Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the
Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), this Zone has a total population of 1,350,415, of whom 671,538 are men and 678,877 women; with an area of 10,833.19 square kilometers, Mirab Welega has a population density of 124.66. While 146,672 or 7.39% are urban inhabitants, a further 2,578 or 0.19% are pastoralists. A total of 266,773 households were counted in this Zone, which results in an average of 5.06 persons to a household, and 250,473 housing units. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Mirab Welega were the
Oromo (96.72%), the
Mao (1.45%), and the
Amhara (1.2%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.63% of the population.
Oromiffa was spoken as a first language by 97.06%, 1.36% spoke
Mao, and 1.15%
Amharic; the remaining 0.43% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants professed
Protestant, with 59.55% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 20.19% of the population said they were
Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity and 19.66% were
Muslim. The 1994 national census reported a total population for this Zone of 1,547,075 in 289,555 households, of whom 766,461 were men and 780,614 women; 132,525 or 8.57% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Mirab Welega were the
Oromo (96.07%), the
Amhara (2.4%), and the
Mao (0.86%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.67% of the population.
Oromiffa was spoken as a first language by 96.68%, 2.24%
Amharic, and 0.67% spoke
Mao; the remaining 0.41% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants professed
Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 44.03% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 37.28% of the population said they were
Protestant, 16.88% were
Muslim, and 1.1% were
Catholic. According to a May 24, 2004
World Bank memorandum, 7% of the inhabitants of West Welega have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 38.5 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers (compared to the national average of 30 kilometers), the average rural household has 1.2 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and an average of 1.14 for the Oromia Region) and the equivalent of 0.8 heads of livestock. 20.7% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a Regional average of 24%. Concerning
education, 71% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 29% in secondary schools. Concerning
health, 87% of the zone is exposed to
malaria, and 71% to
Tsetse fly. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 369. == Notes ==