View source for Bench Sheko

{{Short description|Zone in the South West Ethiopia Region}}
[[File:Map of zones of Ethiopia.svg|thumb|Map of the regions and zones of Ethiopia]]

'''Bench Sheko''' (previously known as Bench Maji) is a zone in the [[South West Ethiopia Peoples' Region]] of [[Ethiopia]]. Bench Sheko is bordered on the south and southeast by [[West Omo Zone|West Omo]], on the west by the [[Gambela Region]] on the north by [[Sheka Zone|Sheka]], and on the east by [[Keffa Zone|Keffa]]. The administrative center of Bench Sheko is [[Mizan Teferi]].

== Overview ==
Bench Sheko has 142 kilometers of dry-weather roads, for an average road density of 22 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers.<ref>[http://www.snnprbofed.gov.et/Reports/Roads.xls "Detailed statistics on roads"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720151415/http://www.snnprbofed.gov.et/Reports/Roads.xls |date=July 20, 2011 }}, SNNPR Bureau of Finance and Economic Development website (accessed 3 September 2009)</ref> The highest point in this Zone is [[Mount Guraferda]] (2494 meters). The [[Omo National Park]] is located on the western bank of the Omo River.

The main food crops in this Zone include [[maize]], ''godere'' ([[taro]] root), and [[enset]], while [[sorghum]], [[teff]], wheat and barley are cultivated to a significant extent. Although cattle, shoats and poultry are produced in limited numbers, meat and milk are very much appreciated. [[Cash crop]]s include fruits (bananas, pineapples, oranges) and spices (e.g. [[coriander]] and ginger); [[honey]] is also an important local source of income.<ref name=Ahrens>Joachim D. Ahrens, [http://www.africa.upenn.edu/eue_web/kefa_jan.htm "Kefa, the Cradle of Coffee - a Situation Report on the Western Zones of Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Regional State"] UNDP-EUE Report, January 1997 (accessed 23 January 2009)</ref> However, [[Coffee production in Ethiopia|coffee]] is the primary cash crop. The [[Central Statistical Agency (Ethiopia)|Central Statistical Agency]] (CSA) reported that 10,097 tons of coffee were produced in Bench Sheko in the year ending in 2005, based on inspection records from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea authority. This represents 10.6% of the SNNPR's output and 4.4% of Ethiopia's total output.<ref>[http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061123121716/http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm |date=November 23, 2006 }}, Table D.2</ref>

== Demographics ==
Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the CSA, this Zone has a total population of 652,531, of whom 323,348 are men and 329,183 women; with an area of 19,252.00 square kilometers, Bench Sheko has a population density of 33.89. While 75,241 or 11.53% are urban inhabitants, a further 398 or 0.06% are pastoralists. A total of 157,598 households were counted in this Zone, which results in an average of 4.14 persons to a household, and 151,940 housing units. The seven largest ethnic groups reported in this Zone were the [[Bench people|Bench]] (55.11%), the [[Me'en people|Me'en]] (21.36%), the [[Amhara people|Amhara]] (5.23%), the [[Kafficho people|Kafficho]] (2.55%), the [[Dizi people|Dizi]] (5.17%), the [[Sheko people|Sheko]] (4.21%), and the [[Surma people|Suri]] (3.88%); all other ethnic groups made up 5.49% of the population. [[Bench language|Bench]] is spoken as a first language by 54.54%, 21.36% spoke [[Me'en language|Me'en]], 12.5% [[Amharic language|Amharic]], 5.09% [[Dizin language|Dizin]], 5.03% spoke [[Kafa language|Kafa]], 4.31% spoke [[Sheko language|Sheko]], and 3.88% [[Suri language|Suri]]; the remaining 3.29% spoke all other primary languages reported. 49.27% were [[P'ent'ay|Protestants]], 18.12% of the population said they practiced [[Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity]], 26.34% practiced traditional beliefs, and 3.47% were [[Islam in Ethiopia|Muslim]].<ref>[http://www.csa.gov.et/index.php?option=com_rubberdoc&view=doc&id=273&format=raw&Itemid=521 Census 2007 Tables: Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113220306/http://www.csa.gov.et/index.php?option=com_rubberdoc&view=doc&id=273&format=raw&Itemid=521 |date=November 13, 2012 }}, Tables 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4.</ref>

