Weldiya

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Weldiya
ወልደያ
Woldia
Town and woreda
Woldia skyline.jpg
Weldiya is located in Ethiopia
Weldiya
Weldiya
Location within Ethiopia
Coordinates: 11°49′50″N 39°36′0″E / 11.83056°N 39.60000°E / 11.83056; 39.60000Coordinates: 11°49′50″N 39°36′0″E / 11.83056°N 39.60000°E / 11.83056; 39.60000
Country Ethiopia
Region Amhara
ZoneNorth Wollo Zone
Elevation
2,112 m (6,929 ft)
Population
 (2007)
 • Total46,139
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)
ClimateCsb

Weldiya or Woldia (Amharic: ወልደያ) is a town, woreda, and capital of the North Wollo Zone in northern Ethiopia. Located north of Dessie and southeast of Lalibela in the Amhara Region, this town has an elevation of 2112 meters above sea level.

A notable landmark is a church Weldiya Gebriel.

History[]

19th century[]

When the missionary Johann Ludwig Krapf passed through Weldiya in April 1842, it was the headquarters of Dejazmach and his brother . They were absent at the time of Krapf's visit, raiding the territories of Imam Liban of the Were Himano.[1]

As early as 1890, Weldiya was the administrative center of . Its Tuesday market was well known for its mules.[2]

20th century[]

Weldiya was attacked in 1948 by farmers who were disgruntled after their appeals over their loss of land were ignored. They seized the prison in Weldiya and freed the prisoners. Despite this success, the revolt was eventually put down.[3] On 16–17 November 1988 Weldiya was subjected to an aerial attack by the Derg, but no deaths were reported.[4]

21st century[]

TPLF aligned fighters captured Weldiya and on 11 August 2021.[5]

Demographics[]

Based on the 2007 national census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), this town has a total population of 46,139, of whom 23,000 are men and 23,139 women. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 80.49% reporting that as their religion, while 18.46% of the population said they were Muslim.[6]

The 1994 national census reported a total population for Weldiya of 24,533 in 5,413 households, of whom 11,689 were men and 12,844 were women. The two largest ethnic groups reported in this were the Amhara (93.92%), and the Tigrayan (4.32%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.76% of the population. Amharic was spoken as a first language by 95.2%, and 3.75% spoke Tigrinya; the remaining 1.05% spoke all other primary languages reported. 79.75% of the population practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 19.44% of the population said they were Muslim.[7]

Education[]

There is a rising university, Weldiya University, and about a dozen other governmental and private primary and secondary schools.

Economy[]

Travertine for use in building has been worked on a minor scale nearby.[2]

Transportation[]

Woldia is connected by all weather roads to Addis Ababa and Mekelle by highway 2 and to Debre Tabor by highway 22.

The city will be served by two railways under construction: the Weldiya–Mekelle Railway and the Awash-Woldia Railway.

Notes[]

  1. ^ Journals of the Rev. Messrs. Isenberg and Krapf, Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society, Detailing their proceedings in the kingdom of Shoa, and journeys in other parts of Abyssinia, in the years 1839, 1840, 1841 and 1842, (London, 1843), p. 443
  2. ^ a b "Local History in Ethiopia") The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 19 November 2007)
  3. ^ Bahru Zewde (2001). A History of Modern Ethiopia (second ed.). Oxford: James Currey. p. 218. ISBN 0-85255-786-8.
  4. ^ Africa Watch Report, Ethiopia: "Mengistu has Decided to Burn Us like Wood": Bombing of Civilians and Civilian Targets by the Air Force, 24 July 1990
  5. ^ "Tigray forces defiant in face of Ethiopia call-up". Nile Post. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  6. ^ Census 2007 Tables: Amhara Region, Tables 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4.
  7. ^ This town is located on the way from Dessie to mekkele and to be connected by railroad on four directions. 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Amhara Region, Vol. 1, part 1, Tables 2.1, 2.7, 2.10, 2.13, 2.17, Annex II.2 (accessed 9 April 2009)
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