Shinile (woreda)

Shinile is one of the 47 woredas in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Shinile Zone, Shinile is bordered on the south by Dire Dawa, on the west by Erer, on the north and east by Ayesha, and on the southeast by Dembel. Towns in Shinile include Adigale, Harewa, Milo, and Shinile.

The track of the Addis Ababa - Djibouti Railway crosses this woreda, running in a direct course southwest from Adigale to Dire Dawa. This woreda is primarily inhabited by the Dir clan of the Somali people.

Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 113,630, of whom 53,000 were males and 60,630 were females; 27,166 or 23.91% of its population are urban dwellers, which is greater than the Zone average of 17.6%. Information is not available on the area of Shinile, so its density cannot be calculated. [ [http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics] , Tables B.3 and B.4. Rural population numbers are believed to be underreported for this Region.]

History

In mid-2003 Shinile suffered one of the worst shortages of food and water in the Somali Zone for food and water shortage, the "Addis Tribune" reported 31 October 2003. Products such as milk and butter were rarely available, and health care was virtually non-existent, with only one medical doctor to address the needs of 446,000 refugees. [ [http://130.238.24.99/library/resources/dossiers/local_history_of_ethiopia/s/ORTSHE.pdf "Local History in Ethiopia"] (pdf) The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 19 December 2007)]

Shinile, along with Ayesha and Afdem, were reported to have had an outbreak of locusts in April, 2007. Despite extensive spraying in those woredas, an investigation on 3 May revealed 900 hectares near Harewa were still infested. Although measures to control this newly discovered group were taken, authorities predict the eastern part of Ethiopia will be attacked by a swarm in mid-June of that year. [ [http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=72025 ETHIOPIA: Locust threat in the east] (IRIN)]

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