Yem Zone is one of thezones in theCentral Ethiopia Regional State. Yem is named for theYem, people whose homeland lies in this zone, (seeKingdom of Yamma). Yem is bordered on the west and north by theOromia Region, and separated fromGurage on the northeast andHadiya on the east by theOmo River. High points in Yem includeMount Bor Ama,Mount Azulu andMount Toba. The administrative center of Yem isSaja.
The form ofsubsistence agriculture practiced in this zone is based on cereal andenset. Important cash crops includeteff,wheat,barley andpulses. Other important non-agricultural sources of income include selling butter and remittances.[1] According to a 2004 report, Yem had 12 kilometers of asphalt roads, 11 kilometers of all-weather roads and 31 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 81 kilometers per 1,000 square kilometers.[2]
Based on the 2007 Census conducted by theCentral Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), this zone has a total population of 80,687, of whom 40,566 are men and 40,121 women; with an area of 647.90 square kilometers, Yem has a population density of 124.54. While 7,952 or 9.86% are urban inhabitants, a further 106 or 0.13% are pastoralists. A total of 17,632 households were counted in this zone, which results in an average of 4.58 persons to a household, and 17,204 housing units. The three most numerous ethnic groups reported in this woreda were the Yem (90.57%), theOromo (5.41%), and theHadiya (1.27%); all other ethnic groups made up 2.75% of the population.Yemsa was spoken as a first language by 72.67% of the inhabitants, 22.63% spokeOromo, 2.57% spokeAmharic, and 1.16% spokeHadiya; the remaining 0.97% spoke all other primary languages reported. 63.05% of the population said they practicedEthiopian Orthodox Christianity, 27.09% wereMuslim, and 9.61% wereProtestants.[3]
In the 1994 Census Yem had a population of 64,852 in 13,643 households, of whom 32,382 were men and 32,470 women; 1,065 or 1.64% of its population were urban dwellers. The three most numerous ethnic groups reported in this zone were the Yem (91.87%), theOromo (5.6%), and theHadiya (0.82%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.71% of the population.Yemsa was spoken as a first language by 79.05% of the inhabitants, and 19.24% spokeOromo; the remaining 1.71% spoke all other primary languages reported.[4]71.24% of the population said they practicedEthiopian Orthodox Christianity, 25.14% wereMuslim, and 3.48% wereProtestants.[5] Concerningeducation, 29.08% of the population were considered literate; 8.13% of children aged 7–12 were in primary school; 2.33% of the children aged 13–14 were in junior secondary school, and 1.82% of the inhabitants aged 15–18 were in senior secondary school.[6] Concerningsanitary conditions, about 10% of the urban houses and 19% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 69% of the urban and 33% of the total had toilet facilities.[7]
7°50′N37°30′E / 7.833°N 37.500°E /7.833; 37.500
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