 Negele Military Base, an important installation of the Ethiopian Army, is located to the northeast.Philip Briggs describes Negele Borana as "something of a frontier town, a cultural boiling pot that is predominantly Oromo but also has strong Somali, and Muslim influences.... Negele's distinctive character and cultural blend are personified in one of the most lively and absorbing markets in East Africa -- especially on Sundays when the camel market is held."