Ethnic groups in the region include the Oromo (56.41%), Amhara (22.77%), Harari (8.65%), Gurage (4.34%), Somali (3.87%), Tigray (1.53%), and Argobba (1.26%).

Languages spoken include Oromiffa (56.84%), Amharic (27.53%), Harari (7.33%), Somali (3.70%), and Gurage (2.91%).Karanle In the previous census, conducted in 1994, the region's population was reported to be 131,139, of whom 65,550 were men and 65,589 women.

Ethnic groups in the region recorded in the earlier census included the Oromo (66.84%), Amhara (10.7%), Harari (7.1%), Gurage (3.2%), Tigray (2.71%), and Somali (1.68%).

Languages recorded included Oromiffa (72.79%), Amharic (22.97%), Harari (7.61%), Gurage (1.13%) and Tigrinya (1.13%) According to the CSA, as of 2004[update], 73.28% of the total population had access to safe drinking water, of whom 39.83% were rural inhabitants and 95.28% were urban.

[2] The religious composition of the population of the region indicated that 60.28% were Muslim, 38.09% Ethiopian Orthodox, 0.94% Protestant, and 0.46% Catholic in 1994.