Opo is an ethnic group of
South Sudan
South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the C ...
and
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
. They speak
Opuuo, a
Koman language. Most members of this ethnic group are not Muslims.
The 2007 Census of Ethiopia lists 1,602 individuals as Upo (413 in the
(SNNPR) and 990 in the
Gambela Region
The Gambela Region (also spelled Gambella; am, ጋምቤላ), officially the Gambela Peoples' Region, is a regional state in western Ethiopia, bordering South Sudan. Previously known as Region 12, its capital is Gambela. The Region is situated ...
). However, the 1994 census records 271 members of whom 224 lived in the
Oromia Region
Oromia (Amharic: ) ( om, Oromiyaa) is a regional state in Ethiopia and the homeland of the Oromo people. The capital of Oromia is Addis Ababa.
It is bordered by the Somali Region to the east; the Amhara Region, the Afar Region and the Benish ...
(mostly in the
Mirab Shewa Zone
West Shewa Zone ( om, Shawaa Lixaa/Dhihaa) is a Zones of Ethiopia, zone in Oromia Region of Ethiopia. This zone takes its name from the kingdom or former province of Shewa. West Shewa is bordered on the south by the Southwest Shewa Zone and the S ...
), 38 in the SNNPR, and less than ten in either of the other Regions closest to Sudan.
"The 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia"
(accessed 31 January 2009) A 2014 source placed the population at around 2,000.
Most Opo adhere to Protestant Christianity
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
though traditional beliefs are still prevalent among the community.
References
Ethnic groups in South Sudan
Ethnic groups in Ethiopia
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