Cheha is one of theworedas in theSouthern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region ofEthiopia. This woreda is named after one of the sub-groups of theSebat BetGurage, theCheha. Part of theGurage Zone, Cheha is bordered on the south byEnemorina Eaner, on the west by theOromia Region, on the north by theWabe River which separates it fromAbeshge andKebena, on the east byEzha, and on the southeast byGumer andGeta. The administrative center for Cheha isEndibir; other towns includeGubre.
Elevations in this woreda range from 1900 to 3000 meters. Rivers include the Gotam, Gogeb, and Metrekat.[1] Local points of interest include theAcho Falls on the Wabe river which is 60 meters in height, and Gotam Falls on Gotam River near Emdibir Senior Secondary School which is between 50 and 60 meters in height.[2] An all-weather road was built in 1963 which connects Emdibir north toAddis Ababa, and south toHosaena by way ofWelkite.[1] Thesubsistence agriculture in Cheha is primarily based onenset, together withcorn,sorghum andchickpea, as well as some annual root crops likeyams andtaro. Important cash crops includeteff andNiger seed.[3]
Cheha has 87 kilometers of all-weather roads and 49 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 237 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.[4]
Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the CSA, this woreda has a total population of 115,951, of whom 56,851 are men and 59,100 women; 8,992 or 7.76% of its population are urban dwellers. The plurality of the inhabitants were reported asMuslim, with 42.98% of the population reporting that belief, while 36.31% practicedEthiopian Orthodox Christianity, 12.87% wereProtestants, and 7.73% wereRoman Catholics.[5]
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 115,864 of whom 56,740 were males and 59,444 were females; 3,693 or 3.19% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Cheha, who were almost the only one in this woreda, were the Sebat Bet Gurage (99.23%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.77% of the population.Sebat Bet Gurage was spoken as a first language by 97.91% of the population, and 1.65% spokeAmharic; the remaining 0.44% spoke all other primary languages reported. The plurality of the inhabitants wereMuslim, with 44.17% of the population reporting they practiced that belief, while 41.71% practicedEthiopian Orthodox Christianity, 8.31% wereCatholic, and 5.42% wereProtestants.[6] Concerningeducation, 29.33% of the population were considered literate, which is more than the Zone average of 20.62%; 20.47% of children aged 7–12 were in primary school, 5.28% of the children aged 13–14 were in junior secondary school, and 6.67% of the inhabitants aged 15–18 were in senior secondary school.[7] Concerningsanitary conditions, 97.22% of the urban houses and 23.32% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 44.12% of the urban and 10.63% of all houses had toilet facilities.[8]
8°10′N37°45′E / 8.167°N 37.750°E /8.167; 37.750
| Gurage Zone | |
|---|---|
| Hadiya Zone | |
| Kembata Tembaro Zone | |
| Silt'e Zone | |
| Halaba Zone |
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| Special woredas | |
