Sheka is the smallest zone of the South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region, with Tepi as its administrative centre. It counted 199,314 people in the 2007 census — 101,059 men and 98,255 women — projected to 306,685 for 2022. Three woredas make up the zone: Anderacha, Masha and Yeki.
Sheka is the western half of the former Keficho Shekicho Zone, restored as a separate zone around 2000 with Masha as its seat. The administration later moved to Tepi, the larger town, a change that has been contested locally. The zone left the Southern Nations region on 23 November 2021 when the South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region was created.
Woredas (Districts)
| Woreda | 2007 census | 2022 projection |
|---|---|---|
| Yeki | 134,519 | 209,337 |
| Masha | 40,810 | 62,514 |
| Anderacha | 23,985 | 34,834 |
Masha and Tepi are also run as town administrations alongside the three rural woredas.
Major Towns
| Town | Woreda | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Tepi | Yeki | 66,700 (2022 proj.) |
| Masha | Masha | zone’s former seat |
| Gecha | Anderacha | woreda centre |
Tepi carries the zone’s trade. It sits on the road junction towards Mizan Aman and Gambela and holds the largest market. Its coffee and spice plantations employ seasonal labour from across the region. Masha, higher and cooler, remains the centre of the Shakacho highlands.
Geography
Sheka is high, wet forest country on the western escarpment. Masha lies above 2,300 m; Tepi, on the lowland side, sits near 1,100 m, and the drop between them changes the crops within an hour’s drive. Rain falls through much of the year, and the zone holds some of the largest surviving Afromontane forest in Ethiopia.
It borders Bench Sheko to the south, Keffa to the east, the Gambela Region to the west, and Oromia to the north.
The Sheka Forest Biosphere Reserve, recognised by UNESCO in 2012, covers much of Masha and Anderacha. It protects wild coffee, traditional forest beekeeping and the sacred groves that Shakacho clans have managed for generations.
Demographics
The 2007 census recorded 199,314 residents, of whom 34,227 or 17.17% lived in towns. That urban share is higher than most zones in the region, and Tepi accounts for it. The 2022 figure is a projection; Ethiopia’s last census was in 2007.
The zone is mixed. The Shakacho were the largest group at 32.41%, followed by Amhara at 22.17%, Kafficho at 20.16%, Oromo at 7.39% and Bench at 5.23%. By first language, Shakacho took 33.44%, Amharic 26.98% and Kafa 20.15%. By religion, 39.93% were Protestant, 39.39% Ethiopian Orthodox and 15.09% Muslim.
Economy & Local Life
Coffee, spices and honey drive the local economy. The Tepi coffee plantation is one of Ethiopia’s large state-established estates, and smallholders around it grow coffee under forest shade. Spices — korarima, black pepper, turmeric and ginger — are grown for the national market, and Yeki woreda also carries tea and fruit.
In the highlands of Masha and Anderacha, farming turns to enset, barley, maize and root crops, with forest beekeeping supplying prized white honey. Households hold customary forest rights, called kobo, over particular blocks of woodland for hives and wild coffee.
Getting There
Tepi is roughly 600 km south-west of Addis Ababa by asphalt road through Jimma and Bonga, a long day’s drive or an overnight bus. A second road runs south to Mizan Aman in Bench Sheko, about 65 km away, and a third heads west towards Gambela.
Tepi has an airport a few kilometres from town that has handled scheduled domestic flights. Masha is reached by a gravel road climbing north-east from Tepi.
FAQ
Where is Sheka Zone?
In south-western Ethiopia, in the South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region, about 600 km from Addis Ababa via Jimma and Bonga.
What is the capital of Sheka Zone?
Tepi. Masha was the seat when the zone was restored around 2000, and the move to Tepi has been disputed locally.
How many woredas are in Sheka Zone?
Three: Anderacha, Masha and Yeki, plus the Masha and Tepi town administrations.
What language is spoken in Sheka?
Shakacho is the largest first language at 33.44%, followed by Amharic at 26.98% and Kafa at 20.15%.
What is the population of Sheka Zone?
199,314 at the 2007 census, projected to 306,685 for 2022.
What is Sheka known for?
Its forest. The Sheka Forest Biosphere Reserve holds wild coffee, spices and traditional beekeeping, and was recognised by UNESCO in 2012.