Based on the 2007 national census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), this woreda has a total population of 223,066, an increase of 51.10% over the 1994 census, of whom 111,172 are men and 111,894 women; 31,489 or 14.12% are urban inhabitants. With an area of 2,305.44 square kilometers, Guangua has a population density of 96.76, which is less than the Zone average of 107.44 persons per square kilometer. A total of 47,759 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 4.67 persons to a household, and 46,471 housing units. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 81.81% reporting that as their religion, 14.59% of the population said they were Muslim, and 1.64% practiced traditional beliefs.[5]
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 170,974 in 34,553 households, of whom 84,893 were men and 86,081 were women; 7,767 or 4.54% of its population were urban dwellers. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Guangua were the Awi (62.02%) one of the Agaw peoples, the Amhara (31.93%), and the Gumuz (4.55%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.5% of the population. Awngi was spoken as a first language by 61.33%, 32.83% Amharic, and 4.55% spoke Gumuz; the remaining 1.29% spoke all other primary languages reported. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 74.3% reporting that as their religion, while 20.98% were Muslim, and 0.77% observed traditional religions.[6]
