East Welega Zone (Afaan Oromoo: Godina Wallagga Bahaa; also written East Wollega) is a zone of western Oromia, administered from Nekemte. The 2007 census counted 1,213,503 people across 12,580 square kilometres, a density of 96 per square kilometre. It is a coffee and maize zone on the plateau between the Didessa and Blue Nile valleys.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Region | Oromia |
| Administrative centre | Nekemte |
| Area | 12,579.77 km2 |
| Population (2007 census) | 1,213,503 |
| Population density | 96 per km2 |
| Main language | Afaan Oromoo |
Woredas (Districts)
The zone has 16 rural woredas plus the Nekemte town administration. Figures are the 2007 census count and the 2022 projection.
| Woreda | 2007 census | 2022 projection |
|---|---|---|
| Boneya Bushe | 47,886 | 68,789 |
| Diga | 66,689 | 98,893 |
| Gida Kiremu | 158,635 | 240,109 |
| Gobu Seyo | 41,012 | 60,556 |
| Gudeya Bila | 54,744 | 80,484 |
| Guto Gida | 89,906 | 125,682 |
| Haro Limu | 52,163 | 72,927 |
| Ibantu | 36,280 | 52,603 |
| Jimma Arjo | 86,329 | 126,912 |
| Leka Dulecha | 72,057 | 103,493 |
| Limu | 72,483 | 104,157 |
| Nunu Kumba | 64,775 | 93,841 |
| Sasiga | 80,814 | 114,712 |
| Sibu Sire | 102,228 | 149,855 |
| Wama Hagelo | 49,103 | 68,646 |
| Wayu Tuka | 63,180 | 88,338 |
Major Towns
| Town | Woreda | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Nekemte | Nekemte town | 156,000 (2022 proj.) |
| Gutin | Gida Kiremu | 28,300 (proj.) |
| Gida Ayana | Gida Kiremu | 21,800 (proj.) |
| Arjo | Jimma Arjo | n/a |
| Diga | Diga | n/a |
| Sire | Sibu Sire | n/a |
| Bila | Gudeya Bila | n/a |
Nekemte is by far the largest place and the commercial centre for the whole Welega area. The remaining towns are woreda seats with weekly markets and coffee-collection points.
Geography
East Welega sits on the western highlands, mostly between 1,300 and 2,300 metres, with Mount Garochan reaching 3,276 metres. The Didessa River marks the western edge of the zone and the Gibe the south-east; both feed the Blue Nile system. The Blue Nile gorge itself forms the northern boundary, dropping to under 1,000 metres and separating the zone from Benishangul-Gumuz. Rainfall is high and reliable, generally above 1,400 millimetres a year, and patches of moist evergreen forest survive on the steeper ground.
The zone borders West Welega Zone to the west, Illubabor and Buno Bedele to the south-west and south, Jimma Zone to the south-east, West Shewa Zone to the east, Horo Guduru Welega to the north-east, and the Benishangul-Gumuz Region to the north and north-west.
Demographics
The 2007 census recorded 606,379 men and 607,124 women, with 162,854 people, or 7.72 per cent, living in towns. Average household size was 4.75. Afaan Oromoo was the first language of 88.13 per cent of residents and Amharic of 10.85 per cent. Protestants made up 48.42 per cent of the population, Ethiopian Orthodox Christians 37.04 per cent and Muslims 12.09 per cent. All later zone totals are projections.
Economy & Local Life
Coffee is the leading export crop. Welega arabica, marketed through Nekemte, is grown across Sasiga, Diga, Guto Gida, Leka Dulecha and Jimma Arjo, both washed and sun-dried; East and West Welega together produced 40,606 tonnes in 2005, more than a third of Oromia’s output. Maize dominates the food-crop area, with sorghum, teff, finger millet and niger seed alongside it, and mango and avocado are grown for the Addis Ababa market. Honey and beeswax come from the forest woredas.
Nekemte was the seat of the Leqa Nekemte kingdom in the nineteenth century, and the Kumsa Moroda palace, built in the 1890s, is now a museum. Wollega University, established in the town in 2007, is the largest public institution in the zone. Small-scale gold panning continues along tributaries of the Didessa.
Getting There
Nekemte is about 330 kilometres west of Addis Ababa on asphalt through Ambo and Bako. Buses take six to eight hours. Nekemte has an airport that has carried scheduled domestic flights, though service has been intermittent. Roads run west from Nekemte to Gimbi and Dembi Dolo, south to Bedele and Jimma, and north to Gida Ayana. Western Oromia has seen fighting between federal forces and the Oromo Liberation Army since 2018, and travel conditions on rural roads can change at short notice.
FAQ
Where is East Welega Zone?
East Welega is in western Oromia, about 330 kilometres west of Addis Ababa, between the Didessa River and the Blue Nile gorge.
What is the capital of East Welega Zone?
Nekemte, a city of about 156,000 people on the 2022 projection.
How many woredas are in East Welega Zone?
Sixteen rural woredas plus the Nekemte town administration.
Is it spelled Welega or Wollega?
Both refer to the same area. Wallagga is the Afaan Oromoo form; Welega and Wollega are the common English transliterations.
What language is spoken in East Welega?
Afaan Oromoo, the first language of about 88 per cent of residents, with Amharic spoken by about 11 per cent.
What is Welega coffee?
Arabica grown across the Welega zones and traded through Nekemte, sold both washed and naturally dried. It is one of Ethiopia’s named regional origins.