Amhara Region

Template:Infobox Province in Ethiopia

Amhara (Amharic:አማራ) is one of the nine ethnic divisions (kililoch) of Ethiopia, containing the homeland of the Amhara people. Previously known as Region 3, its capital is Bahir Dar.

Ethiopia's largest inland body of water, Lake Tana, is located in Amhara, as well as the Semien Mountains National Park, which includes the highest point in Ethiopia, Ras Dashan.

During Ethiopia's imperial era, Amhara was divided into several provinces (such as Gondar, Gojjam, Begemder and Lasta), most of which were ruled by native Ras or Negus. The Amhara Region incorporated most of the former provinces of Begemder, Gojjam, and Wollo in 1995.

Demographics

Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), the Amhara Region has a population of 17,214,056 of whom 8,636,875 were men and 8,577,181 women; urban inhabitants number 2,112,220 or 12.27% of the population. With an estimated area of 159,173.66 square kilometers, this region has an estimated density of 108.15 people per square kilometer. For the entire Region 3,953,115 households were counted, which results in an average for the Region of 4.3 persons to a household, with urban households having on average 3.3 and rural households 4.5 people. The majority of the population is Amhara, which is estimated to be 91.48%; other groups include the Agaw/Awi (3.46%), Oromo (2.62%), Agaw/Kamyr (1.39%), and Argobba (0.41%). Of the total population of the Region, 82.5% were Orthodox Christians, 17.2% Muslim, 0.2% Protestants and 0.1% all others. ^[1]

In the previous census, conducted 1994, the Region's population was reported to be 13,834,297 of whom 6,947,546 were men and 6,886,751 women; urban inhabitants numbered 1,265,315 or 9.15% of the population. The majority of the population was Amhara, which was 91.2% of the inhabitants; other groups include the Oromo (3%), Agaw/Awi (2.7%), Qemant (1.2%), and Agaw/Kamyr (1%). Of the total population of the Region, 81.5% were Orthodox Christians, 18.1% Muslim, and 0.1% Protestants.^[2]

According to the CSA, as of 2004^[update], 28% of the total population had access to safe drinking water, of whom 19.89% were rural inhabitants and 91.8% were urban.^[3] Values for other reported common indicators of the standard of living for Amhara as of 2005^[update] include the following: 17.5% of the inhabitants fall into the lowest wealth quintile; adult literacy for men is 54% and for women 25.1%; and the Regional infant mortality rate is 94 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, which is greater than the nationwide average of 77; at least half of these deaths occurred in the infants’ first month of life.^[4]

Agriculture

The CSA of Ethiopia estimated in 2005 that farmers in Amhara had a total of 9,694,800 head of cattle (representing 25% of Ethiopia's total cattle), 6,390,800 sheep (36.7%), 4,101,770 goats (31.6%), 257,320 horses (17%), 8,900 mules (6%), 1,400,030 asses (55.9%), 14,270 camels (3.12%), 8,442,240 poultry of all species (27.3%), and 919,450 beehives (21.1%).^[5]

Presidents of the Executive Committee

Addisu Legesse (ANDM/EPRDF) 1992 - Oct 2000
Yoseph Reta (b. 1956) (ANDM/EPRDF) Oct 2000 - 5 Oct 2005
Ayalew Gobeze (ANDM/EPRDF) 5 Oct 2005 - present

(This list is based on information from Worldstatesmen.org.)

Zones

Notes

^ "Census 2007", first draft, Tables 1, 4, 5, 6.
^ 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Amhara Region, Vol. 1, part 1, Tables 2.1, 2.9, 2.10, 2.17 (accessed 9 April 2009)
^ "Households by sources of drinking water, safe water sources" CSA Selected Basic Welfare Indicators (accessed 28 January 2009)
^ Macro International Inc. "2008. Ethiopia Atlas of Key Demographic and Health Indicators, 2005." (Calverton: Macro International, 2008), pp. 2, 3, 10 (accessed 28 January 2009)
^ "CSA 2005 National Statistics", Tables D.4 - D.7

External links

FDRE States: Basic Information - Amhara
Africa Guide: Amhara
Map of Amhara Region at UN-OCHA (PDF file)
Map of Amhara Region at DPPA of Ethiopia (PDF file)

Template:Ethiopia

[1] "Census 2007", first draft, Tables 1, 4, 5, 6.

[2] 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Amhara Region, Vol. 1, part 1, Tables 2.1, 2.9, 2.10, 2.17 (accessed 9 April 2009)

[3] "Households by sources of drinking water, safe water sources" CSA Selected Basic Welfare Indicators (accessed 28 January 2009)

[4] Macro International Inc. "2008. Ethiopia Atlas of Key Demographic and Health Indicators, 2005." (Calverton: Macro International, 2008), pp. 2, 3, 10 (accessed 28 January 2009)

[5] "CSA 2005 National Statistics", Tables D.4 - D.7

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]