Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia, this Zone has a total population of 570,629, of whom 325,764 are men and 244,865 women. While 45,763 or 8.02% are urban inhabitants, a further 316,032 or 55.38% were pastoralists. Somali language is spoken as a first language by 88.21%; the remaining 11.79% spoke all other primary languages reported. 99.19% of the population said they were Muslim. The 1997 national census reported a total population for this Zone of 358,998 in 53,075 households, of whom 200,948 were men and 158,050 were women; 25,747 or 7.17% of its population were urban dwellers. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Afder were the Somali who make up 96.3% of the population and the Oromo ; all other ethnic groups made up 2.5% of the population. Somali was spoken as a first language by 93.23% of the inhabitants, and Garire by 2.16%; the remaining 4.61% spoke all other primary languages reported. Concerning educationin the Zone, 3.43% of the population were considered literate; 0.57% of children aged 7–12 were in primary school, while a negligible number of the children aged 13–14 were in junior secondary school, and none of children aged 15–18 were in senior secondary school. About 24.2% of the urban houses and 6.7% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; about 23% of the urban and 4.3% of the total had toilet facilities.
Development
According to a May 24, 2004World Bank memorandum, none of the inhabitants of Afder have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 8.3 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers, the average rural household has 0.6 hectare of land and the equivalent of 3.1 heads of livestock. 28.2% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and an average of 28% for pastoral Regions. 12% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and none in secondary schools. 100% of the zone is exposed to malaria, and none to Tsetse fly. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 660. In April 2006, in partnership with Al-Nejah Relief, CHF International began a program to restore shallow wells and improve sanitation habits in the Afder and Gode Zones of the Somali Region.
Agriculture
On 5–23 November 2003, the CSA conducted the first ever national agricultural census, of which the livestock census was an important component. For the Somali Region, the CSA generated estimated figures for the livestock population and their distribution by commissioning an aerial survey. For the Afder Zone, their results included:
