Dawro (also written Dawuro) is a zone in the South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region, with Tarcha as its administrative centre. It covers 4,814.52 km² and counted 489,577 people in the 2007 census — 249,263 men and 240,314 women — projected to 685,175 for 2022.
Dawro was part of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region until 23 November 2021, when the South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region was created by referendum. The zone takes its name from the Dawro people, who make up 97.32% of its population.
Woredas (Districts)
Dawro has been subdivided since the census. The five districts below are the units national tables still report; the newer woredas and town administrations were carved out of them.
| Woreda | 2007 census | 2022 projection |
|---|---|---|
| Mareka | 126,022 | 190,009 |
| Loma | 109,192 | 147,556 |
| Tocha | 102,848 | 142,959 |
| Gena Bosa | 86,565 | 114,558 |
| Isara | 64,950 | 90,093 |
The zone now administers these districts plus Disa, Kechi, Mari Mansa, Tarcha Zuriya and Zaba Gazo woredas, and the Tarcha and Gesa town administrations — thirteen units in all.
Major Towns
| Town | Role | Population (2022 proj.) |
|---|---|---|
| Tarcha | Zone centre | 24,300 |
| Waka | Loma woreda centre | 26,500 |
| Gesa | Town administration | not separately reported |
Tarcha sits on the ridge road through the zone and holds the administration, the main hospital and Dawro’s largest weekly market. Waka, further west, is the older trading town and remains the busier of the two on market days.
Geography
Dawro occupies a block of highland between the Omo and Gojeb rivers, roughly 500 km south-west of Addis Ababa. Land ranges from hot river gorge below 900 m to cool highland above 2,500 m, with most farming in the middle belt. The Omo forms the eastern and southern boundary and the Gojeb the northern one, which leaves the zone reachable by only a handful of bridges.
It borders Konta to the west and the Jimma Zone of Oromia across the Gojeb to the north. To the east lies Wolayita, to the north-east Hadiya and Tembaro in Central Ethiopia, and to the south Gofa in South Ethiopia.
The Gilgel Gibe III Dam stands on the Omo between Dawro and Wolayita. It is among the largest hydroelectric schemes in Ethiopia and its reservoir reaches along Dawro’s eastern edge.
Demographics
The 2007 census recorded 489,577 residents at a density of 101.7 people per km². The 2022 total of 685,175 is a projection, not a count; Ethiopia has held no census since 2007.
Dawurtsho, the Omotic language of the Dawro, is the first language of 97.44% of the population. Hadiya speakers make up 1.3%. By religion, 57.71% were Protestant, 31.86% Ethiopian Orthodox, 4.61% Catholic and 4.9% followers of traditional beliefs.
Economy & Local Life
Farming is mixed and rain-fed. Enset is the staple, grown alongside maize, teff, sorghum, barley and beans, with sweet potato and taro in the lower belt. Coffee, ginger and spices are the main cash crops, and the lowland gorges support cattle and goats.
Beekeeping is widespread and Dawro honey is traded into Wolayita and Jimma. Weekly markets at Tarcha, Waka and Gesa handle grain, livestock, coffee and cloth, and set the rhythm of the week in surrounding villages.
Getting There
Tarcha lies about 500 km from Addis Ababa. The usual route runs south to Sodo in Wolayita, then west across the Omo bridge. Buses run daily from Sodo and less often direct from Addis Ababa. A second road approaches from Jimma through the Gojeb valley, and a third links Tarcha to Chida in Konta.
Tarcha has an airstrip, but there are no scheduled flights. Roads within the zone are mostly gravel and slow during the long rains from June to September.
FAQ
Where is Dawro Zone?
In south-western Ethiopia, between the Omo and Gojeb rivers, about 500 km from Addis Ababa in the South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region.
What is the capital of Dawro?
Tarcha, a highland town of about 24,300 people by the 2022 projection.
How many woredas are in Dawro Zone?
Thirteen woredas and town administrations, grown from the five districts reported in the 2007 census.
What language is spoken in Dawro?
Dawurtsho, an Omotic language, spoken as a first language by 97.44% of residents. Amharic is used in schools and trade.
What is the population of Dawro Zone?
489,577 at the 2007 census, projected to 685,175 for 2022.
What is Dawro known for?
Enset and coffee farming, honey, and the Gilgel Gibe III Dam on its eastern boundary.