Governorates of Italian East Africa

The Italian colony of Italian East Africa (Italian: Africa Orientale Italiana) was composed of 6 Governorates which made up the first level of country subdivisions for the colony.

The 6 AOI governorates: Eritrea, Amara, Harar, Galla-Sidamo, Scioa and Somalia

Map showing Italian East Africa, with the borders of the governorates. (Note the smaller Addis Abeba Governorate before it became the Scioa Governorate)

The Governorates of Amhara, Galla-Sidamo, Harar and Scioa constituted the "Italian Empire of Ethiopia", which covered about half of the previous Ethiopian Empire. The Eritrea and Somalia Governorates were formed from the previously separate colonies of Italian Eritrea and Somalia, enlarged with the remainder of Ethiopian territory.[1]

The Governorates were divided into Governor Commissariats, governed by a Governor Commissioner assisted by a Vice Commissioner. The Commissariats were divided into Residences, sometimes divided into Vice Residences. The Governor Commissioners were usually also the owners of the Residence with headquarters in the Commissariats capital.

As a rule, the headquarters of the Commissariats were provided with primary schools, post offices and telegraphs, infirmaries with a doctor, and runways for airplanes. The Residences were equipped with a post office, telegraph and infirmary with a doctor.

English	Capital	Total population[1]	Italians[1]	Tag	Coat of Arms
Amhara Governorate	Gondar	2,000,000	11,103	AM
Eritrea Governorate	Asmara	1,500,000	72,408	ER
Galla-Sidamo Governorate	Jimma	4,000,000	11,823	GS
Harar Governorate	Harar	1,600,000	10,035	HA
Scioa Governorate (Known as the Addis Abeba Governorate until 1938)	Addis Abeba	1,850,000	40,698	SC
Somalia Governorate	Mogadishu	1,150,000	19,200	SOM