West Hararghe Zone (Oromo: Harargee Dhihaa) is a zone in eastern Oromia, on the highway and railway line between Addis Ababa and Harar. Its administrative centre is Chiro, also known as Asbe Teferi. The zone covers 15,065.86 square kilometres and recorded 1,871,895 residents in the 2007 census, a 47.16 per cent increase over 1994 and a density of 124.23 people per square kilometre.
| Region | Oromia |
| Administrative centre | Chiro (Asbe Teferi) |
| Area | 15,065.86 km² |
| Population (2007 census) | 1,871,895 |
| Density | 124.23 per km² |
| Highest point | Mount Arba Gugu, 3,574 m |
| Majority religion | Islam (88.05%, 2007) |
| Main language | Afaan Oromoo |
Woredas (Districts)
- Badessa Town
- Boke
- Chercher
- Chiro Town
- Daro Lebu
- Doba
- Gemechis
- Guba Koricha
- Habro
- Kuni
- Mesela
- Mieso
- Naannawa Chiro
- Tulo
Spellings vary widely in official documents — Chercher for Char Char, Gemechis for Gamachis, Daro Lebu for Daru Labu, Mesela for Masela. Naannawa Chiro is the rural woreda around Chiro town. Additional woredas have been split off locally since the 2007 census.
Major Towns
| Town | 2007 census | 2022 projection |
|---|---|---|
| Chiro | 33,670 | 69,800 |
| Bedesa | 18,187 | 37,700 |
| Gelemso | 16,484 | 34,200 |
| Mieso | — | 27,700 |
| Hirna | 11,650 | 24,200 |
Bedesa is the centre of Daro Lebu woreda in the south, Gelemso of Habro, and Hirna of Tulo, on the Harar road east of Chiro. Micheta and Kuni are the other notable market centres.
Geography
The zone straddles the Chercher highlands, a long ridge running east–west between the Rift Valley and the Harar plateau. Mount Arba Gugu, at 3,574 metres, is the highest point. Land falls sharply north toward the Afar depression and south toward the Shebelle River, which forms the boundary with Bale. Rainfall is bimodal and the southern lowlands are dry.
West Hararghe borders East Hararghe Zone to the east, Bale Zone to the south across the Shebelle, Arsi Zone to the south-west, Afar Region to the north-west, and Somali Region to the north.
Demographics
The 2007 census counted 1,871,895 people: 958,861 men and 912,845 women. The Oromo were 90.12 per cent of residents. Islam was practised by 88.05 per cent, the highest share of any western or central Oromia zone, reflecting the long Muslim history of the Hararghe highlands. Afaan Oromoo is the dominant first language, with Amharic used in towns and administration.
No census has been held since 2007. The statistical agency projects Oromia as a whole at about 40.1 million for 2022; no zone-level projection has been published for West Hararghe on current boundaries.
Economy & Local Life
Khat is the dominant cash crop. The Chercher highlands supply a large share of the khat sold in Ethiopian towns and exported to Djibouti and Somaliland, and its trade sets prices and transport patterns across the zone. Coffee is the second cash crop: West Hararghe produced 8,364 tonnes in the year ending 2005, about 3.7 per cent of Ethiopia’s output, and Hararghe coffee is sold as a distinct origin.
Sorghum, maize and vegetables are the main food crops on the terraced hillsides, and camels and cattle are kept in the drier north and south. Mieso is a junction on the Addis Ababa–Djibouti railway and a livestock market where highland and lowland trade meet. Road density, at 23.6 kilometres per 1,000 square kilometres, is below the national average of 30, and the southern woredas are the hardest to reach.
Getting There
Chiro sits on the asphalt Addis Ababa–Harar highway, about 326 kilometres east of the capital, five to six hours by bus. Mieso lies about 60 kilometres west of Chiro on the same road and on the railway. East of Chiro the highway climbs past Hirna toward Dire Dawa and Harar. Gravel roads run south from Chiro through Gelemso to Bedesa and the Daro Lebu lowlands. The nearest airport is at Dire Dawa.
FAQ
Where is West Hararghe Zone?
In eastern Oromia, on the Addis Ababa–Harar road, with its centre at Chiro about 326 kilometres east of the capital.
What is the capital of West Hararghe Zone?
Chiro, also called Asbe Teferi, projected at about 69,800 people for 2022.
How many woredas are in West Hararghe Zone?
Fourteen in the standard published list, including Chiro and Badessa town administrations; further splits have been made locally.
What is the population of West Hararghe Zone?
1,871,895 at the 2007 census, over 15,065.86 square kilometres.
What is grown in West Hararghe?
Khat above all, then coffee, sorghum, maize and vegetables.
What religion is most common in West Hararghe?
Islam, practised by 88.05 per cent of residents at the 2007 census.