Ethiopia is divided into 9 ethnically-based administrative regions (kililoch; singular – kilil) and three chartered cities (astedader akababiwach, singular – astedader akabibi). The word "kilil" more specifically means "reservation" or "protected area" and the ethnic basis of the regions and choice of the word "kilil" has drawn fierce criticism from the opposition, who have drawn comparisons to the bantustans of ApartheidSouth Africa.[1] The 9 regions (and three chartered cities, marked by asterisks) are:
