Yirgalem
Yirgalem or Yirga 'Alem
Town
Yirgalem is located in Ethiopia
Yirgalem
Yirgalem
Location within Ethiopia
Coordinates: 6°45′N 38°25′E / 6.750°N 38.417°E / 6.750; 38.417
CountryEthiopia
RegionSidama Region
ZoneSidama
Elevation
1,776 m (5,827 ft)
Population
 (2005)
 • Total43,815
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)
ClimateAw

Yirgalem (Amharic: ይርጋለም, Yïrgaläm) locally known as Diko Dalle [1] alternate names include Yirgalem, Abosto, Dalle) is a town in southern Ethiopia. Surrounded by Lakes Woyima and Gidawo, it is located 260 kilometers south of Addis Ababa and 40 kilometers south of Awasa in the Sidama Zone of the Sidama Region. The town has a latitude and longitude of 6°45′N 38°25′E / 6.750°N 38.417°E / 6.750; 38.417 and an elevation of 1776 meters. It is the largest settlement in Dale woreda.

Postal service is provided by a main branch; electricity and telephone service are also available.[2]

History

Yirgalem was occupied by the Italians 1 December 1936 during their campaign against the remaining Ethiopian Army of Sidamo under Ras Desta Damtew.[3] The town was capital of Sidamo Province until after the 1975 takeover by the Derge regime, when it was moved to Awassa.

Around 1957 there was no telephone landline connecting Irgalem; telecommunications were provided by a radio station. The next year, the town was one of 27 places in Ethiopia ranked as First Class Township. Installation of the landline between Irgalem and Addis Ababa was completed in late 1960. By that time a branch of the Ethiopian Electric Light and Power Authority[1] had started operation at Irgalem.[4]

The Mekane Yesus Church held its Eighth General Assembly at Irgalem in 1973. The Assembly passed a resolution requesting land reform in Ethiopia - a reform which was in fact put into action a couple of years later, as a result of the Ethiopian Revolution.[4]

A large integrated agro-industrial park is being built in the town and construction began on March 14. The park is expected to create 134,000 jobs for the region.[5]

Demographics

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia published in 2005, Yirgalem has an estimated total population of 43,815 of whom 21,840 are men and 21,975 women.[6] The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 24,183 of whom 12,092 were men and 12,091 were women.

Notes

  1. ^ National Geographic Globe (Map). 1 : 31,363,200. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society. 1965.
  2. ^ "Detailed statistics on infrastructure" Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine, Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region, Bureau of Finance and Economic Development website (accessed 27 September 2009)
  3. ^ Anthony Mockler, Haile Selassie's War (New York: Olive Branch, 2003), p. 172.
  4. ^ a b "Local History in Ethiopia" The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 24 May 2012)
  5. ^ "Ethiopia inaugurates integrated agro-industrial park as part of the Programme for Country Partnership". www.unido.org. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
  6. ^ CSA 2005 National Statistics, Table B.4. Archived 23 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine
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