| Official Name: | Chinaksan |
| Other Name: | Jinacsani (Somali) |
| Native Name Lang: | om |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Pushpin Map: | Ethiopia#Africa |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within Ethiopia |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Ethiopia |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Type2: | Zone |
| Subdivision Name2: | East Hararghe |
| Subdivision Name3: | Chinaksen |
| Population As Of: | 2007 |
| Population Total: | 12,261 |
| Timezone: | EAT |
| Utc Offset: | +3 |
| Coordinates: | 9.5°N 84°W |
| Elevation M: | 1816 |
Chinaksen (Oromo: Cinaaksan, lit. "near the hole") (Somali: Jinacsani) is a town located in Chinaksen woreda, East Hararghe Zone of the eastern Oromia Region, Ethiopia. This city has a latitude and longitude of 9.5°N 84°W with an elevation of 1816 meters above sea level. Chinaksan is a historical settlement with stone walls built at the foot of an oval hill; on the hill are ruins of fortifications of Adalite origins during the Adal Sultanate period.[1] [2] The writer Nega Mezlekia, an Amhara from Jijiga who had joined the Western Somali Liberation Front, relates how he participated in an attack on a Derg military training camp in Chinaksen. No prisoners were taken in the attack; those who surrendered were shot dead.[3] Early in the Ogaden War, Chinaksen was captured by Somali units as they advanced on Dire Dawa; it was recaptured by Ethiopian units between 5 and 9 February 1978.[4]
In late January 2009, the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation completed a 27km (17miles) electric power line from Jijiga to Chinhahsan, while constructing six power distributors in the town. This provided 24-hour electric service to Chinhahsan for the first time.[5]
Based on figures from the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, Chinaksen had an estimated total population of 11,558 of whom 5,981 are men and 5,577 are women.[6]
The 1997 census reported this town had a total population of 7,753 of whom 3,951 were men and 3,802 women. The three largest ethnic groups reported in this town were the Oromo (69.59%), Somali (20%), and the Amhara (5.8%); all other ethnic groups made up the remaining 3.89% of the residents.[7]