Ethiopian Demography and Health

Tigray forms the northernmost reaches of Ethiopia, and is located between 36 degrees and 40 degrees
east longitude. Its north-south extent spans 12 and a half degrees to 15 degrees north. It is bordered by
Eritrea in the north, Sudan to the west, Amhara to the southwest and Afar in the east. It is a very historic
region noted for its custodianship of one of the powerful civilizations of the ancient world, [which] was
centered here from at least 400 BC to the 10th century AD. Spreading far beyond modern Tigray, it
molded the earliest culture of Ethiopia and left many historical treasures: towering finely carved stele, the
remains of extensive palaces, and the ancient places of worship are still vibrant with culture and
pageantry. [1]
Tigray is a region in transition having suffered the brunt of the 30 year war between Ethiopia and its
former province of Eriterea which gained independence in the early 1990s. It suffered more from a
renewed fighting in the year 2000 that led to further dislocation of the rural population in the border
regions. This, on top of the seemingly unending impacts of drought, famine, and the serious (and
insidious) impacts of environmental damage. The later is a response to millennia of settlement in the
region with few changes, if any, in farming practices which exposed the precious top layers of soils to
erosion by the seasonal torrential rains of the summer months assisted by the rugged and steep
landforms. Progress is slow, as a result as is the pace of life. The highlands receive most of their rainfall
during the summer months, much of which goes into tributaries of the Nile, 85% of whose water comes
from Ethiopia. The soil has been depleted by many centuries of cultivation; water is scarce. Using
methods that are thousands of years old, farmers plow their fields with oxen, sow seeds and harvest by
hand. The harvest is threshed by the feet of animals. In the home, women use wood or the dried dung of
farm animals for cooking. Women often work from 12 to 16 hours daily doing domestic duties as well as
cultivating the fields. [1]
Landforms and Climate
Tigray is located at the northern limit of the central highlands of Ethiopia. The landform is complex
composed of highlands (in the range of 2300.3200 meters above sea level, (masl), lowland plains (with
an altitude range of <500.1500 masl)1, mountain peaks (as high as 3935 masl) and high to moderate
relief hills (1600.2200 masl). Thus Tigray has diversified ago-ecological zones and niches each with
distinct soil, geology, vegetation cover and other natural resources. The climate is generally sub-tropical
with an extended dry period of nine to ten months and a maximum effective rainy season of 50 to 60
days. The rainfall pattern is predominantly uni-modal (June to early September). Exceptions to the rainfall
pattern are areas in the southern zone and the highlands of the eastern zone, where there is a little
shower during the months of March to mid May. Considering rainfall, atmospheric temperature and
evapotranspiration, more than 90 percent of the region is categorized as semi-arid. The remaining areas
in the region can be categorized as dry submoist (near the central south highlands and the Wolkite
highlands) and arid (the lower areas of Erob and Hintalo Wajerat woredas). There are also some moist
zone patches in the Kisad Gudo, Mugulat and the Tsegedie highlands. [2]
The region is divided into four zones West Tigray, East Tigray, Central Tigray, and Southern Tigray
and 35 Weredas (see map below)
TIGRAY
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Authority [9].
Source [3].
An online source on the local environment and economy presents a clear picture of the major difficulties
the region is facing today as the government currently in power whose top leaders are from this region
strive to bring about positive change that can transform the regions economy, and improve the
environment. The following excerpts are obtained from this online source [4]
Environmental issues:
Cultivable land is scarce with growing population
All land is owned by state but user rights given to farmers and pastorlists
The majority of the population in Tigray relies largely on peasant agriculture, but becoming (slowly)
more market oriented.
The pressing environmental issues include soil erosion as well as reduced fertility and productivity,
gully formation, deforestation, pressure to cultivate slopping land, and use of dung for fuel rather than
as organic fertilizer
Unable to afford inputs (because of high risk of crop failure)
Vicious circle of over-use of land in order to meet basic food security causing decreased fertility
Economic issues:
Difficulty of transportation due to the rugged terrain, a vicious cycle of poverty caused by over-use of
land in order to achieve basic food security in ways that are highly detrimental to the health of the
environment, inability to afford soil inputs, high risks of crop failure, rapid population growth, land tenure
(last redistribution of land took place in 1991), land fragmentation, and landlessness, limited off-farm
incomes, top-down technical approaches in proposed government solutions
Ongoing efforts to remedy these problems:
Soil/water conservation (SWC) measures supported by NGOs as well as the regional government
technical officers, promotion of area closures to allow environmental regeneration, communal (tabia)
resource management including state managed forest enclosures.
Agriculture-Led Industrial Development (ALID) strategy adopted by the current government in power
[5] to create strong linkages between the agricultural sector and the nascent industrial sector of the
regional economy, thereby, alleviating chronic poverty, ensuring food security, and reducing the level of
unemployment.
