The Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne (Oromo: Godina Addaa Naannawa Finfinnee) is the ring of Oromia woredas and towns that encircles Addis Ababa, known in Afaan Oromoo as Finfinne. It was formed in 2008 from woredas taken from North Shewa, East Shewa, Southwest Shewa and West Shewa zones, and its offices are in Addis Ababa itself. The 2007 census recorded 794,489 people in the constituent districts, of whom 228,420 — 28.75 per cent — were urban, by far the highest urban share of any Oromia zone.
| Region | Oromia |
| Administrative seat | Addis Ababa (Finfinne) |
| Created | 2008 |
| Population (2007 census) | 794,489 |
| Urban share (2007) | 28.75% |
| Formed from | North, East, Southwest and West Shewa zones |
| Main language | Afaan Oromoo |
Sheger City and the Zone Today
The zone’s make-up changed sharply in 2022. On 16 August 2022 the boundary between Addis Ababa and the special zone was formally demarcated. On 22 October 2022 the Oromia regional government announced Sheger City, a single municipal administration covering several of the zone’s largest satellite towns, and it was organised in December 2022. Sheger City is reported to comprise 12 sub-cities, 36 districts and 40 rural kebeles, with its seat in the Saris area of Addis Ababa.
Sebeta, Burayu, Sululta, Gelan and Lege Tafo–Lege Dadi are consistently named among the towns brought under Sheger City; published accounts differ on whether five, six or more town administrations were absorbed. The reorganisation has been contested, and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission reported in March 2023 that house demolitions carried out during it were unlawful. Anyone using this page for administrative purposes should check the current status directly, since the arrangement is still being implemented.
Woredas & Towns
The districts and town administrations historically grouped in the special zone are listed below. Several of the towns are now under Sheger City, as described above.
- Akaki
- Bereh
- Burayu
- Dukem
- Gelan (Galaan)
- Holeta Town
- Koye Feche
- Lege Tafo–Lege Dadi (Laga Xafo Laga Dadhi)
- Mulo
- Sebeta Hawas
- Sebeta Town
- Sendafa Town
- Sululta
- Walmara
Major Towns
| Town | 2007 census | 2022 projection |
|---|---|---|
| Sebeta | 49,331 | 102,300 |
| Burayu | 48,876 | 101,400 |
| Holeta | 23,296 | 48,300 |
| Sendafa | — | 25,500 |
Sebeta and Burayu grew roughly fivefold between the 1994 and 2007 censuses, the fastest growth of any towns in Oromia, driven by industry and housing spilling out of Addis Ababa. Sululta, Dukem, Gelan, Lege Tafo and Menagesha are the other main built-up centres; Dukem hosts the Eastern Industrial Zone on the Adama road.
Geography
The zone forms a broken ring around Addis Ababa, from the Sululta plain and Entoto ridge in the north to the Akaki plains in the south-east and the Menagesha and Wechacha hills in the west. Most of it lies between 2,100 and 2,600 metres. The Akaki, Awash and Muger rivers rise here, and the Gefersa and Legedadi reservoirs, which supply much of Addis Ababa’s drinking water, are inside the zone.
It borders Addis Ababa on all sides internally, and beyond it North Shewa Zone to the north, East Shewa Zone to the east and south-east, Southwest Shewa Zone to the south-west and West Shewa Zone to the west.
Demographics
The 2007 census counted 794,489 residents in the districts that make up the zone. The population is predominantly Oromo and Afaan Oromoo-speaking, with large Amharic-speaking and mixed urban populations in the satellite towns, where migration from Addis Ababa and from across the country is heavy. The urban share of 28.75 per cent recorded in 2007 has risen substantially since, though no census has been held to measure it.
Economy & Local Life
This is Ethiopia’s densest industrial and peri-urban belt outside the capital. Cement, steel, textiles, food processing, plastics and construction materials cluster at Sebeta, Burayu, Dukem and Gelan, and the Eastern Industrial Zone at Dukem is one of the country’s largest industrial parks. Holeta houses a long-established national agricultural research centre.
Rural woredas still farm intensively: dairy for the Addis Ababa market is the leading enterprise on the Sululta and Walmara plains, alongside teff, wheat and vegetables. Land conversion from farming to housing and industry is the zone’s defining economic pressure and the source of most of its political disputes.
Getting There
Every main road out of Addis Ababa crosses the zone. Sebeta lies about 25 kilometres west of the city centre, Burayu about 15 kilometres north-west, Sululta about 25 kilometres north on the Bahir Dar road, Holeta about 40 kilometres west on the Ambo road, Sendafa about 40 kilometres north-east on the Dessie road, and Dukem about 37 kilometres south-east on the Adama expressway. City minibuses and the Addis Ababa–Adama expressway serve most of these towns directly. Bole International Airport is the zone’s airport in practice.
FAQ
Where is the Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne?
It surrounds Addis Ababa on all sides, inside the Oromia Region. Finfinne is the Afaan Oromoo name for Addis Ababa.
When was the zone created?
In 2008, from woredas taken from the North, East, Southwest and West Shewa zones.
What is Sheger City?
A municipal administration created by the Oromia region in October 2022 that groups several of the zone’s satellite towns — including Sebeta, Burayu, Sululta, Gelan and Lege Tafo–Lege Dadi — into 12 sub-cities under one mayor.
Does the special zone still exist?
Yes, but its town administrations were reorganised into Sheger City from late 2022. The arrangement is still being implemented and contested.
What is the population of the zone?
794,489 at the 2007 census. Growth since then has been rapid and no newer census figure exists.
What are the biggest towns in the zone?
Sebeta and Burayu, each projected at over 100,000 people for 2022, followed by Holeta, Sululta and Dukem.