Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region
Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (often abbreviated as SNNPR; Amharic: የደቡብ ብሔር ብሔረሰቦችና ሕዝቦች ክልል, romanized: Yädäbub Bḥer Bḥeräsäbočna Hzboč Kllə) is one of the ten ethnically based regional states (kililoch) of Ethiopia. It was formed from the merger of five kililoch, called Regions 7 to 11, following the regional council elections on 21 June 1992.[5] Its government is based in Awasa.
Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region ደቡብ ብሔሮች ብሔረሰቦችና ሕዝቦች ክልል | |
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![]() Flag ![]() Seal | |
![]() Map of Ethiopia showing Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region before the secession of the Sidama Region | |
Country | ![]() |
Administrative headquarters | Hawassa |
Area | |
• Total | 93,800 km2 (36,200 sq mi) |
[1] | |
Population (2017) | |
• Total | 11,426,000[2] |
[3] | |
ISO 3166 code | ET-SN |
HDI (2017) | 0.464[4] low · 6th |
![](../I/m/KembataFamily.jpg)
The SNNPR borders Kenya to the south (including a small part of Lake Turkana), the Ilemi Triangle (a region claimed by Kenya and South Sudan) to the southwest, South Sudan to the west, the Ethiopian region of Gambela to the northwest, and the Ethiopian region of Oromia to the north and east. The region's major cities and towns include Sodo, Arba Minch, Bonga, Jinka, Dila, Irgalem, Mizan Teferi, Wendo, Welkite, Durame, Hosaena and Worabe.
The regional government of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region is based in the city of Awasa. Following the formation of the Sidama Region in June 2020, Awasa is located outside of the boundaries of the region. The regional government is planning to move to a city within the region's boundaries after two consecutive national electoral cycles. [6]
Demographics
Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), the SNNPR has an estimated total population of 14,929,548, of whom 7,425,918 were men and 7,503,630 women. 13,433,991 or 89.98% of the population are estimated to be rural inhabitants, while 1,495,557 or 10.02% are urban; this makes the SNNPR Ethiopia's most rural region. With an estimated area of 105,887.18 square kilometers, this region has an estimated density of 141 people per square kilometer. For the entire region 3,110,995 households were counted, which results in an average for the region of 4.8 persons to a household, with urban households having on average 3.9 and rural households 4.9 people.[3] The projected population for 2017 was 19,170,007.[2]
In the previous census, conducted in 1994, the region's population was reported to be 10,377,028 of whom 5,161,787 were men and 5,215,241 were women. At the time of the census, the rural population of the Region accounted for 93.2% of the total population. Semien Omo, Sidama, and Gurage were the three zones with the highest population. The population is concentrated mostly in eastern, northern and central part of the SNNPR while the western and southern part of the region is sparsely populated.
The SNNPR Water Resources Bureau announced that as of the fiscal year ending in 2006, they had increased the area of the region that had access to drinkable water to 54% from 10–15% 15 years ago.[7] In August 2008, the head of public relations for the Bureau, Abdulkerim Nesru, announced that 94 million birr had been spent to further increase the availability of drinkable water in the region from 58% in the previous year to 63.6%. Priority was given to certain zones, such as Sidama, Welayta and Gurage, as well as the Alaba special woreda and several resettlement areas.[8]
Values for other reported common indicators of the standard of living for the SNNPR as of 2005 include the following: 10.7% of the inhabitants fall into the lowest wealth quintile; adult literacy for men is 57% and for women 22.4%; and the Regional infant mortality rate is 85 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.[9]
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1994 | 10,377,028 | — |
2007 | 14,929,548 | +43.9% |
2017 | 19,170,007 | +28.4% |
source:[10] |
Religion
Religion | 1994 Census | 2007 Census[3] |
---|---|---|
Protestants | 34.8% | 55.5% |
Orthodox Christians | 27.6% | 19.86% |
Muslim | 16.7% | 14.12% |
traditional religions | 15.4% | 6.6% |
Roman Catholics | 3% | 2.4% |
other religious affiliations | — | 1.5% |
Ethnicities
The SNNPR, being an amalgam of the main homelands of numerous ethnicities, contains over 45 indigenous ethnic groups.
