Ginir

Ginir (also transliterated Ghinnir) is a town in southeastern Ethiopia. Located in the Bale Zone of the Oromia Region (or kilil), this town has a latitude and longitude of coord|7|08|N|40|42|E and an elevation between 1750 and 1986 meters above sea level.

Ginir is the administrative center of Ginir woreda. It is served by an airport (ICAO code HAGH, IATA GNN).

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this town has an estimated total population of 21,585, of whom 10,849 were males and 10,736 were females. [ [http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics] , Table B.4] The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 12,068 of whom 5,884 were males and 6,184 were females.

In the 19th century, Ginir was the major commercial center southwest of the Awash River. Not only was it where salt was sold to traders who then supplied the districts south of Shewa, [Ref Ethiopia|Pankhurst-1968|pages= p. 243] but it was the beginning of a trade route that reached south to Luuq (in modern-day Somalia) and beyond to Bardera. [Pankhurst, "Economic History", p. 444] A post route by mule from Addis Ababa to Ginir existed in 1904, one of the few places in southern Ethiopia with that kind of service at that time. A post office was opened within the period 1923-1932; a postal cancellation is known from 1928. [ [http://130.238.24.99/library/resources/dossiers/local_history_of_ethiopia/g/ORTGIA.pdf "Local History in Ethiopia"] (pdf) The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 16 November 2007)]

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