Samara (; ) is the capital of Afar Region, Ethiopia. It is a town on the Awash–Assab highway in north-east Ethiopia, having been planned and built to replace Asaita. Located in Administrative Zone 1, Samara has a latitude and longitude of . One of the completed buildings is Samara University, which began holding classes in 2007. "Health coverage reaches 40 percent in Afar State" (Walta Information Center)
The 2006 Lonely Planet guide to Ethiopia had this description of Samara: With its quirky mix of barracks, modern apartment blocks, and soulless administrative buildings, it looks like a microscopic version of Brasília emerging incongruously in the middle of the desert – except that it's a completely botched attempt at creating a new town.Matt Philips. Ethiopia and Eritrea, third edition (n.p.: Lonely Planet, 2006), p. 221
The 2009 Lonely Planet guide omitted the final phrase following the dash.Jean-Bernard Carillet, Stuart Butler, David Lukas, Dean Starnes.Ethiopia & Eritrea, 4th edition (Lonely Planet, 2009), p. 213. The 2002 edition of Ethiopia: the Bradt travel guide described Semera as consisting of "one active filling station (complete with fridge) and a cluster of modern offices and tall apartment blocks in various states of construction – all in mad isolation from any existing settlement!"Philip Briggs (2002) Ethiopia: The Bradt Travel Guide, 3rd edition. Chalfont St Peters: Bradt. p. 345
The area is served by Sultan Ali Mirah Airport, which has scheduled service to Addis Ababa.
History Radio Ethiopia reported that the inaugural meeting of the Afar Regional Council was held in Semera on 20 July 1995. Six days later, the Council decided to make Semera its capital city and Amharic its temporary working language. The three top officials would be President Alimirah Hanfare, Vice-president Osman Ainet and Secretary Mohammed Seid; the Regional president at the time, Habib Alimirah, was not present."Local History in Ethiopia" , The Nordic Africa Institute website (last accessed 5 May 2008)
The Eighth meeting of the Afar Regional Council was held in Semera 4–5 March 2009, and items scheduled to be discussed included a bill to eliminate female genital mutilation in the Region."Afari State Council 8th Regular Meeting Kicks Off", Ethiopian News Agency website, dated 12 March 2009 (accessed 14 April 2009)
Demographics The town had a population of 2,625 in 2007.Statistical Tables for the 2007 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia . It is one of five towns in Dubti woreda.
Climate Semera has a hot desert climate (BWh) in the Köppen-Geiger system.
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