People | 1994 Census | 2007 Census[3] |
---|---|---|
Sidama | 18% | 19.38% |
Welayta | 12% | 10.59% |
Hadiya | - | 7.98% |
Gurage | 15% | 7.54% |
Gamo | - | 7% |
Kafficho | - | 5.44% |
Silt'e | - | 5.37% |
Amhara | - | 4.10% |
- All ethnicities
The ethnicities native to the SNNPR, with percentages of the population as reported in the 2007 national census and organized by linguistic grouping, include:[3]
- Cushitic:
- Alaba – 1.35%, mostly in Alaba special woreda
- Tembaro People- 1.32%,Mostly in Tembaro Woreda.
- Arbore – 0.04%
- Daasanach – 0.32%, mostly in Dasenech (woreda)
- Dirashe – 0.2%, mostly in Dirashe special woreda
- Gawwada – 0.43%, mostly in Dirashe special woreda
- Gedeo – 4.9%, mostly in Gedeo Zone
- Hadiya – 7.98%, mostly in Hadiya Zone
- Kambaata – 3.82%, mostly in Kembata Tembaro Zone
- Burji – 0.38%, mostly in Burji special woreda
- Konso – 1.47%, mostly in Konso special woreda
- Libido (or Mareqo) – 0.38%, mostly in Mareko (woreda)
- Sidama – 19.38%, mostly in Sidama Zone
- Qebena – 1.21% mostly in Qebena (Woreda)
- Tsamai – 0.13%, mostly in Bena Tsemay (woreda)
- Nilo-Saharan:
- Bodi – 0.04%
- Kichepo
- Kwegu – 0.01%
- Me'en – 1%
- Mursi – 0.05%, mostly in South Omo Zone
- Nyangatom – 0.12%, mostly in Nyangatom (woreda)
- Shabo, mostly in Keficho Shekicho Zone
- Shita people
- Suri/Surma – 0.17%, mostly in Surma (woreda)
- Omotic:
- Aari – 1.9%, mostly in Bako Gazer (woreda)
- Basketo – 0.52%, mostly in Basketo special woreda
- Bench – 2.34%, mostly in Bench Maji Zone
- Chara – 0.08%, mostly in South Omo Zone
- Dawro – 3.28%, mostly in Dawro Zone
- Dime – < 0.01%
- Dizi – 0.23%, mostly in Maji (woreda)
- Dorze, mostly in Chencha (woreda)
- Gamo – 7%, mostly in Gamo Gofa Zone
- Goffa – 2.41%, mostly in Gamo Gofa Zone
- Hamar – 0.31%, mostly in Hamer (woreda)
- Kachama, mostly in Arba Minch (woreda)
- Karo – 0.01%
- Kafficho – 5.44%, mostly in Keffa Zone
- Konta – 0.54%, mostly in Konta special woreda
- Koorete – 1.02%, mostly in Amaro special woreda
- Male – 0.59%, mostly in Male (woreda)
- Mello, mostly in Melokoza (woreda)
- Oyda – 0.25%, mostly in Oyda (woreda)
- Shakacho – 0.44%, mostly in Sheka Zone
- Sheko – 0.24%, mostly in Sheko (woreda)
- Welayta – 10.59%, mostly in Wolayita Zone
- Yem (Yemse) – 0.5%, mostly in Yem special woreda
- Semitic:
- Amhara – 4.10%, widespread
- Gurage – 7.54%, mostly in Gurage Zone
- Silte – 5.37%, mostly in Silt'e Zone
- Zayse – 0.1%, mostly in the Lake Zway area
- Zergula
Languages
The 2007 census reported that the predominantly spoken mother tongue languages include Sidama (19.59%), Welayta (10.48%), Hadiya (8%), Gurage languages (7.13%), Gamo (6.9%), Kafa (5.36%) and Amharic (4.10%). Other languages spoken in the State include Kambaata, Mello, Goffa, Gedeo and Dima; because of the relatively few number of speakers of most of the languages in the region, the working language of the state is Amharic (the most widely spoken language in Ethiopia after Oromo language and formerly the only official language).[3]
The 1994 census reported that the predominantly spoken languages include Sidamigna (18%), Guragigna (14.72%), Welayta (11.53%), Hadiyigna (8.53%), Keffigna (5.22%), and Kembatigna (4.35%). Other languages spoken in the State include Gamoigna, Mello, Goffa, and Gedeo.[11]
Amharic is still the working language although most pupils get eight years of primary education in their home language and all secondary and further education is in English.[12]
Agriculture
The CSA reported that for 2004–2005 100,338 tons of coffee were produced in the SNNPR, based on inspection records from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea authority. This represents 44.2% of the total production in Ethiopia.
