Demographics
Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), this Zone has a total population of 1,279,646, of whom 622,078 are men and 657,568 women; with an area of 5,893.40 square kilometers, Gurage has a population density of 217.13. While 119,822 or 9.36% are urban inhabitants, a further 3 individuals are pastoralists. A total of 286,328 households were counted in this Zone, which results in an average of 4.47 persons to a household, and 276,570 housing units. The six largest ethnic groups reported in Gurage were the Gurage people (82%), the Mareqo or Libido (4.28%), the Amhara (3.36%), the Kebena (3.34%), the Silt'e people (2.71%), and the Oromo (1.69%); all other ethnic groups made up 2.62% of the population. Gurage languages are spoken as a first language by 80.54% of the population, 5.28% spoke Amharic, 4.09% spoke Libido, 3.2% spoke Kebena, 2.98% spoke Silt'e, and 1.06% spoke Oromo; the remaining 2.85% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were reported as Muslim, with 51.02% of the population reporting that belief, while 41.91% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 5.79% were Protestants, and 1.12% Catholic.
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this Zone of 1,556,964, of whom 755,490 were men and 801,474 women; 76,988 or 4.94% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The six largest ethnic groups reported in Gurage were the Sebat Bet Gurage (45.02%), the Silt'e (34.81%), the Soddo Gurage (9.75%), the Mareqo or Libido (2.21%), the Amhara (2.16%), and the Kebena (1.82%); all other ethnic groups made up 4.21% of the population. Sebat Bet Gurage is spoken as a first language by 39.93%, 35.04% Silt'e, 10.06% spoke Soddo Gurage, 3.93% spoke Amharic, 2.16% spoke Libido, and 1.93% spoke Kebena; the remaining 6.95% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were reported as Muslim, with 63.98% of the population reporting that belief, while 32.97% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 1.9% were Protestants, and 0.95% Catholic.
According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank memorandum, 3% of the inhabitants of Gurage have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 95.4 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers, the average rural household has 0.5 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and an average of 0.89 for the SNNPR) the equivalent of 0.2 heads of livestock. 18.9% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a Regional average of 32%. 79% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 12% in secondary schools. 18% of the zone is exposed to malaria, and 38% to Tsetse fly. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 319.
Read more about this topic: Gurage Zone