Kamashi Zone is the south-eastern zone of Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz Region, with its centre at Kamashi town. It counted 101,543 people at the 2007 census and about 159,500 under the 2022 CSA projection, across five woredas and 8,851 square kilometres.
The zone sits on the southern bank of the Abay (Blue Nile) and takes in the lower valley of the Didessa. The Gumuz are the largest community, with substantial Oromo and Amhara minorities.
| Zone centre | Kamashi |
| Region | Benishangul-Gumuz |
| Woredas | 5 |
| Population (2007 census) | 101,543 |
| Population (2022 projection) | 159,489 |
| Area | 8,851 km² |
| Density (2007) | 11.5 per km² |
Woredas (Districts)
Kamashi has five woredas. Agalo Mite is written Agelo Meti in some official tables, and Sirba Abbay appears as Sirba Abay.
| Woreda | 2007 census | 2022 projection |
|---|---|---|
| Agalo Mite | 22,774 | 33,828 |
| Belo Jegonfoy | 30,143 | 44,798 |
| Kamashi | 17,883 | 33,139 |
| Sirba Abbay | 17,996 | 28,397 |
| Yaso | 12,747 | 19,327 |
| Total | 101,543 | 159,489 |
Major Towns
Kamashi Zone has no large town. Kamashi is the zone seat and the biggest settlement; Yaso, Agalo Mite, Belo Jegonfoy and Sirba Abbay are woreda centres, each serving its district as a market and administrative base. None of them appears in the national list of towns above 20,000 people, and no separate town population is published for them. Just 14,894 residents, or 14.67 percent of the 2007 total, lived in urban places of any size.
Geography
The zone lies in the Abay lowlands between about 700 and 1,500 metres. The Abay itself forms the northern boundary, cutting a deep gorge that separates Kamashi from Metekel and from the highlands beyond. The Didessa, one of the Abay’s largest tributaries, runs through the eastern woredas before joining the main river.
Kamashi is bordered on the south and east by the Oromia Region, principally East Welega and Horo Guduru Welega zones; on the west by Asosa Zone; and on the north, across the Abay, by Metekel Zone and the Amhara Region. Woodland and bamboo cover much of the lower ground.
Demographics
The 2007 census recorded 101,543 residents, 52,284 men and 49,259 women. The 2022 projection is about 159,500, which would still leave Kamashi the least populous zone in the region.
The largest ethnic groups in 2007 were the Gumuz (60.56 percent), Oromo (24.61 percent), Amhara (11.11 percent) and Berta (2.83 percent). First languages ran in the same order: Gumuz 59.67 percent, Oromo 25.54 percent, Amharic 11.25 percent and Berta 2.8 percent. Protestants formed the largest religious group at 56.24 percent, ahead of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians at 28.87 percent, Muslims at 6.87 percent and traditional believers at 6.06 percent.
Economy & Local Life
Almost everyone farms. Gumuz households work shifting plots of sorghum, maize and finger millet, and sesame is the main crop grown for sale. Oromo and Amhara farmers in the higher south-east add coffee and cereals. Honey is collected in log hives hung in the woodland, and incense and gum come from the lowland trees.
Fishing along the Abay and Didessa supplements the diet in the dry season. Off-farm work is scarce: a 2004 survey found only 15.4 percent of the population in non-farm jobs. Weekly markets in the woreda centres are the main trading points.
Administrative Situation
Kamashi has seen repeated armed violence and displacement since 2018, tied to disputes along the boundary with Oromia. Armed incursions in June 2025 displaced close to 5,900 people from the zone, part of more than 11,000 newly displaced across Benishangul-Gumuz and adjacent areas that month. Travel conditions and the status of individual woredas change; check current advice before planning a trip.
Getting There
Kamashi is normally reached from the Oromia side rather than from Asosa, because the Abay gorge blocks the direct northern approach. The usual route runs from Addis Ababa west to Nekemte on the asphalt highway, then north on gravel roads across the Didessa towards Kamashi town. The last stretch is slow, and sections become difficult in the June-to-September rains.
There is no airport in the zone. The nearest scheduled flights land at Asosa, about 300 km away by road, with no direct connection.
FAQ
Where is Kamashi Zone?
In western Ethiopia, in the south-eastern corner of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, on the southern bank of the Abay (Blue Nile) where it meets the Oromia Region.
What is the capital of Kamashi Zone?
Kamashi town, which is also the centre of Kamashi woreda.
How many woredas are in Kamashi Zone?
Five: Agalo Mite, Belo Jegonfoy, Kamashi, Sirba Abbay and Yaso.
What is the population of Kamashi Zone?
101,543 at the 2007 census. The 2022 CSA projection is about 159,500, the smallest of the region’s zones.
What language is spoken in Kamashi Zone?
Gumuz is the first language of about 60 percent of residents, followed by Oromo at about 26 percent and Amharic at about 11 percent.
Which rivers run through Kamashi Zone?
The Abay (Blue Nile) forms the northern boundary, and the Didessa flows through the eastern woredas to join it.