North Shewa Zone (Oromo: Shawaa Kaabaa) is a zone of Ethiopia’s Oromia Region, north of Addis Ababa, with its administrative centre at Fiche. It covers 10,322.48 square kilometres and recorded 1,431,305 residents in the 2007 census, a density of 138.66 people per square kilometre. Locally the area is known as Salale, and the name is used for its university, its dairy and its horses.
This zone is not the same as the North Shewa Zone of the Amhara Region, which lies immediately to the north across the Jemma River and has its centre at Debre Berhan. The two share a name and a border, nothing else.
| Region | Oromia |
| Administrative centre | Fiche |
| Local name | Salale |
| Woredas | 14 |
| Area | 10,322.48 km² |
| Population (2007 census) | 1,431,305 |
| Density | 138.66 per km² |
| Main language | Afaan Oromoo |
Woredas (Districts)
- Abichu
- Aleltu
- Degem
- Dera
- Fiche Town
- Gerar Jarso
- Hidabu Abote
- Jido
- Kembibit
- Kuyu
- Liban
- Wara Jarso
- Wuchale
- Yaya Gulele
Some woredas closest to the capital, including parts of the old Bereh and Sululta areas, were transferred to the Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne when that zone was formed in 2008.
Major Towns
| Town | 2007 census | 2022 projection |
|---|---|---|
| Fiche | 27,493 | 57,100 |
| Gebre Guracha | 19,872 | 41,200 |
Gebre Guracha is the centre of Kuyu woreda, west of Fiche. Other towns confirmed inside the zone by gazetteer coordinates include Muke Turi (Wuchale), Debre Tsige (Aleltu), Degem, Abichu and Gundo Meskel in Wara Jarso, the northernmost woreda.
Geography
North Shewa is high plateau country, mostly between 2,200 and 3,000 metres, ending in dramatic gorges. The Jemma River canyon cuts the northern boundary with Amhara and drops more than a kilometre below the plateau rim; the Muger gorge does the same on the west. Grassland and cropland cover the tableland, with juniper and podocarpus forest surviving on the escarpment.
The zone borders the Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne and Addis Ababa to the south, West Shewa Zone to the south-west, Amhara Region to the north, and East Shewa Zone to the south-east.
Demographics
The 2007 census counted 1,431,305 people: 717,552 men and 713,753 women. The Oromo were 84.33 per cent of residents and the Amhara 14.99 per cent, the largest Amhara minority of any western Oromia zone. Afaan Oromoo was the first language of 82.85 per cent and Amharic of 16.73 per cent. Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity was practised by 92.43 per cent, a far higher share than in Oromia’s western zones.
Ethiopia’s last census was in 2007. The statistical agency projects the region as a whole at about 40.1 million for 2022, but no zone-level projection has been published on current boundaries.
Economy & Local Life
Salale is dairy country. Its cool grasslands support one of the largest cattle populations near Addis Ababa, and butter and milk from the zone reach the capital daily; the area is also known for its horses and for horse markets. Teff, wheat, barley, faba beans and lentils are the main crops, and eucalyptus is grown for poles and fuel.
Debre Libanos, the monastery founded in the 13th century on the Jemma escarpment, sits in the zone and draws pilgrims and visitors, along with the nearby 16th-century-style stone bridge over the Jemma gorge. Salale University at Fiche is the main tertiary institution. The cement works at Muger, on the zone’s south-western edge, is one of Ethiopia’s older plants. Only about 7 per cent of the population has electricity, though road density, at 55 kilometres per 1,000 square kilometres, is well above the national average of 30.
Getting There
Fiche is about 112 kilometres north of Addis Ababa on the asphalt road to Dejen and Bahir Dar, roughly two to three hours by bus. The same road passes Chancho, Muke Turi and Debre Libanos. Gebre Guracha lies about 40 kilometres west of Fiche. There is no airport in the zone.
FAQ
Where is North Shewa Zone in Oromia?
North of Addis Ababa, with its centre at Fiche about 112 kilometres from the capital on the Bahir Dar road.
What is the capital of North Shewa Zone (Oromia)?
Fiche, projected at about 57,100 people for 2022.
Is this the same as North Shewa in Amhara?
No. Amhara has a separate North Shewa Zone centred on Debre Berhan. The two zones border each other across the Jemma River.
How many woredas are in North Shewa Zone?
Fourteen, including Fiche town administration.
What is Salale?
Salale is the traditional name for this part of Oromia, used for the zone’s university, its dairy trade and its horse-breeding.
What language is spoken in North Shewa Zone?
Afaan Oromoo, with Amharic spoken by about a sixth of residents.