Fugnan Bira

Fugnan Bira (meaning near a nose because of its 3 Notes

proximity to the last part of a mountain chain) is a
town in east-central Ethiopia. It is commonly known [1] Local History in Ethiopia (pdf) The Nordic Africa In-
by its more recent name, Gursum. Located in the stitute website (accessed 11 December 2007)
Misraq Hararghe Zone of the Oromia Region, on a high
[2] CSA 2005 National Statistics Archived 23 November
plateau at the southern base of Mount Kondudo, which
2006 at the Wayback Machine., Table B.4
gives the town a climate similar to Harar.[1] Fugnan
Bira has a latitude and longitude of 921N 4224E
/ 9.350N 42.400ECoordinates: 921N 4224E /
9.350N 42.400E with an elevation between 1980 and
2049 meters above sea level. It is the administrative cen-
ter of Gursum woreda.

1 History

In the early 1930s, at Fugnan Bira was an agency of Said

Bazarah, an export-import rm founded in 1887. During
a period of unrest in the area around May 1942, Funyan
Bira was also pillaged and burnt. The market was sacked
next year during ghting between the Geri Jarso Somalis
and Ethiopian government troops.[1]
The town and its vicinity has suered from deforestation
over the last 30 years. The approximately 9,000 hectares
of quasi pristine forest on Mount Medero were reduced
to a few remnant patches over a period of just ve years
from 1992/1993. With no active intervention most of
its poorer residents will face unprecedented challenges in
meeting their basic requirements. The recent recovery of
one of just two feral horse population in Africa on Mt.
Kundudo and, possibly the publication of the ndings of
a set of Italian missions in the area, the last of which (pub-
lished November 2008) evaluates the signicance of rock
paintings on Mount Stinico, the nose overlooking the
town, and proposes tourism as a possible source of rev-
enue in the area. The same research-action team, led by
Prof. M. Vigan is proposing a series of reaorestations.

2 Demographics

Based on gures from the Central Statistical Agency in

2005, Fugnan Bira has an estimated total population of
15,478 of whom 7,676 are men and 7,802 are women.[2]
The 1994 national census reported this town had a total
population of 8,657 of whom 4,163 were men and 4,494
women.

1
2 4 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

4 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

4.1 Text
Fugnan Bira Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugnan_Bira?oldid=763065530 Contributors: Llywrch, Gyrofrog, D6, SmackBot,
Hmains, AndrewBuck, Namiba, Cydebot, Thijs!bot, Dr. Blofeld, Marcoetio, Addbot, Xenobot, DemocraticLuntz, Gursume, Chris-
Gualtieri, Obsagursum1, InternetArchiveBot, GreenC bot and Anonymous: 2

4.2 Images
File:Ethiopia_adm_location_map.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Ethiopia_adm_location_map.
svg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 de Contributors: Own work using:
United States National Imagery and Mapping Agency data
World Data Base II data
Original artist: NordNordWest
File:Flag_of_Ethiopia.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Flag_of_Ethiopia.svg License: Public do-
main Contributors: http://www.ethiopar.net/type/Amharic/hopre/bills/1998/654.ae..pdf Original artist: Drawn by User:SKopp
File:Red_pog.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0c/Red_pog.svg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original
artist: ?

4.3 Content license

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