Geography of Wolayta

Wolayta is one one of the 13 Zonal Adminstartions of the Southern Region In Ethiopia,Located 400 kilometers south of Addis Ababa.

Wolayta is limited north west by Tambaro,east ward by Bilate river which divides it from Arsi-Oromo,South ward by Lake Abaya and Kucha,west ward by Omo river.

The vegetation and very comfortable climate of the large part of the region are conditioned by an over all elevation of between 1,500 and 1,800 meters above the sea level.There are,however,five mountains higher than 2,000 meters,with Mount Damota---at 3,000 meters---at the center.

Through mildly undulating hills,one can travel through the whole area with out difficulty,there are no Large forest except in the Soddo Zuriya,and  Omo river basin,which is well below 1500 meters and a malaria zone.

In the local view ,there are only two regions: the highlands(Geziyaa) and the lowlands(Garaa). In the highlands,there are numerous streams and small rivers.Several thermal hot springs are situated around lake abaya,with boling and steaming water which is believed to cure diseases.The ajora waterfalls are a majestic scene of the wilderness,like damota precipices.

The soil of the Wolayta is of heavy red color which becomes brown and black during the rains and has the fragility and the softness of sand.the dry period makes the soil hard as brick,one reason why people can plough and dig only after the rains.One can hardly find any stone except on the river banks,whose soil is light and easy to excavate.the layer of soil is very deep--an average of 30 meters--in both the plains and the hills,as verified during the drilling of wells.The soil is very fertile and produce two crops per year when the rains are regular.

Climate:

The climate is stable,with temprature variation between 24 and 30 degree centigrades during the day and 16 to 20 at night,all year round.The dry,temprature heat makes the climate simplly “delicious”(hodson 1970:33).
The year is divided in to two seasons:the wet season(balguwa) from June to October,and the dry season(boniya) from October to June,broken in February by a short period of so called “little rains”(baddessa).The average rain fall for the entire region is 1350 millimeters per year(WADU 1977-1978:table 1).

The dry season is characterized by a strong wind which blows from the east;the sky is absolutelly blue and rarelly crossed by small white clouds.At night the sky is so tranparent that it seems to hold twice the number of starts as in European or American skies.

During the heavy seasons,heavy precipitation and violent storms which,at the end of the season can list a full evining or night ,are common events.

I never witnessed a full day of rain.Fog can be seen in the valleys almost every morning of the rainy season;it then evaporates in the first hours of the sun.
In both seasons either hail which destroys crops or tornadoes,which Knoch down trees are possible events.


Wolayta is Heaven to be Visited
From the Book Entitled(Wolayta)