In the 1994 Census, Bench Sheko had a population of 325,878 in 85,236 households, of whom 163,339 were men and 162,539 women; 23,502 or 7.21% of its population were urban dwellers. (This total also includes an estimate for the inhabitants of 7 rural [[kebele]]s, which were not counted; they were estimated to have 3,458 inhabitants, of whom 2,582 were men and 876 women.) The six largest ethnic groups reported in this Zone were the [[Bench people|Bench]] (42.04%), the [[Me'en people|Me'en]] (15.6%), the [[Kafficho people|Kafficho]] (7.92%), the [[Amhara people|Amhara]] (6.95%), the [[Dizi people|Dizi]] (6.46%), and the [[Surma people|Suri]] (6%); all other ethnic groups made up 15.03% of the population. [[Bench language|Bench]] is spoken as a first language by 42.1%, 15.55% spoke [[Me'en language|Me'en]], 11.52% [[Amharic language|Amharic]], 6.3% [[Dizin language|Dizin]], 6% [[Suri language|Suri]], and 5.93% spoke [[Kafa language|Kafa]]; the remaining 12.6% spoke all other primary languages reported.<ref>[http://www.csa.gov.et/surveys/Population%20and%20Housing%20Census%201994/survey0/data/docs%5Creport%5CStatistical_Report%5Ck07%5Ck07_partI.pdf ''1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region'', Vol. 1, part 1] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081119232405/http://www.csa.gov.et/surveys/Population%20and%20Housing%20Census%201994/survey0/data/docs%5Creport%5CStatistical_Report%5Ck07%5Ck07_partI.pdf |date=November 19, 2008 }}, Tables 2.1, 2.2, 2.7, 2.11, 2.14 (accessed 30 December 2008)</ref> <!-- % of the population said they were [[P'ent'ay|Protestants]], % observed traditional religions, % practiced [[Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity]], % embraced [[Roman Catholicism in Ethiopia|Catholicism]], and % were [[Islam in Ethiopia|Muslim]]. Concerning [[Education in Ethiopia|education]] in the Zone, % of the population were considered literate; % of children aged 7-12 were in primary school, while % of the children aged 13-14 were in junior secondary school, and % of children aged 15-18 were in senior secondary school. About % of the urban and % of the total houses had access to safe [[drinking water]] at the time of the census; about % of the urban and % of the total had toilet facilities. -->

According to a May 24, 2004 [[World Bank]] memorandum, 7% of the inhabitants of Bench Sheko have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 15.5 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers (compared to the national average of 30 kilometers),<ref>"[http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&theSitePK=523679&entityID=000112742_20030530104124&searchMenuPK=64187283&theSitePK=523679 Ethiopia - Second Road Sector Development Program Project]", p.3 (World Bank Project Appraisal Document, published 19 May 2003)</ref> the average rural household has 0.3 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and an average of 0.89 for the SNNPR)<ref>Comparative national and regional figures comes from the World Bank publication, [http://econ.worldbank.org/external/default/main?ImgPagePK=64202990&entityID=000094946_03032704080562&menuPK=64168175&pagePK=64210502&theSitePK=477938&piPK=64210520 Klaus Deininger et al. "Tenure Security and Land Related Investment", WP-2991] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310150244/http://econ.worldbank.org/external/default/main?ImgPagePK=64202990&entityID=000094946_03032704080562&menuPK=64168175&pagePK=64210502&theSitePK=477938&piPK=64210520 |date=2007-03-10 }} (accessed 23 March 2006)</ref> the equivalent of 0.5 heads of livestock. 15.7% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a Regional average of 32%. 81% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 12% in secondary schools. 44% of the zone is exposed to [[malaria]], and 54% to [[tsetse fly]]. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 303.<ref>[http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTETHIOPIA/Resources/PREM/FourEthiopiasrev6.7.5.May24.pdf World Bank, ''Four Ethiopias: A Regional Characterization''] (accessed 23 March 2006).</ref>

== Woredas ==
{{Div col}}
Current [[woreda]]s of Bench Shako Zone are:
* [[Bero (woreda)|Bero]]
* [[Debub Bench]]
* [[Guraferda]]
* [[Meinit Goldiya]]
* [[Meinit Shasha]]
* [[Mizan Teferi|Mizan Aman Town]]
* [[Semien Bench]]
* [[She Bench]]
* [[Sheko (woreda)|Sheko]]

Former woredas are:
* [[Bench (woreda)|Bench]]
* [[Meinit]]
{{Div end}}

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Coord|6|15|N|35|10|E|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:ET}}

{{Districts of the South West Ethiopia Peoples' Region}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Zones of Ethiopia]]
[[Category:South West Ethiopia Peoples' Region]]