North Gondar (Amharic: ሰሜን ጎንደር, also written Semien Gondar) is a zone in the north of Ethiopia’s Amhara Region, with its administrative centre at Debark. In its present form it holds six woredas along the Simien Mountains, with 720,955 people counted in the 2007 census and 922,572 projected for 2022. The zone contains Ras Dashen, at about 4,550 metres the highest mountain in Ethiopia.
North Gondar is much smaller than it once was. The old zone of the same name covered 45,944.63 square kilometres and 2,929,628 people in 2007. It has since been divided into three: North Gondar, keeping the Simien highlands and taking Debark as its seat; Central Gondar, based on the city of Gondar; and West Gondar, covering the Metema lowlands towards the Sudanese border. The description below is of the current, post-split zone. No official area figure has been republished for it.
| Administrative centre | Debark |
|---|---|
| Woredas | 6 |
| Population (2007 census) | 720,955 |
| Population (2022 projection) | 922,572 |
| Highest point | Ras Dashen, about 4,550 m |
| Main language | Amharic |
Woredas (Districts)
The six woredas of the current North Gondar Zone, with the 2007 census count and the Ethiopian Statistics Service projection for 2022.
| Woreda | 2007 census | 2022 projection |
|---|---|---|
| Adi Arkay | 93,763 | 123,328 |
| Beyeda | 97,492 | 120,360 |
| Dabat | 145,509 | 191,048 |
| Debark | 159,193 | 212,732 |
| Janamora | 167,757 | 206,459 |
| Tselemt | 57,241 | 68,645 |
Major Towns
| Town | Woreda | Population (2022 proj.) |
|---|---|---|
| Debark | Debark | 46,800 |
| Dabat | Dabat | 28,300 |
Debark and Dabat are the only towns of any size, both strung along the Gondar to Axum highway. The remaining woredas are served by small market centres and by Adi Arkay town on the northern descent towards the Tekeze River. Chilga, Dembia, Gondar Zuria, Wegera, Takusa, Alefa, Lay Armachiho, Tach Armachiho, Tegede and the two Belesa woredas are now part of Central Gondar; Metema, Quara and Mirab Armachiho form West Gondar.
Geography
North Gondar is the roof of the Amhara Region. It borders Tigray Region to the north, Wag Hemra to the east and south-east, and the Central Gondar and Gondar-area woredas to the south and west. South Gondar lies beyond Wag Hemra to the south.
Most of the zone sits above 2,500 metres. Debark stands at 2,850 metres. East of the town the Simien Mountains rise to Ras Dashen, Bwahit and Kidus Yared, a range of eroded volcanic escarpments and afro-alpine plateau that forms the Simien Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978. Beyeda and Janamora woredas hold the eastern part of the massif. The land falls steeply north into the Tekeze gorge through Adi Arkay and Tselemt.
Demographics
Within its present boundaries the zone counted 720,955 people in 2007. The old, larger North Gondar recorded 2,929,628 that year, of whom 1,486,040 were men and 1,443,588 women, in 654,803 households; 15.79 per cent lived in towns.
The Amhara were 97.84 per cent of the population and Amharic the first language of 98.32 per cent. Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity was reported by 95.38 per cent and Islam by 4.29 per cent. The 1994 census had also recorded a substantial Qemant minority in the wider Gondar area, most of it in what is now Central Gondar. The 2022 figure of 922,572 is a projection, not a count.
Economy & Local Life
Highland grain farming and livestock keeping support most households. Barley, wheat, pulses and, at lower altitudes, teff are the main crops, with sheep and cattle grazed on the plateau margins. Holdings are small and steep, and several woredas fall within the regional list of drought-prone districts.
Tourism is the zone’s distinctive earner. Debark is the gateway town for the Simien Mountains National Park: park headquarters, scout hiring and trekking supply all run from there, and lodges have opened along the escarpment at Sankaber and Chennek. Walia ibex, gelada and Ethiopian wolf draw trekkers between October and March, the dry season.
Getting There
Debark lies about 90 kilometres north-east of Gondar on the highway towards Shire and Axum, a two-hour drive on tarmac. Gondar is roughly 730 kilometres from Addis Ababa by road and has the nearest airport, with daily flights to Addis Ababa and links to Lalibela and Bahir Dar. Minibuses run Gondar to Debark through Dabat several times a day.
Travel in northern Amhara has been disrupted since 2023 by fighting between federal forces and Fano militias, and access to the Simien park has closed intermittently. Confirm conditions before travelling.
FAQ
Where is North Gondar Zone?
In the far north of the Amhara Region, on the Simien Mountains between Tigray Region and the city of Gondar.
What is the capital of North Gondar Zone?
Debark, a highland town at 2,850 metres, about 90 kilometres north-east of Gondar.
Was North Gondar Zone divided?
Yes. The former North Gondar Zone was split into three zones: North Gondar with its seat at Debark, Central Gondar centred on the city of Gondar, and West Gondar covering Metema, Quara and Mirab Armachiho.
How many woredas are in North Gondar Zone?
Six: Adi Arkay, Beyeda, Dabat, Debark, Janamora and Tselemt.
Is Gondar city in North Gondar Zone?
No. Gondar city is the seat of Central Gondar Zone. North Gondar’s seat is Debark.
Where is Ras Dashen?
In the Simien Mountains in the east of North Gondar Zone, on the boundary of Janamora and Beyeda woredas. At about 4,550 metres it is the highest point in Ethiopia.