Oromia Zone

The Oromia Zone (Oromo: Godina Oromiyaa; Amharic: ኦሮሚያ ዞን) is a zone in Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Oromia is named for the Oromo people, who settled along the edge of the Ethiopian Highlands that form this Zone. Oromia Zone is bordered on the southwest by North Shewa Zone, on the northwest by South Wollo and Argobba special woreda, and on the east by the Afar Region. The Zone consists of 5 Woredas which are Artuma Fursi, Bati, Dewa Cheffa, Dewe Harewa, Jile Tumuga and Kemisie town. Kemise is the administrative center of the Zone. The Oromia Zone was created in the late summer of 1994, according to one account in response to pressure from the Oromo Liberation Front, which was actively agitating for autonomy for Wollo Oromo during late 1991 and early 1992. Four woredas were taken from Debub Wollo—Baati, Dewe, Esseya Gulla and Artuma—and two woredas from Semien Shewa—Fursi and Senbete—and appointing Kamisee to be the Zonal capital. The new zone was organized into five woredas by combining Artuma and Fursi into one and renaming Esseya Gola to Chaffa Gola. The numbers and areas of the constituent Districts have since changed.