Benishangul region is a regional state in northwestern Ethiopia bordering Sudan. It was previously known as region 6. The region’s capital is Assosa. Following the adoption of the 1995 constitution, the region was created from the westernmost portion of the Gojjam province (the part north of the Abay River), and the northwestern portion of the walega province (the part south of the Abay). 

The name of the region comes from two peoples – Berta (also called Benishangul, which is its original name) and Gumuz. The Abay River (Blue Nile) divides Benishangul-Gumuz.