Oromia: population, jobs, migration, health, water and sanitation
Oromia is a regional state of Ethiopia, the largest of 14 by population. The Ethiopian Statistical Service projects the population of the Oromia region at 43,589,000 for July 2026 (21,831,000 male, 21,758,000 female), 38.3% of Ethiopia's 113.81 million; the largest of the 14 regions and city administrations. Ethiopia's last census was in 2007, so every regional figure is a projection from that count.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Oromia: 10.5% of Oromia's labour force (people aged 10 and over working or looking for work) was unemployed in the 2024/25 National Integrated Household Survey, about 2,110,000 people; 4th highest of the 14 regions and city administrations (Ethiopia: 9.6%). In the February 2021 Labour Market Survey the rate was 6.9% (Ethiopia: 8.0%).
- Health in Oromia: For every 1,000 babies born in Oromia in the ten years before the 2024-25 survey, 43 died before their first birthday and 60 before their fifth; the under-five rate is 5th highest of the 14 regions and city administrations (Ethiopia, last five years: 39 and 51).
How fast is Oromia's population growing?
The projections add 900,000 people to Oromia between July 2025 and July 2026, growth of 2.11% in a year (Ethiopia: 1.93%).
Source: Ethiopian Statistical Service · saved copyHow many people in Oromia live in towns?
19.2% of Oromia's people are projected to live in towns and cities in 2026 (8,362,000 urban, 35,227,000 rural), 2nd least urban of the 14 regions and city administrations (Ethiopia: 24.7%).
Source: Ethiopian Statistical Service · saved copyHow many children do women in Oromia have?
Women in Oromia have 4.2 children each on average, according to the 2024-25 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey, joint 6th highest of the 14 regions and city administrations (Ethiopia: 4.0).
Source: Ethiopian Statistical Service (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copyAre people moving to or away from Oromia?
The 2024/25 National Integrated Household Survey found net migration of -5.6 recent migrants per 1,000 residents in Oromia, meaning more people left than moved in; 2nd lowest of the 14 regions and city administrations (2021 Labour Market Survey: +1.0).
Source: Ethiopian Statistical Service · saved copyHow common is domestic violence in Oromia?
28.0% of women in Oromia who had ever had a husband or partner had suffered emotional, physical or sexual violence from their current or most recent partner, and 25.0% physical violence; 7th lowest of the 14 regions and city administrations (Ethiopia: 29.8%).
Source: Ethiopian Statistical Service (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copyHow regional states are governed in Ethiopia
Regional states (12) and chartered cities (2: Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa). Directly elected state councils; regional president chosen by the council. Tigray has had a federally appointed interim administration since 2023.. Own constitutions, laws, police, courts; set up local government.
Every tier of government in Ethiopia
Other regional states of Ethiopia
- Amhara 24,207,000
- South Ethiopia 8,093,428
- Somali 7,106,000
- Central Ethiopia 6,683,946
- Tigray 6,134,000
- Sidama 5,033,486
- Addis Ababa 4,198,000
- South West Ethiopia Peoples' Region 3,592,142
- Afar 2,200,000
- Benishangul-Gumuz 1,346,000
- Dire Dawa 598,000
- Gambella 572,000
- Harari 303,000
Up a level: Ethiopia · government and power in Ethiopia · cities
Sources
- Ethiopian Statistical Service (with ICF, The DHS Program): Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey 2024-25, Summary Report: regional indicator table (water, sanitation, fertility, child mortality), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 11639969304a…)
- Ethiopian Statistical Service (with ICF, The DHS Program): Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey 2024-25, Key Indicators Report: Tables 4, 7, 9, 10, 12, 17.1 and 18 by region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 36b60096ac11…)
- Ethiopian Statistical Service: National Integrated Household Survey 2024/25: Labour Force Key Findings (Appendix Summary Tables 1 and 3, Tables B1-B4), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 621e313a7446…)
- Ethiopian Statistical Service: National Integrated Household Survey 2024/25: Migration Key Findings (Table 4.6: regional net migration), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e7f1f7aad215…)
- Ethiopian Statistical Service: Population Size by Sex, Area and Density by Region, Zone and Wereda: July 2026 (projection from the 2007 census), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1d73f105efd1…)
- Ethiopian Statistical Service: Population Size by Sex, Area and Density by Region, Zone and Wereda: July 2025 (projection from the 2007 census), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 724f5cd79d33…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.