Konso

For the language, see Konso language. For the Ethiopian ethnic group, see Konso people.
Karati redirects here. For the young fish see Australasian snapper#Regional variation in naming. Or see Karate.
Konso
Karati, Pakawle

Town of Konso
Konso

Location within Ethiopia

Coordinates: 5°15′N 37°29′E / 5.250°N 37.483°E / 5.250; 37.483
Country Ethiopia
Region Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples
Special woreda Konso
Elevation 1,650 m (5,410 ft)
Population (2005)
 • Total 4,593
Time zone EAT (UTC+3)
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Konso Cultural Landscape
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List
Type Cultural
Criteria iii, v
Reference 1333
UNESCO region Africa
Inscription history
Inscription 2011 (35th Session)

Konso (also known as Karati) is a town on the Sagan River in south-western Ethiopia. The administrative center of the Konso special woreda of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of 5°15′N 37°29′E / 5.250°N 37.483°E / 5.250; 37.483Coordinates: 5°15′N 37°29′E / 5.250°N 37.483°E / 5.250; 37.483 and an elevation of 1650 meters. It is also called Pakawle by some of the neighboring inhabitants.[1]

Waga sculptures

Overview

Konso, named after the Konso people, is known for its religious traditions, waga sculptures, and nearby fossil beds (the latter an archaeological site of early hominids). The site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on September 30, 1997 due to its purported universal cultural significance and official made a World Heritage Site in 2011.[2]

Philip Briggs suggests that the present-day town "might prosaically be described as a traffic circle of comically vast dimensions, surrounded by a solitary petrol station and a scattering of local hotels."[3] According to the SNNPR's Bureau of Finance and Economic Development, as of 2003 Konso's amenities include digital telephone access, postal service, electricity provided by a generator, and a branch of a microfinance organization.[4] Local industries include beekeeping, cotton weaving, and agriculture. The market is held on Mondays and Thursdays at a point 2 kilometers from town along the Jinka Road.[5]

A permaculture farm, Strawberry Fields Eco-Lodge, was founded in 2007 north of town and works with international volunteers and three local schools to grow food, promote ecotourism, and provide permaculture education.[6]

Demographics

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Konso has an estimated total population of 4,593 of whom 2,258 are men and 2,335 are women.[7] The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 2,535 of whom 1,250 were men and 1,285 were women.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Klaus Wedekind, "Sociolinguistic Survey Report of the Languages of the Gawwada (Dullay), Diraasha (Gidole), Muusiye (Bussa) Areas", SIL Electronic Survey Reports, 2002-065, p. 16.
  2. ↑ Konso-Gardula (paleo-anthropological site) - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
  3. ↑ Philip Briggs, Ethiopia: The Bradt Travel Guide, 3rd edition (Chalfont St Peters: Bradt, 2002), pp. 455f
  4. ↑ "Detailed statistics on hotels and tourism", Bureau of Finance and Economic Development website (accessed 4 September 2009)
  5. ↑ Briggs, Ethiopia, p. 456.
  6. ↑ "Strawberry Fields Eco-Lodge - An Adventure of a Stay", Make Travel Fair UK website (accessed 15 January 2011)
  7. ↑ CSA 2005 National Statistics, Table B.4

Further reading

External links

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