Territorial organization of Ethiopia

Ethiopian subdivisions. The darkest lines indicate regions, clearer lines and white district lines.

Ethiopia is administratively divided into four levels: kililoch (regions), zones, woredas (districts) and kebeles (municipalities or neighborhoods). As of 2020, the country comprises 11 regions and two independent federal-level cities (Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa); below this level are the zones, woredas and finally the neighborhood administrations: kebeles.

The administrative division of Ethiopia has changed several times over the course of the 20th century. It has existed in its current federalist form since 1995. Ethiopia's decentralized structure dates back to various kingdoms within the former empire, which existed until the Italian occupation in 1936.

Structure

Ethiopia's current federal structure was introduced by the ruling ERDF coalition with the new 1995 constitution, and the division described here has existed since 2020. It divides the country into eleven regions or states (kililoch, singular: kilil or kǝllǝl, ክልል) and two independent cities (astedader akababiwoch; singular: astedader akababi). The regions are subdivided into 85 zones. The zones consist of some 765 woredas or districts, which are further divided into kebeles. Some kebeles form cities. In some places, even deeper administrative levels were introduced below the kebele; According to critics, this also serves to strengthen the control of the FDRPE government alliance over the population.

The Constitution guarantees the regions broad powers. Regions can form their own government and enact their own democratic organization within the framework of the federal constitution. Each region has its own parliament, in which the deputies of the districts are directly elected. Regional parliaments have the corresponding legislative and executive powers to regulate the internal affairs of states. Article 39 of the Ethiopian constitution, at least in theory, gives each region the right to secede from Ethiopia (right of secession).

The regions were divided according to ethnic criteria, with the largest ethnic groups each given their own region. This division is also known as ethnic federalism. It is judged differently within Ethiopia, as well as in research on the country's history and politics: according to its proponents, it guarantees the self-determination of the Ethiopian peoples and, at the same time, prevented a disintegration of the country by independence movements. from various ethnic groups. Opponents of ethnic federalism, on the other hand, argue that it weakens national unity. The opposition Qinijit alliance, which includes mainly Amharic parties, therefore rejects this classification. The United Ethiopian Democratic Forces, on the other hand, as the second major opposition coalition, which is mainly anchored in the Oromo ethnic group, advocates further federalization.

Research supports the conclusion that there has been an "ethnicization" of politics in different areas and that relations between ethnic groups have changed, for example between the Guji and other Oromo groups and different peoples of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples region, or between subgroups of the Oromo and Somalis.

Kililoch

Regions of Ethiopia.

The first level of administrative division of Ethiopia is regions (kililoch; singular - kilil), or alternatively regional state . The 1995 Constitution of Ethiopia established regions based on ethnolinguistic territories. Previously, this "level" it was called a province, and although many of the names of old provinces and new regions are the same, the entities are not identical and the words region and province are not interchangeable. As of 2020, there are eleven regions.

1. Afar
2. Amhara
3. Benishangul-Gumaz
4. Gambela
5. Harar
6. Oromy
7. Somalí (Ogaden)
8. Nations and Peoples of the South
9. People of the Southwest
10. Tigray
11. Sidama

In addition, there are two independent charter cities (astedader akababiwach, singular - astedader akabibi) that are on the same level as a region:

1. Abeba
2. Dire Dawa

In relation to the Southern Peoples region, the constitution recognizes the following nations, nationalities and peoples: Airde, Alaba, Arbore, Bencho, Besketo Burji, Bodi, Busa, Dawro, Tell me, Disenech, Dizi, Gamo, Gaweda, Gedeo, Gidole, Gnangatamo, Gobeze, Gofa, Gurage Gidicha, Hadiya, Hamer, Kembata Keficho, Konso, Konta, Kore (Amaro), Male, Melon, Mursi, Minit, Nao, Ori, Surma, Sidamo, Shekoch Sheko, Tenbaro Chara, Tsemai, Wolaita, Zeise and Zelman Yem.

Administrative zones

Administrative areas of Ethiopia.

The regions are subdivided into 85 administrative zones, which are further subdivided into woredas, or districts. The latter, in turn, are subdivided into kebeles, or municipalities.

The number of zones varies, but most regions have between six and twelve zones. The largest region, Oromia, has more than 20 zones and the two smallest regions have none. There are some cities that are set up as special zones, such as the Bahir Dar Special Zone in the Amhara region. The earlier equivalent of a zone was called an awrajja, and many zones today are named the same as their earlier awrajja, but the terms zone and awrajja are not interchangeable.

The zones and woredas of Ethiopia, by region, are:

• Areas and woredas of the Afar Region
• Areas and woredas of the Amhara Region
• Areas and woredas of the Benishagul-Gumaz Region
• Areas and woredas of the Gambela Region
• Zonas y woredas de la Región Oromía
• Areas and woredas of the Somali Region
• Areas and woredas of the Southern Peoples Region
• Areas and woredas of the Tigray Region

Woredas

Areas are divided into wearedas (districts). In Ethiopia, the woredas comprise three main bodies: a council, an executive, and a judicial body. The Woreda Council is the supreme governing body of the district and consists of directly elected representatives from each kebele of the woredas. The people's representative in each kebele is accountable to his constituency. The main administration of the woreda is the district executive body comprising the district administrator, deputy administrator and the head of the main sectoral executive offices of the woreda, who are ultimately accountable to the district administrator and district council. Quasi-judicial tasks correspond to the administration of security and justice. In addition to the woredas, city administrations are considered to be on the same level as the latter. A city administration has a mayor elected by the members of the city council. Since different regional constitutions govern the woredas, the names of the bodies may differ.

Kebele

Woredas are divided into kebele, municipalities. This is the smallest administrative division. This is sometimes also called tabia or tabiya. They are at the neighborhood level and are the main contact for most Ethiopian citizens. Its administrative unit consists of an elected council, a cabinet (executive committee), a social court, and development and security staff. Kebeles are accountable to their woreda councils and are typically responsible for providing basic education, primary health care, agriculture, water, and rural roads.

Historic Subdivisions

Former provinces and awrajjas (includes Eritrean territory).

Before the 1995 Constitution, Ethiopia was divided into provinces, and these were subdivided into awrajjas, then woredas, and then sub-woredas. Boundaries were sometimes redrawed and the number of provinces varied over time. Awrajja were subdivisions of provinces and were roughly equivalent to the current term zones. After the 1995 Constitution, the terms province and awrajja were replaced by the terms region and area, if well they are not completely equivalent.