The Somali region is the eastern-most part of Ethiopia that borders Kenya to the south-west, Oromia, Afar and Dire Dawa to the west, Djibouti to the north and Somalia to the northeast, east and south.

The Somali region covers an estimated area of 279,252 Km2. According to the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (2005), the Region has an estimated total population of 4,329,000, consisting of 2,325,000 men and 2,004,000 women. 83% of the population is estimated to be rural inhabitants, while the remaining 17% are urban. This region has an estimated density of 16 people per Km2.

The CSA of Ethiopia estimated in 2005 that farmers in the Somali region had a total of 459,720 cattle (representing 1.19% of Ethiopia's total cattle), 463,000 sheep (2.66%), 650,970 goats (5.02%), 91,550 asses (3.66%) and 165,260 camels. For nomadic inhabitants, the CSA provided two sets of estimates, one based on aerial surveys and the other on more conventional methodology:

ESGPIP’s target woredas in the Somali region

The ESGPIP operated in four woredas of the total of 47 woredas in the Somali region. The woredas were Aware, Gursum, Harshin and Jijiga.

Aware

Aware woreda is part of the Degehabur Zone. It is bordered on the south by the Korahe Zone, on the west by Degehabur, on the north by the Jijiga Zone, and on the east by Misraq Gashamo.
The woreda has an estimated total population of 132,150 (61,685 males and 70,465 females); urban dwellers account for 25.41% of the population while the remaining is rural.

Gursum, Somali

Gursum is part of the Jijiga Zone. Gursum is bordered on the south by the Babille woreda, on the west by the Oromia Region, and on the north and east by Jijiga woreda.
Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 13,570, of whom 6,780 are male and 6,790 are female.

Harshin

Harshin is also part of the Jijiga Zone bordering the Degehabur Zone in the south, Kebri Beyah in the west, and Somalia in the east.
Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, The woreda has an estimated total population of 82,900 (39,820 males and 43,070 females); About 11.53% of the population are urban dwellers.

Jijiga

The Jijiga woreda is part of the Jijiga Zone. It shares borders with the Babille woreda in the south, the Gursum woreda in the southwest, the Oromia Region in the west, the Shinile Zone in the north, Awbere woreda in the northeast and the Degehabur Zone in the southeast.

The woreda has an estimated total population of 348,421 (171,072 males and 177,349 females); about 31.47% of the woreda's population are urban dwellers while the remaining are rural.