Burji Zone is a small zone of the South Ethiopia Region on the eastern edge of the Rift Valley highlands, with its capital at Soyama. The 2007 census recorded 55,681 people, and the Central Statistical Agency projects about 81,200 for 2022. It became a zone in August 2023, having been the Burji special woreda before that.
The zone is named for the Burji people, who make up four fifths of its population and whose language is spoken across the border in Kenya as well.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Capital | Soyama |
| Region | South Ethiopia |
| Zone status | August 2023, from Burji special woreda |
| Population | 55,681 (2007 census) |
| Projection | about 81,200 (2022 CSA projection) |
| Main language | Burji |
Woredas (Districts)
| Woreda | Note |
|---|---|
| Soyama Zuria | Rural woreda covering the zone outside the capital |
| Soyama town | Town administration, seat of the zone |
At the 2007 census the zone was a single special woreda, so census figures are reported for the whole unit rather than by woreda.
Major Towns
| Town | Note |
|---|---|
| Soyama | Zone capital and only town; 11.27 per cent of residents were urban in 2007 |
Rural settlements recorded in the zone include Bale, Sose, Sekama, Dolia, Carma, Ilfate and Bonneia. Burji is thinly served by named places because most households live in dispersed hillside homesteads rather than villages.
Geography
Burji occupies high, broken country at about 5°30′N 37°50′E, on the shoulder where the southern highlands drop east towards the Oromia lowlands. The higher ground is cool and cultivated; the eastern fringe is dry rangeland. The Segen River system drains the western side of the zone.
It borders Amaro Zone to the north, Konso Zone to the west, and Oromia Region to the east and south. Gardula Zone lies a short distance to the northwest.
Demographics
The 2007 census recorded 55,681 residents, 11.27 per cent of them living in Soyama. The 2022 projection is about 81,200, of whom roughly 39,300 are men and 41,900 women; that split is itself part of the projection and not a count.
The Burji make up 80.15 per cent of residents, the Koore 15.38 per cent and the Konso 1.03 per cent. Burji, a Cushitic language, is the first language of 76.31 per cent. Protestants account for 42.8 per cent of the population, Ethiopian Orthodox Christians 35.82 per cent and Muslims 20.93 per cent, which gives Burji a larger Muslim share than most of its neighbours.
Economy & Local Life
Burji farms mixed highland crops: maize, sorghum, wheat, barley and enset on the upper slopes, with coffee and khat sold for cash. Cattle, goats and sheep are kept on almost every holding, and the eastern rangeland supports herding. Soyama’s market is the collection point for produce leaving the zone towards Bule Hora and Yabelo in Oromia. Burji traders have long-standing links east into Oromia and south into Kenya, where a Burji community has lived around Marsabit for over a century.
The zone had 86 kilometres of all-weather road and 20 kilometres of dry-weather road at the last full survey, a density of about 80 kilometres per thousand square kilometres.
Getting There
Soyama is reached by road from Bule Hora on the Addis Ababa–Moyale highway, turning west into the hills, or from Konso and Arba Minch from the west. The mountain roads are slow and some sections are dry-weather only. The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Arba Minch.
FAQ
Where is Burji Zone?
In the South Ethiopia Region, in the highlands east of Konso and west of the Addis Ababa–Moyale highway.
What is the capital of Burji Zone?
Soyama, the zone’s only town.
When did Burji become a zone?
In August 2023, when the South Ethiopia Region was formed. It had been the Burji special woreda.
How many people live in Burji Zone?
55,681 at the 2007 census, with about 81,200 projected for 2022.
What language is spoken in Burji?
Burji, a Cushitic language, spoken as a first language by 76.31 per cent of residents. Koore and Amharic are also spoken.