Administrative Zone 1 (Afar)
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Afar Zone 1 Awsi Rasu |
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|---|---|
| Zone | |
 Zone 1 location in Ethiopia |
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| Country | Ethiopia |
| Region | Afar Region |
| Capital | Asayita |
| Area | |
| • Total | 30,242.10 km2 (11,676.54 sq mi) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total | 498,873 |
| • Density | 16/km2 (43/sq mi) |
Administrative Zone 1 (since May 2006 known as Awsi Rasu) is one of five Zones of the Afar Region of Ethiopia. This zone is bordered on the south by Administrative Zone 3, on the southwest by Administrative Zone 5, on the west by the Amhara Region, on the northwest by Administrative Zone 4, on the north by Administrative Zone 2, on the northeast by Eritrea, and on the east by Djibouti.
The largest town in Zone 1 is Asayita. Rivers in this Zone include the Awash and its tributaries the Mille and Logiya Rivers. There are a chain of six interconnected lakes in this Zone, fed by the Awash: from north to south they are Gargori, Laitali, Gummare, Bario and Lake Abbe (or Abhe Bad).
Following a split in the ranks of the Djiboutian political party Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy in 1994, 18,000 Djiboutians fled to this Zone. Most of these refugees are scattered along the main road from Ayasita to Bure, either integrated into local settlements, or - in the case of nomads - allowed to graze their animals in the areas of their host clans.
In August 1999, a planned release of waters from the Koka Reservoir resulted in flooding by the Awash—although an investigation afterwards showed the flooding was caused by dike failures and silting of the Awash. Approximately 4,000 hectares of cropland in the Zone and 3 rural kebeles in Asayita, 5 in Afambo and 8 in Dubti woredas were affected.
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