Sokoru

The altitude of this woreda ranges from 1160 to 2940 meters above sea level; the highest points include Ali Shashema, Ali Derar and Kumbi. Perennial rivers include the Gilgel Gibe a tributary of the Gibe, and the Kawar; seasonal streams include the Melka Luku. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 36.6% is arable or cultivable, 16.8% pasture, 17.2% forest, and the remaining 29.4% is built-up or degraded. The Abelti-Gibe State Forest covers 159 square kilometers of the forested area. Teff is one important cash crop.^[1] Although coffee is another important cash crop of this woreda, less than 20 square kilometers are planted with this crop.^[2]

Industry in the woreda includes 21 grain mills and 2 furniture factories. There were 36 Farmers Associations with 14,161 members and 8 Farmers Service Cooperatives with 14,161 members. Sokoru has no kilometers of either dry-weather or all-weather road. About 72% of the urban population and 10.1% of the rural has access to drinking water.^[1]

The 2007 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 136,320, of whom 68,469 were men and 67,851 were women; 12,724 or 9.33% of its population were urban dwellers. The majority of the inhabitants were Moslem, with 91.63% of the population reporting they observed this belief, while 6.99% of the population said they practised Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 1.19% were Protestant.^[3]

Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 157,552, of whom 79,305 were males and 78,247 were females; 19,676 or 12.49% of its population are urban dwellers, which is about the same as the Zone average of 12.3%. With an estimated area of 923.44 square kilometers, Sokoru has an estimated population density of 170.6 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 150.6.^[4]

The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 111,358, of whom 55,470 were men and 55,888 women; 11,006 or 9.88% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The six largest ethnic groups reported in Sokoru were the Oromo (77.73%), the Yem (8.19%), the Kebena (3.69%), the Hadiya (3.4%), the Amhara (2.7%), and the Sebat Bet Gurage (1.72%); all other ethnic groups made up 2.57% of the population.^[5] However according to one source, in the early 1990s the Yem formed a significant minority, with significant populations in Sokoru, Deneba, and the surrounding villages.^[6] Oromiffa was spoken as a first language by 83.74%, 4.62% spoke Amharic, 3.8% spoke Kebena, 3.43% spoke Yemsa, and 3.1% spoke Hadiya; the remaining 1.31% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim, with 91.23% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 8.07% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.^[5]

8°05′N 37°30′E / 8.083°N 37.500°E / 8.083; 37.500