Bench Maji Zone

Bench Maji is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR). Bench Maji is bordered on the south by the Ilemi Triangle, on the west by Sudan, on the northwest by the Gambela Region, on the north by Keficho Shekicho and on the east by Debub Omo.

The administrative center of Bench Maji is Mizan Teferi; other towns include Maji.

The Central Statistical Agency (CSA) reported that 10,097 tons of coffee were produced in Bench Maji in the year ending in 2005, based on inspection records from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea authority. This represents 10.6% of the SNNPRs output and 4.4% of Ethiopia's total output. [ [http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics] , Table D.2]

Demographics

Based on figures from the CSA, in 2005 this zone has an estimated total population of 468,525, of which 234,817 were males and 233,708 were females; 42,577 or 9.1% of its population are urban dwellers. With an estimated area of 23,442.76 square kilometers, Bench Maji has an estimated population density of 19.99 people per square kilometer. [CSA 2005 National Statistics, Tables B.3 and B.4]

The language of the ancient capital, Maji, and of the mountainous areas is Dizi, a northern Omotic language, together with its dialects, Sheko and Nao. Bench, an Ometo dialect, is spoken in the woreda of that name. Surmic, a group of Nilo-Saharan languages, is spoken in the southern Surma woreda.

According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank memorandum, 7% of the inhabitants of Bench Maji 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), [" [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)] 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) [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] (accessed 23 March 2006)] 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. [ [http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTETHIOPIA/Resources/PREM/FourEthiopiasrev6.7.5.May24.pdf World Bank, "Four Ethiopias: A Regional Characterization"] (accessed 23 March 2006).]

Woredas

*Bench
*Dizi
*Meinit
*Surma
*Sheko

Notes