Shoa, Ethiopia - Definition and Overview

Shewa (also spelled Shoa) is a historical region of Ethiopia. Formerly an autonomous Kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire, the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa is located at its center. Shewa was led by a branch of the Imperial Dynasty that was founded by Abeto Yaqob, the youngest son of the 16th Century Emperor Libne Dengil, who bore the title of Merid Azmatch until Sahle Selassie of Shewa was declared king of Shewa in the 1830s. His grandson Menelik II eventually would succeed as Emperor of all Ethiopia at the end of the century. The towns of Debre Birhan, Antsokia, Ankober, Entoto and Addis Ababa have all served as the capital of Shewa at various times. Most of northern Shewa, made up of the districts of Menz, Tegulet, Yifat, Minjar, Bulga are mostly populated by Christian Amhara, while southern and eastern Shewa have large Oromo and Moslem populations. The great monastery of Debre Libanos is located in the district of Selale in northern Shewa.

Shewa was in recent times a Governorate-General (Province) under the monarchy, and then was named an "Administrative Region" of Ethiopia until fairly recently, when the modern regions (based on ethnic and linguistic boundaries) were introduced.