ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHARACTRATICS

4.1 Urban Economy and Role of the Town

The town is administration, industrial and storage center. There are 250 manufacturing, five retail trades, four service trades, three fuel stations, four garages, one real estate and 10 hotels in the town. All these firms registered a capital of 6,234,231,987. The average annual revenue of the municipality was 30,209,082.31 Birr and per capita revenue was 3020.9 Birr while the major sources of revenue were land lease and rent. The major investment opportunities in the town are:- manufacturing, hotel and agro processing.

Gelan has economic linkages with the surrounding areas, towns, region and Addis Ababa. The town gets grain products and labor from surrounding areas, natural resources (fuel wood, charcoal) from Dukem, Awash (rural area). The town gets agricultural inputs from Adama, Bishoftu and Addis Ababa. Manufacturing and commercial products and some construction materials from Addis Ababa and the town itself.

4.2 Social and Municipal Services

Social Services

Education

There are four private kindergartens; six government primary schools; one government junior secondary  school and one high school including preparatory. The student teacher ratio was known to be 1:26 for kindergartens, 1:36 for primary school and 1:51 for junior secondary school. On the other hand; the student to class room ratio was 1:26 for kindergartens, 1:51 for primary schools, 1:45 junior secondary and 1.43 for senior secondary schools.

Health

Regarding health services in the town, there are one health center, four health posts and five private clinics. There are ten nurses giving service in the health facility.

Municipal services

Gelan town has meeting hall, a general, cattle and daily market giving service. There is 702.3 hectare forest and 372.3 hectare urban greenery in the town. Recreation and related function including park and playground exists in the town. Regarding religious services there are three churches for Orthodox Christians, one church for Protestants and two mosques for Muslims in the town.