Gambela is home to a diverse population which includes the Anuak, Nuer, and other indigenous groups collectively referred to as the Majang Komo and Opo.

Various Nilotic ethnic minority groups mainly inhabit the Gambela region: Anuak (Anywaa), Nuer,Majang and others.

[4][5] In 1994, the national census reported the region's population to be 181,862 in 35,940 households, of whom 92,902 were men and 88,960 women; 27,424 or 15.08% were urban inhabitants.

[7] 90% of the region's population are Protestants, 5% Orthodox, 3% Muslim, 1% practice traditional religions, and 1% are Catholic.

In June 2003, the Ethiopian government signed an agreement with Petronas of Malaysia for the joint exploration and development of oil resources in Gambella region.

Petronas then awarded a contract for seismic data acquisition to China's Zhongyuan Petroleum Exploration Bureau (ZPEB) in October of that year.

[16] Construction of an asphalt road 102 kilometers in length and connecting Gambela City with Jikawo by way of Itang was begun in 2008 with a budget over 446 million Birr.

Not all the land is actually being farmed, as per the agreement, and there are accusations of investors illegally clearing trees in the Gambella National Park in a blog.