Keffa Zone

Keffa is a Zone in the Ethiopian Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR). Keffa is bordered on the south by Debub Omo, on the southwest by Bench Maji, on the west by Sheka, on the north by the Oromia Region, and on the east by Konta. Gojeb River runs along part of the northern border of this zone. The administrative center of Keffa is Bonga. Keffa formed the main part of former Keficho Shekicho Zone.

Demographics

Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the CSA, this Zone has a total population of 874,716, of whom 431,778 are men and 442,938 women; 65,036 or 7.44% are urban inhabitants. The four largest ethnic groups reported in this Zone were the Kafficho (82.72%), the Bench (5.05%), the Amhara (3.67%), and the Oromo (3.5%); all other ethnic groups made up 5.09% of the population. Kafa is spoken as a first language by 82.49%, 4.18% speak Amharic, 5.13% Bench, and 3.43% speak Oromiffa; the remaining 4.77% spoke all other primary languages reported. 61.42% of the population said they practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 24.84% were Protestants, 6.2% were Muslim, 5.37% practiced traditional beliefs, and 1.73% embraced Catholicism.^[1]

Notes

1. Census 2007 Tables: Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, Tables 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4.