Yabelo

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Coordinates: 4°53′N 38°5′E / 4.883, 38.083
Yabelo
Yabelo Location within Ethiopia
Country	Ethiopia
Region	Oromia
Zone	Borena
Elevation	1,857 m (6,093 ft)
Population (2005)
- Total	18,478
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)

Yabelo (also spelled Yavello, Iavello) is a town in southern Ethiopia. An alternative name for this town is Obda, which is also the name of a nearby mountain.^[1] Located northwest of Moyale in the Borena Zone of the Oromia Region (or kilil), this town has a latitude and longitude of 4°53′N, 38°5′E and an elevation of 1857 meters above sea level. It is the administrative center of Yabelo woreda.

This town is reported to have two gas stations, telephone service, a post office and a commercial bank, as well as at least one primary and one secondary school.^[2] Yabelo is also near the Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary, known as a habitat of birds and Swayne's Hartebeest.

Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Yabelo has an estimated total population of 18,478 of whom 9,551 were males and 8,927 were females.^[3] The 1994 national census reported this town had a total population of 10,322 of whom 5,180 were males and 5,142 were females.

[edit] History

Yabelo was entered by the Italian Laghi Division on 11 July 1936, but more formally occupied on 6 August 1936 by troops under the command of Giorgio Pollera. 15 tanks from the Yabelo garrison attempted to break through the Allied defenses around Mega, but failed; Yabelo was occupied by the Allies two days after the armored assault on 22 February 1941. The hangar the Italians had built at Yabelo was dismantled in 1952, and transported toDebre Zeyit by air, where it was re-erected to house the newly-acquired Fairey Firefly airplanes from Canada.^[1]

The Norwegian Lutheran Mission started a missionary station at Yabelo in 1950, although the staff was reported to have made little headway in converting the locals, similar to the other Christian missionaries. In 1992, Yabelo was the site of a feeding station to combat a local famine. Conditions had grown so severe that the local Borena Oromo decided to eliminate competition from their neighbors the Gabra. The Gabra were killed, their livestock was stolen, and the survivors were moved from the area by CARE.^[1]