Ethiopia is a federation subdivided into ethno-linguistically based regional states (Amharic: plural: ክልሎች ''kililoch''; singular: ክልል ''kilil''; Oromo language, Oromo: singular: ''Naannoo''; plural: ''Naannolee'') and chartered cities (Amharic: plural: አስተዳደር አካባቢዎች ''astedader akababiwoch''; singular: አስተዳደር አካባቢ ''astedader akabibi''). This system of administrative regions replaced the provinces of Ethiopia in 1992 under the Transitional Government of Ethiopia and was formalised in 1995 when the current 1995 Constitution of Ethiopia, Constitution of Ethiopia came into force.
The regions are each governed by a regional council whose members are directly elected to represent Districts of Ethiopia, woredas (districts). Each council has a president, who is elected by the council. Each region also has an executive committee, whose members are selected by the president from among the councilors and approved by the council. Each region has a sector bureau, which implements the council mandate and reports to the executive committee.
There are eleven regional states and two chartered cities, the latter being the country's capital Addis Ababa, and Dire Dawa, which was chartered in 2004. Being based on ethnicity and language, rather than physical geography or history, the regions vary enormously in area and population; the most notable example is the Harari Region, which has a smaller area and population than either of the chartered cities. When they were established in 1992, there were more regions, but five regions were merged to form the multi-ethnic Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region later in 1992, following the first elections of regional councils on 21 June 1992.
The word "''kilil''" more specifically means "reservation" or "protected area". The ethnic group, ethnic basis of the regions and choice of the word "''kilil''" has drawn fierce criticism from those in opposition to the ruling party who have drawn comparisons to the bantustans of Apartheid, apartheid South Africa.
List of regions and city administrations
~ — Approximation
New regions
In November 2019, a 2019 Sidama Region referendum, referendum was held in the Sidama Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, in which voters supported a proposal for Sidama Zone to become a region in its own right. The Sidama Region was created in June 2020.
The South West Ethiopia Region was created on 23 November 2021 following a 2021_South_West_Region_referendum, successful referendum earlier that year. The new region was split off from the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, SNNPR and consisted of Keffa Zone, Keffa, Sheka Zone, Sheka, Bench Maji Zone, Bench Sheko, Dawro Zone, Dawro, and West Omo Zone, West Omo List of zones of Ethiopia, Zones, along with Konta special woreda, Konta special district.
See also
* List of governors of the Regions of Ethiopia
* Flags of the regions of Ethiopia
* List of Ethiopian regions by Human Development Index
* ISO 3166-2:ET
* Subdivisions of Ethiopia
Notes
References
External links
Regional maps of Ethiopia at UN-OCHA
{{Articles on first-level administrative divisions of African countries
Regions of Ethiopia,
Subdivisions of Ethiopia
Lists of subdivisions of Ethiopia, Regions
Administrative divisions in Africa, Ethiopia 1
First-level administrative divisions by country, Regions, Ethiopia