Arba Minch

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City in South Ethiopia Regional State, Ethiopia

title: "Arba Minch" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["south-ethiopia-regional-state", "populated-places-in-the-southern-nations,-nationalities,-and-peoples'-region", "cities-and-towns-in-ethiopia"] description: "City in South Ethiopia Regional State, Ethiopia" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arba_Minch" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary City in South Ethiopia Regional State, Ethiopia ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
official_nameArba Minch (Ganta Garo)
native_nameአርባ ምንጭ
settlement_typeCity
image_skylineMonument in Arba Minch.jpg
image_captionA monument in Arba Minch
pushpin_mapEthiopia
pushpin_label_positionright
pushpin_map_captionLocation within Ethiopia
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameEthiopia
subdivision_type1Region
subdivision_name1South Ethiopia Regional State
subdivision_type2Zone
subdivision_name2Gamo Zone
population_as_of2007
population_footnotes
population_total74879
population_density_km2auto
timezoneEAT
utc_offset+3
utc_offset_DST+3
coordinates
elevation_m1285
blank_nameClimate
blank_infoAw
population_est192043
pop_est_as_of2021
pop_est_footnotes
::

| official_name = Arba Minch (Ganta Garo) | native_name = አርባ ምንጭ | settlement_type = City | image_skyline = Monument in Arba Minch.jpg | image_caption = A monument in Arba Minch | pushpin_map = Ethiopia | pushpin_label_position = right | pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ethiopia | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Ethiopia | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = South Ethiopia Regional State | subdivision_type2 = Zone | subdivision_name2 = Gamo Zone | population_as_of = 2007 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 74879 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone = EAT | utc_offset = +3 | utc_offset_DST = +3 | coordinates = | elevation_m = 1285 | blank_name = Climate | blank_info = Aw | population_est = 192043 | pop_est_as_of = 2021 | pop_est_footnotes =

Arba Minch (Ganta Garo) is a city and separate woreda in the southern part of Ethiopia. "Arba Minch" means "40 Springs", originated from the presence of more than 40 springs. It is located in the Gamo Zone of the South Ethiopia Regional State, about 500 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, at an elevation of 1285 meters above sea level. It is the largest town in Gamo Zone. It is surrounded by Arba Minch Zuria woreda.

Overview

Arba Minch received its name for the abundant local springs which produce a groundwater forest. Located at the base of the western side of the Great Rift Valley, Arba Minch consists of the uptown administrative centre of Shecha and 4 kilometers away the downtown commercial and residential areas of Sikela, which are connected by a paved road. On the eastern side of Sikela is the gate to Nechisar National Park, which covers the isthmus between Lake Abaya to the north and Lake Chamo to the south. Buses and taxis connect the uptown and downtown parts; both parts have schools. Kulfo River flows through the town, and drains into Lake Chamo.

History

Arba Minch (Ganta Garo) was founded in the early 1960s by the Fitawrari Aemeroselasie Abebe and the city succeeded Chencha as the provincial capital city of Gamu-Gofa. The word "Ganta Garo" mean the place in which Ganta people, animals, etc. live plentily (abundantly). The oral tradition has it that Fitawrari Aemiro Selassie Abebe had to fight with prominent figures of Chencha to move the capital to Arba Minch. One of the reasons for the move was for travelers from Gidole to Chencha to take a break after a long, hot crossing of the arid Rift Valley area.

Roads were built linking the new town to Soddo and making Arba Minch only a day's journey by road to the capital, Addis Ababa. A telephone line connecting the town to the capital, costing E$ 250,000, was turned up on 15 July 1967.

Arba Minch had previously served as a capital city for Gamo Gofa Province (Gamo Gofa Teklay Gizat), North Omo Zone (Semen Omo), Kilil 9 (Region 9), Gamo Gofa Zone, and now is serving as a capital city of Gamo Zone.

The Norwegian Lutheran Mission opened a station at Arba Minch in 1970, which included a trade school; the school's operation was later taken over by the Mekane Yesus Church. At the beginning of the Ethiopian Revolution public demonstrations occurred in the town, and four people were killed in clashes with the police on 28 March 1974. Following the revolution privately held plantations were made into state farms.

The 193 million birr Arba Minch Textile Mill was opened on 6 May 1992 in the presence of Ethiopian Prime Minister Tamirat Layne. The mill would produce polyester mixed with cotton grey fabrics. According to the SNNPR's Bureau of Finance and Economic Development, other amenities in Arba Minch include postal service, 24-hour electrical service, a bank and a hospital. In May 2010, the Ethiopian Roads Authority awarded a contract worth 563 million E$ to the construction firm of Brehane Hagos to build a road 60 kilometers in length from this town to Belta. The United States military operated a facility at Arba Minch from 2011 until September 2015. The facility served as the base for several General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles.

