Hari Rasu, officially Administrative Zone 5, is the southwestern zone of Ethiopia’s Afar Region. It runs along the eastern foot of the Ethiopian highlands, covers 5,945 square kilometres and holds five woredas. The 2007 census counted 183,799 people; current projections for those woredas total about 251,000. Hari Rasu is the smallest Afar zone by population and the newest of the five.
| Zone name | Hari Rasu (Administrative Zone 5) |
|---|---|
| Region | Afar |
| Woredas | 5 |
| Area | 5,945 km² |
| Population (2007 census) | 183,799 |
| Population (2022 projection) | about 251,000 |
| Main language | Afar |
Woredas (Districts)
Federal census and projection tables list five woredas for Hari Rasu, and their 2007 figures sum exactly to the published zone total. Sumu Robi also appears as Simurobi Gele’alo, and Hadele Ele as Hadale’ela.
| Woreda | 2007 census | 2022 projection |
|---|---|---|
| Dawe | 42,397 | 57,117 |
| Telalak | 37,970 | 51,028 |
| Dalifage | 36,154 | 52,299 |
| Hadele Ele | 35,255 | 47,872 |
| Sumu Robi | 32,023 | 42,355 |
Major Towns
No town in Hari Rasu has a separately published population. Only 12,263 residents, 6.67% of the zone, lived in a town at the 2007 census. The settlements below are the woreda administrative centres.
- Dalifage — centre of Dalifage woreda
- Telalak — centre of Telalak woreda
- Dawe — centre of Dawe woreda
- Hadele Ele — centre of Hadele Ele woreda
- Sumu Robi — centre of Sumu Robi woreda
Geography
Hari Rasu is bounded by Gabi Rasu to the south and east, the Amhara Region to the west and Awsi Rasu to the north. The Amhara boundary follows South Wollo Zone and the Amhara Oromia Zone.
The zone is a strip of transitional country. Its western edge rises into the escarpment below the Wollo highlands, and the land falls east into hot plain toward the Awash valley. Elevation drops from over 1,000 metres on the highland margin to a few hundred metres on the plain. Seasonal rivers cut east off the escarpment and sink into the lowland before reaching the Awash. That gradient gives the zone a longer grazing season than the deep Afar lowlands, and it draws herds from neighbouring zones in dry years.
Demographics
The 2007 census recorded 183,799 residents: 105,321 men and 78,478 women. Pastoralist households held 49,551 people, or 26.96%, and towns 12,263, or 6.67%. The five woreda projections sum to about 251,000 for 2022. Ethiopia’s last full census was in 2007; later figures are projections.
Afar people made up 97.65% of the 2007 population and Amhara 1.7%. Afar was the first language of 97.6% and Amharic of 1.8%. Muslims accounted for 99.3%, the highest share in the region.
Economy & Local Life
Livestock carries the zone. Households keep goats, camels, cattle and sheep, and move between escarpment and plain with the seasons. The highland edge allows some rain-fed sorghum and maize, and small irrigated plots follow the seasonal streams. That mix is unusual in Afar, where most woredas are purely pastoral. Trade runs west into Wollo: animals, milk and hides out, grain, coffee and manufactured goods in. Markets at the woreda centres set the weekly rhythm, and Kemise and Bati on the Amhara side draw sellers from across the boundary.
Getting There
Access is easiest from the Amhara highlands. Roads leave the Addis Ababa–Dessie–Woldia highway near Kemise and Bati and run east into Telalak, Dawe and Dalifage. From the lowland side, tracks turn west off the Addis Ababa–Djibouti highway between Awash and Mille. Most routes are gravel and can be cut by seasonal flooding. The zone has no airport; the nearest scheduled flights are at Semera, about 250 kilometres northeast, and at Kombolcha in Amhara.
FAQ
Where is Hari Rasu?
In the southwest of Ethiopia’s Afar Region, along the eastern base of the Ethiopian highlands, between the Amhara Region and the Awash plain.
How many woredas does Hari Rasu have?
Five: Dalifage, Dawe, Hadele Ele, Sumu Robi and Telalak. Their 2007 census figures add up exactly to the zone total of 183,799.
Is Hari Rasu the same as Mahi Rasu?
No. Hari Rasu is Administrative Zone 5. Mahi Rasu is a separate, later zone listing in the Afar Region, and the two are often confused in older sources.
What is the population of Hari Rasu?
183,799 at the 2007 census, and about 251,000 by the sum of current official woreda projections.
What language is spoken in Hari Rasu?
Afar, the first language of 97.6% of residents at the 2007 census. Amharic is the main second language.
Is Hari Rasu the same as Zone 5?
Yes. Federal records use the number and regional records the Afar name.