Fiche is a town in central Ethiopia.

It is the administrative centre of the Kaba Shewa Zone of Oromia and

separate District. It is located about three km from the main Addis Ababa-Debre Marqos road, Fiche has
a latitude and longitude of 9°48′N 38°44′E and an elevation between 2,738 and 2,782 metres above sea
level.

Fiche

Fichee (Oromo)

Town

Fiche is located in EthiopiaFicheFiche

Location within Ethiopia

Coordinates: 9°48′N 38°44′E

Country

Ethiopia

Region

Oromia

Zone

North Shewa

Elevation

2,738 m (8,983 ft)

Population (2007)

• Total

27,493

Time zone

UTC+3 (EAT)

Area code

11
Notable landmarks in Fiche include the churches Fiche Giyorgis Bete Kristiyan and Fiche Medhane Alem
Bete Kristiyan. The town is also home to several notable Ethiopian painters of religious themes: Alaqa
Gebre Selassie Adil (1881–1975), Emealaf Hiruy (1907–1971), and Alefelege Selam (1924– ).

History

Edit

Ras Kassa Haile Darge ruled the former province of Selale from Fiche in the early 20th century.

The deposed Lij Iyasu was imprisoned in Ras Kassa's house until he escaped in 1931. W.E.D. Allen passed
through Fiche in 1941, and describes the town as having "the usual character of Abyssinian country
towns: an agglomeration of huts standing in rather dreary eucalyptus groves and dominated by a fort
and the European villa of the Ras."[1] He also noted that "Fiche has a certain strategic importance in the
feudal politics of Abyssinia since it lies across the main line of communication between the capital and
Gojjam; and in the period of coup d'etats in the '20s the lord of Salale was always in the position to
intervene suddenly in the capital only 70 miles away."[1]

In 1936, after Ras Hailu Tekle Haymanot convinced them to surrender at the beginning of the Italian
Occupation, Ras Kassa's two sons Aberra and Asfawossen were executed in Fiche.[2]

By 1958, Fiche was one of 27 places in Ethiopia officially ranked as a First Class Township. The army base
of the 1st brigade of the Ethiopian Territorial Army, located at Fiche, was used by the Derg to put
conscripts of the People's Militia (reconstituted in the spring of 1977 as the "Red Army") through a
twelve-week basic training with modern weapons.[3]

The municipality announced in February 2009 that it had begun various development works totaling 5.6
million birr, which included construction of alleys, ditches, an abattoir, and expansion of water, health
and electric power services.[4]

Demographics

Edit
People walking through Fiche Mountains

The 2007 national census reported a total population for Fiche of 27,493, of whom 12,933 were men
and 14,560 were women. The majority of the inhabitants (94.42%) reported that they practiced
Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 3.61% were Protestant.[5]

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Fiche has an estimated total population of
37,861 of whom 18,446 are men and 19,415 women.[6] The 1994 census reported this town had a total
population of 21,187 of whom 10,004 were men and 11,183 were women

GENERAL BACKGROUND GENERAL BACKGROUND

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1.1 Location

Fiche is located in Oromia National Regional State, North Shewa Zone at a distance of 115 km from
Addis Ababa. Its astronomical location is 09º 08’ 52’’ to 10º35’ 17’’ North Latitude and 37º 56’13’’ to 39º
34’ 47’’ East Longitude.

1.2 Foundation

Fiche town was founded in 1943.

Fiche is one of the reform towns in the region and has a city administration municipality and four
kebelles. The town has a structural plan which was prepared in 2010.