LANGUAGES 
SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE OF GOROGUTU DISTRICT
Physical Characteristics:- Goro Gutu district, having an area of 531.2km2, is found in the north western part of East Harerge zone. It is bordered by Deder and Meta districts, West Harerge zone and Somali Regional State (fig.5). Karamile town is its administrative center. Physiographically, it is characterized by plateaus, mountains, hills, plains and valleys. Altitudinally, it extends between 1200 and 2660 m.a.s.l. Gangilo (2657m) and Gorogutu (2519m) are the major peaks in the district. About 133.5 kms. Length of perennial rivers (Erer, Usman Ejersa, Burka,…) and streams (Medisa, Oladi, Hora,…)as well as several springs are found in the district. It is classified into dega (10.7%), woinadega (51.8%) and kola (37.5%) agro climatic zones. Vertic Cambisols, Eutric Regosols, Vertic Luvisols, Lithosols, Eutric Regosols and Rnakers are the major soil types found in the district. Coniferous, woodland, acacia, shrub and bush, and man made forests are available in the district. But there are no protected forests and wildlife conservation areas. However, lion, leopard, spotted hyena, duiker and monkey are found dispersedly in the district.
Population:- There were 110, 654 population in the district, of which 105,958 were rural (52,095 females) and 4,696 were urban (2,336 females) populations. Young, economically active and old age populations accounted for 46.5% 50.5% and 3.0% respectively. Rural and urban average family sizes were 4.9 and 4.5 persons respectively (1994 Population and Housing Census result) The crude population density of the district is estimated at 208 persons per km2.
Agriculture:- In 1994/95, about 20.3%, and 19.9% of the district’s total land area were arable (cultivated), pasture and forest lands respectively, while the rest was accounted for built-up, degraded and other areas. There were 27 Farmers’ Associations with 24.115 (3,053 females) member farmers. There was no Service Cooperative in the district. Average farmland and farm oxen holding sizes per farmer household were 0.5 ha and 0.9 ox. About 35% of the farmers were without single farm ox. Sorghum, maize, haricot bean, wheat and barley are widely cultivated crops in the district. Application of manure, fertilizers, short fallowing, crop rotation and soil burning methods are practiced to maintain soil fertility. About 430 quintals of fertilizers (Urea was 180 quintals), 20 quintals of improved seeds, 91 liters of pesticides and 31 liters of herbicides were distributed to small scale holding farmers. Army worm, stalk borer, shoot fly, aphids, weevils, monkey, warthog and rodents are the major crop pests. There were 86,401 cattle, 23,482 goats, 2,901 sheep, 388 horses, 48 mules, 4479 asses and 61,506 poultry in the district. Blackleg, anthrax, paseteurelosis and sheep pox are widely prevalent livestock disease. About 43360 and 15875 livestock were vaccinated and treated against different diseases respectively. Mining and
Industry:- There were no identified mineral deposits and mining activity in the district. As to industry, only 15 flourmills were available in the indicated year. About 53 persons were employed in these small scale industries. Trade and Tourism:- About 209 different business organizations (wholesalers, retailers and service renders) were found in the district. Chat, vegetables and fruits are the major local cash crops. There were no well known tourist attraction sites in Goro Gutu.
Services:- About 68 km all weather and 74 km dry weather roads, a semi-automatic telephone station, a fuel station and two agent post offices were found in Goro Gutu. Rivers, ponds and wells are the major sources of drinking water for the majority of the population. Only about 4.4%, 18.9% and 3.7% of the total, urban and rural populations were supplied with potable water respectively in the indicated year. Firewood, charcoal, animals dung and agri-wastes are the major sources of domestic energy supply in the district. Electric light, bank and insurance organization were not available in the district. There were 30 elementary (3 community) and 3 junior secondary schools with 10636 students (2,229 females) and 140 teaching staffs (30 females) in the district. About 24.1% of the total enrolled students had left the school before the end of academic year. Students’ participation rates in elementary and junior secondary schools were 50.72 and 10.2% respectively. Similarly, 4 clinics and 2 rural drug vendors with 9 health assistants, and a veterinary clinic and a health post with 3 veterinary personnel were available in the stated year.
Development Activities:- Constructions of district’s Agricultural Office, a veterinary clinic, 6 DA houses and 3 human clinics (by government), Integrated Rural Development project (by HCS), health and water rehabilitation (by SCFUK) and soil and water conservation (by LWF) projects were some of the major ongoing development activities in the district.
Problems and Potentials:- Unreliable occurrence of rainfall, low adoption of modern agricultural inputs, lack of credit services, shortage of schools (mainly lack of Senior high school), health institutions, veterinary services and potable water supply, backward infrastructural facilities and deterioration of natural resources are the major problems in the district. On the other hand, the district has large potentials of livestock, mineral and water resources.