or 58.24% of the population lived in urban areas. Ethnic groups in the region recorded in the earlier census included the Oromo (66.84%), Amhara (10.7%), Harari (7.1%), Gurage (3.2%), Tigray (2.71%), and Somali (1.68%). Languages recorded included Oromiffa (72.79%), Amharic (22.97%), Harari (7.61%), Gurage (1.13%) and Tigrinya (1.13%)

According to the CSA, as of lc=on 2004, 73.28% of the total population had access to safe drinking water,