Hawassa
Hawassa
አዋሳ (in Amharic) Awassa Awasa | |
---|---|
UTC+3 (EAT) | |
Area code | 46 |
Climate | Aw |
Hawassa (
The city is home to
Hawassa was capital of the former Sidamo Province from about 1978 until the province was abolished with the adoption of the 1995 Constitution. It then became the capital of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region. When the Sidama Region was formed in June 2020, the city became part of that region. Hawassa currently serves as the capital of both the Sidama Region and the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region. Hawassa will continue to serve as the seat of government of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region for two national electoral cycles, after which the regional government will move to a city within the region's boundaries.[5]
History
In 1957, with Ras Mengesha Seyoum at the head of the Sidamo Governorate General, Emperor Haile Selassie became greatly interested in establishing a new town in the area where the city is now located. The area appealed to the emperor on many levels. It was located on the important Addis Abeba– Moyale (Kenya) highway; its flat, expansive topography was conducive to city building; and the nearby tourist attractions of Lake Hawassa and the Dume hill (later named Tabor) provided a dramatic backdrop to the area.
In 1958, upon the order of the emperor, a seasonal palace for him was built along
Following the displacement, about four hundred heads of families who served in the war against the Italian aggression from 1935–1941 were brought from Wukro and Korem (northern Ethiopia), Harar (eastern Ethiopia) and Addis Ababa and awarded land to settle in Hawassa. The places they settled still bear the names of their places of origin.[6]
In 1960 the office of the vice district governorate moved from Hawella Tulla to Hawassa. In 1962 a municipality was founded. The shift of the political center to Hawassa was not an immediate or easy decision, as there was significant opposition from the landlords in
Finally, the political center shifted to Hawassa in 1968; until the fall of the imperial regime in 1974, it served as a capital of the Sidamo Governorate General (Sidamo Teklay Gizat), which included Sidama, Wolayta, Gedeo, Jemjem, Borena and Arero. In 1974, the Derg military regime established Hawassa as the capital of its Sidamo district (Kifle Hager). Later on during the transitional government Hawassa became a capital of region 8 and soon after as a capital of Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region and later the Sidama Region.[6]
The city of Hawassa is one of the fast-growing cities in the region and it has a city administration consisting of eight sub-cities and urban as well as rural kebeles. The sub cities are named as Addis Ketema, Hayk Dar, Bahil Adarash, Misrak, Menahreya, Tabor, Mehal Ketema and Tula.[7]
Population
Demographics
Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the
The five largest ethnic groups reported in Awasa were the Sidama (48.68%), the Amhara (15.43%), the Welayta (13.90%), the Oromo (5.21%), and the Gurage (4.33%); all other ethnic groups made up 12.45% of the population.
Economy
The Hawassa Industrial Park (HIP) is an eco-industrial park situated on the outskirts of the city. It was established on 13 July 2016[9] and inaugurated by Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.[10] Focusing on apparel and fabric production, the government-backed initiative initially covered 130 hectares, offering the possibility to expand up to a total of 400 hectares. The park features a zero liquid discharge (ZLD) facility, enabling companies to meet stringent environmental standards required by international markets.[11]
At its peak, the Hawassa Industrial Park employed over 35,000 workers.[12] The park faced significant challenges in 2022 due to factory closures and job losses following the United States government's decision to remove Ethiopia from the African Growth and Opportunity Act's duty-free access to US markets.[12] However, between October 2022 and January 2023, the park generated 32 million USD in revenue, indicating a potential revival of the sector following the Pretoria peace agreement.[13]
Religion
52.71% of the population said they were
Sport
Football (soccer) and swimming are the most played games in Hawassa.
Education
Hawassa University, established in 1999 through the merger of a number of higher education institutions, is based in the city. Info link College is the first private engineering college found in Hawassa. Africa Beza College campus is also in the city. Hawassa University is the first university in Ethiopia to offer a Hotel Management degree program.
Climate
Hawassa has a
Climate data for Awasa (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 32 (90) |
33 (91) |
33 (91) |
33 (91) |
31 (88) |
30 (86) |
28 (82) |
29 (84) |
29 (84) |
30 (86) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
33 (91) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29 (84) |
30 (86) |
30 (86) |
28 (82) |
27 (81) |
26 (79) |
24 (75) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
27 (81) |
28 (82) |
28 (82) |
27 (81) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 11 (52) |
12 (54) |
13 (55) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
13 (55) |
12 (54) |
10 (50) |
10 (50) |
13 (55) |
Record low °C (°F) | 0 (32) |
3 (37) |
5 (41) |
6 (43) |
9 (48) |
8 (46) |
7 (45) |
7 (45) |
7 (45) |
3 (37) |
0 (32) |
−2 (28) |
−2 (28) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 29 (1.1) |
44 (1.7) |
100 (3.9) |
147 (5.8) |
133 (5.2) |
99 (3.9) |
128 (5.0) |
125 (4.9) |
140 (5.5) |
92 (3.6) |
30 (1.2) |
24 (0.9) |
1,091 (42.7) |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 5 | 8 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 160 |
Average relative humidity (%) (daily average)
|
47 | 45 | 47 | 63 | 68 | 68 | 70 | 71 | 73 | 64 | 54 | 49 | 60 |
Average dew point °C (°F) | 10 (50) |
10 (50) |
11 (52) |
14 (57) |
15 (59) |
15 (59) |
14 (57) |
15 (59) |
15 (59) |
14 (57) |
12 (54) |
10 (50) |
13 (55) |
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization[15] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: National Meteorology Agency (records)[16]
Time and Date (dewpoints and humidity, 2005-2015)[17] |
Notes
- ^ a b c d "Population and Housing Census 2007 – SNNPR Statistical" (PDF). Ethiopian Statistical Agency. 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
- ^ "Population of Zones and Weredas July 2023" (PDF). Ethiopian Statistics Agency. 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ Awasa. Encyclopedia Aethiopica.
- ^ "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)
- ^ "NEWS: SNNPRS Council approves legal framework which makes Hawassa city accountable to future Sidama Regional State". 18 October 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Commentary: Sidama-Wolayta conflict: A pristine myth turning into reality? Hoola Halaleho". Addis Standard. 19 November 2018.
- ^ "The city of Hawassa". Sidama Region Culture, Tourism& sport Bureau. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
- ^ "Population and Housing Census 1994 – SNNPR Region" (PDF). Ethiopian Statistical Agency. 1994. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
- ^ Fortune, Addis. "Hawassa Industrial Park to be Inaugurated this Week". addisfortune.net. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
- ^ "Hawassa Industrial Park goes fully operational as Ethiopia pushes to become manufacturing hub". Embassy of Ethiopia, London. 2017-07-22. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
- ^ "Hawassa Industrial Park" (PDF). 21 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Ethiopia's Hawassa Industrial Park Stares at Massive Job Losses Over US Decision". July 2022.
- ^ "Hawassa Industrial Park Generates $32mln In 3 Months". 10 January 2023.
- ^ Census 2007 Tables: Southern Peoples, Nations and Nationalities Region Archived November 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Tables 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4.
- ^ "World Weather Information Service – Awasa". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ "Climate of City: Hawassa". National Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ "Climate & Weather Averages in Hawassa, Ethiopia". Time and Date. Retrieved 11 January 2022.