Bahir Dar (or Bahar Dar), western Ethiopia

Gojam region, in the Amhara National Regional State, is to the north west of Shewa (Shoa), where the capital Addis Ababa is situated. About three quarters of its boundaries are formed by the Blue Nile river, known locally as the Abbai (Abay). The Tis Isat (or Tissisat) Falls, ("Smoke of fire") near the town of Bahir Dar is an impressive sight: here the waters plunge 45 metres into the gorge below and flow towards nearby Lake Tana, the highest of Africa's lakes, measuring 68 km by 73 km and covering over 2600 square kilometres. From there the Blue Nile flows to Sudan where, at Khartoum, it joins the White Nile to form the mighty Nile flowing northward towards Egypt and the Mediterranean.

Bahir Dar is an attractive town on the southern shores of Lake Tana, about 566 km far from Addis Ababa or a long drive of two days; the road enters East Gojam via a bridge over the Blue Nile Gorge and, via the town of Debre Markos and the village of Bure, leads towards Bahir Dar, with its tree-lined avenues. The town has a population of around 130 000 and is an important commercial centre, with cotton and oil factories, a polytechnic and pedagogical colleges. One of Emperor Haile Selassie's palaces stands at Bizeit, a peaceful hill overlooking the town and the Blue Nile.

Nearby, on the south western shores of Lake Tana and on many of the 37 islands, are churches and monasteries, many dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries; papyrus boats, called "tankwa" can still be seen here as a means of transport.

	Bure (Burie)	Herding cattle	Blue Nile Falls	Blue Nile Gorge
	Guard, Tis Isat	Cotton workers	Basket weaving	Young girl
	Blue Nile	Weaving "shamma"	Cooking "teff"	Bahir Dar

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