Study was performed at lower Wabishebele sub-basin in Somali region south eastern Ethiopia to analyze the land use and cover and spatial variability of soil chemical properties of the sub-basin and develop soil map. A total of 41 soil samples were collected from 0-30 cm depth and analyzed for; pH Total Nitrogen (TN), Available Phosphorus (AP), and Exchangeable Potassium (EK). The data was analyzed through descriptive statistics and geostatistical methods. The results showed that highest mean value of pH was recorded from bare land (8.05). The highest mean of soil N was seen on potential croplands (0.251) followed by dense shrub land (0.230), woodland (0.230), croplands (0.187), and sparse shrub land (0.159) and bare land (0.151). The highest mean of AP recorded at dense shrub land (7.279) followed by potential croplands (6.607ppm), cropland, woodland, bare land and sparse shrub land. Soil map was developed for lower Wabishebele sub-basin. Therefore, the findings of this study can be used as baseline information to implement appropriate soil management intervention for current study area.

Keywords: Land use, Land cover, Soil properties, Lower Wabishebele, Sub-basin