The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 41,570 in 8,831 households, of whom 20,843 were men and 20,727 were women; 2,912 or 7.01% of its population were urban dwellers. The five largest ethnic groups reported in Dibate were the Gumuz (30.6%), the Amhara (26.3%), the Oromo (24%), the Shinasha (16.5%) and the Awi (2%) a subgroup of the Agaw. Gumuz is spoken as a first language by 30.6%, 26.5% speak Amhara, Oromiffa 25%, and 2% Awngi. Most of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 46% of the population reporting that they held that belief, while 25% observed traditional religions, 17.6% were Muslim, and 8.9% were Protestant. Concerning education, 15.49% of the population were considered literate, which is less than the Zone average of 18.61%; 11.22% of children aged 7–12 were in primary school; 4.62% of the children aged 13–14 were in junior secondary school; and 0.71% of the inhabitants aged 15–18 were in senior secondary school. Concerning sanitary conditions, 14.3% of the urban houses and 5.9% of all houses had access to safe drinking water at the time of the census; 57.6% of the urban and 7.1% of the total had toilet facilities.