Farmers in the Region had an estimated total 7,938,490 head of cattle (representing 20.5% of Ethiopia's total cattle), 3,270,200 sheep (18.8%), 2,289,970 goats (17.6%), 298,720 horses (19.7%), 63,460 mules (43.1%), 278,440 asses (11.1%), 6,586,140 poultry of all species (21.3%), and 726,960 beehives (16.7%).[13]
Enset is a major indigenous local crop in the SNNPR.
Presidents of the Executive Committee
- Abate Kisho (SEPDM) 1992–2001[14]
- Hailemariam Desalegn 12 November 2001 – March 2006[14]
- Shiferaw Shigute (SEPDM) March 2006 – July 2013[14][15]
- Dessie Dalke July 2013 – 2018[15]
- Million Mathiwos 2018-2019
- Erstu Yirdaw August 31, 2019 Until now
Administrative zones
The following list of administrative zones and special woredas (an administrative subdivision which is similar to an autonomous area and is not part of a zone) is based on information from the 2007 census; the list of second administrative level bodies maintained by the United Nations Geographic Information Working Group dates from 2002, and shows a previous subdivision.[16]
- Bench Maji
- Dawro (formerly part of North Omo Zone)
- Gamo Zone (formerly known as Gamo Gofa Zone/North Omo Zone)
- Gofa Zone (Formerly part of Gamo Gofa zone)
- Gedeo
- Gurage
- Hadiya
- Keffa (formerly part of Keficho Shekicho Zone)
- Keficho Shekicho
- Kembata Tembaro
- North Omo[lower-alpha 1]
- Sheka (formerly part of Keficho Shekicho Zone)
- Silti
- South Omo
- Wolayita (formerly part of North Omo Zone)
- Alaba (special woreda)
- Amaro (special woreda)
- Basketo (special woreda, formerly part of North Omo Zone)
- Burji (special woreda)
- Dirashe (special woreda)
- Konso Zone (formerly special wereda)
- Konta (special woreda, formerly part of North Omo Zone)
- Yem (special woreda)
Note
- abolished in 2000
References
- "2011 National Statistics" (PDF). Central Statistics Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- Population Projection of Ethiopia for All Regions At Wereda Level from 2014 – 2017. Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Central Statistical Agency. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- Central Statistical Agency: The 2007 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Statistical Report for Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region; Part I: Population Size and Characteristics. July 2010.
- "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
- Lyons, Terrence (1996). "Closing the Transition: The May 1995 Elections in Ethiopia". Journal of Modern African Studies. 34 (1): 135. doi:10.1017/S0022278X00055233. JSTOR 161741.
- http://addisstandard.com/news-snnprs-council-approves-legal-framework-which-makes-hawassa-city-accountable-to-future-sidama-regional-state/
- "Potable water expansion works underway with over 60mln birr in SNNP State". Walta Information Center. 28 November 2006. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007.
- "SNNP State builds, repairs water facilities with over 94 mln birr". Walta Information Center. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 2 March 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)
- Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region population statistics
- "FDRE States-Basic Information, Southern nations and Nationalities". Archived from the original on 18 June 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2006.
- Kathleen Heugh: Margins, Diversity and Achievement: System-Wide Data and Implementation of Multilingual Education in Ethiopia, p. 48, at Google Books. In: Durk Gorter, Victoria Zenotz, Jasone Cenoz (eds.): Minority Languages and Multilingual Education: Bridging the Local and the Global. Springer 2013, ISBN 978-94-007-7317-2.
- "CSA 2005 National Statistics" (PDF). Tables D.4–D.7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 November 2008.
- "Ethiopia Regions". Worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- "Ethiopia: Dessie Dalke Appointed As Chief of South Ethiopia State". AllAfrica.com. Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency. July 13, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- "Names and codes for January 2000, Ethiopia". World Health Organization. The information in the WHO spreadsheet is built on information received 18 September 2002 from the Ethiopian Ministry of Federal Affairs.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region. |
- Official website
- Map of Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region at UN-OCHA (PDF file)
- Map of Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region at DPPA of Ethiopia (PDF file)
- Ethiopia's Vanishing Tribes slideshow by Life magazine