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Afar Region

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Image:Ethiopia-Afar.png

Map of Ethiopia highlighting the Afar region.

Afar in one of the nine ethnic divisions (kililoch) of Ethiopia. Formerly known as Region 2, its current capital is Asayita; a new capital named Semera on the paved Awash - Assab highway is under construction.

The Afar Depression, locally known as the Danakil depression, is the three-way junction where the spreading ridges that form the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden emerge on land and meet the East African Rift. The Depression, the lowest point in Ethiopia and one of the lowest in Africa, is found in the north of the region.

1 Demographics
2 Agriculture
3 Fossil Finds
4 Presidents of the Executive Committee
5 Administrative Zones
6 See also
7 Notes
8 External links

[edit] Demographics

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA) published in 2005, Afar has an estimated total population of 1,389,004, consisting of 772,002 men and 617,002 women. 1,263,000 or 90.9% of the population are considered rural inhabitants, while 126,000 or 9.1% are urban. With an estimated area of 96,707 square kilometers, this region has an estimated density of 14.36 people per square kilometer.<ref>CSA 2005 National Statistics, Table B.3.</ref>

This estimate is based on the 1996 census, in which the region's population was reported to be 1,106,383 of which 626,839 are males and 479,544 are females. The rural population was about 1,020,504 (92.2%), while the urban population was 85,879. The major ethnic compositions are the Afar (91.8%), Amhara (4.5%), Argobba (0.92%), Tigrayans (0.82%), Oromo (0.7%), Welayta (0.45%), and Hadiya (0.013%). 96% of the population were Muslim, 3.86% Orthodox Christians, 0.43% Protestants, 0.09% Catholics, and other religions (0.02%).

Afarigna is predominantly (90.8%) spoken in the region and is the working language of the state. Other major languages spoken in the state include Amharic (6.68%), Tigrigna (0.74%), Oromo (0.68%), Argobba (0.4%) and Wolaitigna (0.26%).<ref>The 1994 census was delayed in the Afar Region until 22 July 1996. FDRE States: Basic Information - Afar, Population (accessed 12 March 2006)</ref>

[edit] Agriculture

The CSA estimated in 2005 that farmers in Afar had a total of 327,370 cattle (representing 0.84% of Ethiopia's total cattle), 196,390 sheep (1.13%), 483,780 goats (3.73%), 200 mules (0.14%), 12,270 asses (0.49%), 99,830 camels (21.85%), 38,320 poultry of all species (0.12%), and 810 beehives (less than 0.1%). The CSA estimated on the basis of a survery performed in December 2003 that nomadic inhabitants had 1,990,850 cattle (a 83.8% share of those animals in the Region that year), 2,303,250 sheep (90.6%), 3,960,510 goats (90%), 759,750 camels (85.9%), 175,180 asses (92.5%), 2960 mules (88.6%), and 900 horses (100%).<ref>2003 is the latest year available for statistics on nomadic inahbitants. CSA 2005 National Statistics, Tables D.3 - D.5 and D.7.</ref>

[edit] Fossil Finds

Hadar, a community in Afar, was the site of the discovery of "Lucy", the Australopithecus afarensis skeletal remains, by Donald Johanson of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. On March 5, 2005, another skeleton, estimated to be 3.8 million years old and said to be the world's oldest bipedal hominid skeleton, was found in the region.

On March 24, 2006 it was reported that a "significantly complete" cranium had been found at Gawis in the Gona area.<ref>Stone Age Institute, Press Release on a New Hominid Cranium from Gona, Afar, Ethiopia, released March 24, 2006</ref>. The cranium appears as an intermediate form between Homo erectus and Homo sapiens.

[edit] Presidents of the Executive Committee

Habib Ali Mirah (ALF) 1992? - 1995
Ali Mirah Hanfadhe (ALF) September 1995 - Mar 1996
Ismael Ali Siro (APDO/ANDP) March 1996 - present

(This list is based on information from Worldstatesmen.org.)

[edit] Administrative Zones

Like other Regions in Ethiopia, Afar is subdivided into administrative zones (and one special woreda, which is not in a zone). However, these zones have not been given proper names.

Argobba special woreda

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

Map of Afar Region at UN-OCHA (PDF file)
Map of Afar Region at DPPA of Ethiopia (PDF file)

Subdivisions of Ethiopia	Image:Flag of Ethiopia.svg
Regions
Afar \| Amhara \| Benishangul-Gumaz \| Gambela \| Harari \| Oromia \| Somali \| Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region \| Tigray
Chartered cities
Addis Ababa \| Dire Dawa
Provinces prior to 1995
Arsi \| Bale \| Gamu-Gofa \| Gojjam \| Begemder \| Hararghe \| Illubabor \| Kaffa \| Shoa \| Sidamo \| Tigray \| Welega \| Wollo