Harar

Harar, sometimes spelled Harrar or Harer, is a city in Ethiopia situated in the eastern extension of the Ethiopian highlands, about five hundred kilometers from Addis Ababa. It is located on a hilltop, with an elevation of 1885 meters. It is the capital of the modern Harari ethno-political division (or kilil) of Ethiopia. As of 1994, it has a population of 76,378.

People

The inhabitants of Harar represent several ethnic groups, both Christian and Muslim, including Amhara, Oromo, Somali, Gurage, Tigré, and others. Nevertheless, within the walled city, the indigenous Harari are predominant. The Harari, who refer to themselves as Gey 'Usu ("People of the City") are a Semitic people that originally crossed into Africa from southern Arabia. Today, they are most commonly classed as a social and cultural, rather than as a distinct ethnic, group since most families have intermingled with the neighboring groups, and were welcoming of foreigners into their community. Their language constitutes a Semitic pocket in a predominantly Cushitic region. Originally written in the Arabic script, it has recently converted to Geez alphabet.

Related Topics:
Amhara - Oromo - Somali - Gurage - Tigré - Harari - Semitic - Africa - Arabic script - Geez

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