Demographics

Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the CSA, this town has a total population of 74,879, of whom 39,208 were male and 35,671 female. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 56.04% of the population reporting that belief, 38.47% were Protestants, and 4.16% were Muslim.

The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 40,020 of whom 20,096 were males and 19,924 were females.

Climate

|metric first=y |single line=y |location = Arba Minch |Jan record high C = 36.0 |Feb record high C = 37.7 |Mar record high C = 38.5 |Apr record high C = 38.8 |May record high C = 35.2 |Jun record high C = 34.0 |Jul record high C = 33.0 |Aug record high C = 33.8 |Sep record high C = 36.0 |Oct record high C = 35.0 |Nov record high C = 36.0 |Dec record high C = 37.5 |Jan record low C = 9.1 |Feb record low C = 8.4 |Mar record low C = 9.7 |Apr record low C = 8.3 |May record low C = 8.0 |Jun record low C = 12.0 |Jul record low C = 12.8 |Aug record low C = 12.3 |Sep record low C = 11.9 |Oct record low C = 11.4 |Nov record low C = 9.5 |Dec record low C = 1.3 |Jan high C = 32.0 |Feb high C = 33.2 |Mar high C = 33.2 |Apr high C = 30.9 |May high C = 29.0 |Jun high C = 28.3 |Jul high C = 27.7 |Aug high C = 28.7 |Sep high C = 30.2 |Oct high C = 29.9 |Nov high C = 30.7 |Dec high C = 31.3 | year high C = |Jan low C = 16.2 |Feb low C = 17.0 |Mar low C = 18.3 |Apr low C = 18.2 |May low C = 18.1 |Jun low C = 17.9 |Jul low C = 17.8 |Aug low C = 18.1 |Sep low C = 17.9 |Oct low C = 17.4 |Nov low C = 15.9 |Dec low C = 15.4 | year low C = |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 34.1 |Feb precipitation mm = 39.4 |Mar precipitation mm = 56.0 |Apr precipitation mm = 165.6 |May precipitation mm = 147.2 |Jun precipitation mm = 63.5 |Jul precipitation mm = 43.3 |Aug precipitation mm = 48.0 |Sep precipitation mm = 83.8 |Oct precipitation mm = 119.4 |Nov precipitation mm = 60.3 |Dec precipitation mm = 42.3 |year precipitation mm = | Jan humidity = 48 | Feb humidity = 50 | Mar humidity = 54 | Apr humidity = 62 | May humidity = 67 | Jun humidity = 63 | Jul humidity = 62 | Aug humidity = 59 | Sep humidity = 62 | Oct humidity = 61 | Nov humidity = 57 | Dec humidity = 48 | year humidity = |source 1 = Ethiopian Meteorological Institute{{cite web | title = Climate of Major Cities | url = https://www.ethiomet.gov.et/climate-of-major-cities/ | publisher = National Metrology Institute of Ethiopia | access-date = May 9, 2025}} | source 2 = FAO (humidity){{cite web | url = https://www.fao.org/land-water/databases-and-software/climwat-for-cropwat/en/ | title = CLIMWAT climatic database | publisher= Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations | access-date = 23 June 2024}}

Transportation

References

References

  1. (2007). "Population and Housing Census 2007 – SNNPR Statistical".
  2. (2021). "Population Projection Towns as of July 2021".
  3. (2009-01-01). "Ethiopia". Bradt Travel Guides.
  4. "Ethiopia: Arba Minch and Nechisar National Park Stunning Open-Air Adventures".
  5. Philip Briggs, ''Ethiopia: The Bradt Travel Guide'', 3rd edition (Chalfont St Peters: Bradt, 2002), p. 229
  6. Freeman, Dena. (2002). "Initiating change in highland Ethiopia: causes and consequences of cultural transformation". Cambridge University Press.
  7. [http://130.238.24.99/library/resources/dossiers/local_history_of_ethiopia/A/ORTAN.pdf "Local History in Ethiopia"]{{dead link. (July 2017)
  8. Günther Schlee, Elizabeth E. Watson. (2009). "Changing identifications and alliances in North-East Africa, Volume 1". Berghahn Books.
  9. [http://www.snnprbofed.gov.et/Reports/Hotel%20and%20Tourism.xls "Detailed statistics on hotels and tourism"] {{webarchive. link. (2011-05-31 , Bureau of Finance and Economic Development website (accessed 4 September 2009))
  10. {{usurped
  11. (4 January 2016). "Pentagon shutters African drone base, moves aircraft to other hotspots". The Washington Post.
  12. link. (November 13, 2012 , Tables 2.1, and 3.4.)
  13. (1994). "Population and Housing Census 1994 – SNNPR Region".

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