Improved regional transportation access has contributed to agricultural development and
improved resource management and human welfare as has the overall improvement in education [6]
Measures have been taken to liberalize the input and output markets and increase institutional
support for agricultural research and extension services as well as land registration aimed at improving
farmers land tenure security [7]
Recent droughts, their impacts, and government response
Draught and famine have been routine occurrences in the region since the 1970s. One of the latest
reports on the subject indicates that there are 1,831,600 people in need of relief food assistance in
Tigray region (excluding West Tigray Zone) due to complete failure of belg and poor meher production
[and] delayed on set of meher rains (by five months compared with the normal time).. The affected
1. http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Tigray-Tigrinya_people
2. Belete Taffere (2002) Efforts For Sustainable Land Management in tigray: The Role of Extension, in
Berhanu Gebremedhin, John Pender, Simeon Ehui, and Mitiku Haile (eds.) Policies for Sustainable Land
Management in the Highlands of Tigray. EPTD Workshop Summary Paper no.14. Summary of Papers and
Procedings of a Workshop. Axum Hotel, Mekelle, Ethiopia, March 28-29, 2002.
3. http://www.ocha-eth.org/Maps/downloadables/OROMIYA.pdf
4. http://www.ifpri.org/themes/ECAPAPA/ecapapaabout.asp
5. Haile Yohannes (2002) Overview of the Tigray National Regional State: Achievements of the First
Five-Year Development of the First Five-Year Development Plan and Future Prospects, in Berhanu
Gebremedhin, John Pender, Simeon Ehui and Mitiku Haile (eds.) Policies for Sustainable Land
Management in the Highlands of Tigray. EPTD Workshop Summary Paper no.14. Summary of Papers and
Procedings of a Workshop. Axum Hotel, Mekelle, Ethiopia, March 28-29, 2002.
6. John Penderet. et. al (2002) Agriculture and Land Management in the Highlands of Tigray: Causes
and Implications, in Berhanu Gebremedhin, John Pender, Simeon Ehui and Mitiku Haile (eds.) Policies for
Sustainable Land Management in the Highlands of Tigray. EPTD Workshop Summary Paper no.14.
Summary of Papers and Procedings of a Workshop. Axum Hotel, Mekelle, Ethiopia, March 28-29, 2002.
7. Berhanu Gebremedihin, John Pender, and Simeon Ehui (2002) Land use, Land Tenure and
Sustainable Land Management in Tigray, in Berhanu Gebremedhin, John Pender, Simeon Ehui and Mitiku
Haile (eds.) Policies for Sustainable Land Management in the Highlands of Tigray. EPTD Workshop
Summary Paper no.14. Summary of Papers and Procedings of a Workshop. Axum Hotel, Mekelle, Ethiopia,
March 28-29, 2002.
8. Ahmed Ali Egeh and Dechassa Lemessa (2003). Updates on Humanitarian Situations of War and
Drought Affected Population in Tigray. United Nations Emergency Unit for Ethiopia (UN-EUE)
9. http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/national_statistics.htm
There are a total of 49 urban centers in Tigray with a population of 2000 or more. Expectedly Mekele - the
capital - is the largest with nearly 185,000 people. Adigrat is second with 71314 people and Axum is third
(see the table below). Seven additional urban centers have a population of over 25,000, and nine more have
a population size between 10,000 and 25,000. A quarter of the 49 urban centers in Tigray have a population
of less than 4000 (see graph)
Size-Order of Towns - July 2008
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areas included .Atsibi-Womberta, Wukro, Erob, Gulo Mekeda and Afherom Woredas in the Eastern
Tigray Zone and Raya Azebo, Hintalo-wajirat, Alamata and Endamehoni in the South Tigray Zone. [8]. A
mix of proposed solutions to confront the challenges includes resettlement. The idea of resettlement has
not been new to Tigreans but the destinations, scale - the number of people involved - as well as the
objectives have changed over time.
The major objectives of current resettlement initiatives are mainly to reduce environmental degradation in
areas of origin by transferring drought-affected people to more fertile and less populated areas for
increased food production and subsistence farming. People affected by the Ethio-Eritrea border conflict
that are said to have shown interest for resettlement may also be included for resettlement. One of the
potential areas selected for resettlement is the Humera district of West Tigray Zone. Most of the people
will be moved from Central Tigray Zone and will settle along the Tekeze River and the Shiraro-Humera
road .. [8]
Population Distribution and Density
Tigray has an estimated population of 4,565,000 (July 2008) and an average density of 91.2 persons per
square kilometers [9]. Wereda densities vary from a low of 12.3 persons per square miles in Kafta
Humera to just over 250 persons per square kilometers in Adwa, Laelay Maichew, and Alamata (see map
below).

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