Aregash Lodge

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IRGALEM (ALSO SPELLED YRGALEM AND YRGA ALEM) IS A TOWN IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA. LOCATED 260 KILOMETERS SOUTH OF ADDIS ABABA AND 40 KILOMETERS SOUTH OF AWASA IN THE SIDAMA ZONE OF THE SOUTHERN NATIONS, NATIONALITIES, AND PEOPLES REGION (OR KILIL), THE TOWN HAS A LATITUDE AND LONGTITUDE OF 6°45´N 38°25´E AND AN ELEVATION OF 1776 METERS.

BASED ON FIGURES FROM THE CENTRAL STATISTICAL AGENCY OF ETHIOPIA PUBLISHED IN 2005, IRAGALEM HAS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL POPULATION OF 43,815 OF WHOM 21,840 WERE MALES AND 21,975 FEMALES. ACCORDING TO THE 1994 NATIONAL CENSUS, THE TOWN HAD A POPULATION OF 24,183.

YRGALEM WAS OCCUPIED BY THE ITALIANS 1 DECEMBER 1936 DURING THEIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE REMAINING ETHIOPIAN ARMY OF SIDAMO UNDER RAS DESTA DAMTEW. THE TOWN WAS LATER THE CAPITAL OF SIDAMO PROVINCE UNTIL THAT PROVINCE WAS ABOLISHED WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE 1995 CONSTITUTION.

FACTS ABOUT  YRGALEM

Aregash Lodge lies 317 kms south of Addis Ababa in the small town of Yrgalem in the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional State. Take the Addis Ababa - Moyale/Kenya international road, pass the city of Awasa till you get to the Aposto Junction. Yrgalem is located 8 kms northeast of Aposto Junction. Cross the town until the asphalt road ends, then keep going for another kilometer and take the first turn on the left. Aregash Lodge is situated 400 meters along this road. The road is accessible all year long with any type of vehicle.