Mekdela

Magdala is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Debub Wollo Zone, Magdala is bordered on the southwest by the Walo Shabatala River which separates it from Sayint, on the north by the Bashilo River which separates it from the Semien Wollo Zone, and on the east by Tenta. The major town in Magdala is Masha.

Elevations in this woreda range from 700 meters above sea level where the Bashilo leaves it to 3600 meters at its southeastern point on the upper slopes of Mount Amba Ferit, near the source of the Walo Shabatala.

Demographics

Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 144,142, of whom 73,849 are men and 70,293 are women; 3,516 or 2.44% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 12.4%. With an estimated area of 1,336.28 square kilometers, Magdala has an estimated population density of 107.9 people per square kilometer, which is less than the Zone average of 173.56.

The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 106,435 in 25,813 households, of whom 52,567 were men and 53,868 were women; 2,037 or 1.91% of its population were urban dwellers. The largest ethnic group reported in Magdala was the Amhara (99.96%). Amharic was spoken as a first language by 99.94%. The majority of the inhabitants were Muslim, with 71.83% of the population having reported they practiced that belief, while 28.04% of the population said they professed Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.