR. According to the map of the Oromia Region published by the Disaster Prevention and Disaster Agency, this woreda is divided into two smaller ones: Gelana and Abaya. [ [http://www.dppc.gov.et/downloadable/map/administrative/Atlas_Oromiya.pdf Map of the Oromia Region] (PDF file)] Information is lacking on the towns and cities of this woreda.

The altitude of this woreda ranges from 800 to 2300 meters above sea level. Perennial rivers include the Gelana Dorya and Gildabo. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 41% is arable (28.7% was under annual crops), 35% pasture, 15% forest, and the remaining 9% is considered swampy, degraded or otherwise unusable. [ [http://oromiagov.org/Socio%20Economic%20Profile/Borena/Borena.pdf "Socio-economic profile of the Borena Zone"] Government of Oromia Region (last accessed 1 August 2006).] Coffee is an important cash crop; over 5,000 hectares are planted with it. [ [http://www.oromiacoffeeunion.org/production.htm "Coffee Production"] Oromia Coffee Cooperative Union website]

Industry in the woreda includes 2 coffee pulpers, and a number of traders; deposits of ignimbrite and basalt are known but have not been commercially developed. There were 32 Farmers Associations with 5,643 members and 4 Farmers Service Cooperatives. Gelana Abaya has 67 kilometers of dry-weather and 19 all-weather road, for an average road density of 36.4 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers. About 21.6% 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 152,161, of whom 75,042 were males and 77,119 were females. With an estimated area of 2,365.16 square kilometers, Gelana Abaya has an estimated population density of 64.3 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 21.1. [ [http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics] , Tables B.3 and B.4]

Gelana Abaya was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developmentin 2004 as an area for voluntary resettlement for farmers from overpopulated areas.That year this woreda became the home for a total of 9145 heads of households and45,725 total family members. [ [http://www.dppc.gov.et/downloadable/map/Thematic%20maps/resettlement/Resettlement%202004.pdf "Resettlement 2004"] , Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (accessed 26 November 2006)]

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