Somalia

Somalia,officially theFederal Republic of Somalia,is the easternmost country in continentalAfrica. The country is located in theHorn of Africaand is bordered byEthiopiato the west,Djiboutito the northwest,Kenyato the southwest, theGulf of Adento the north, and theIndian Oceanto the east. Somalia has the longest coastline on Africa's mainland.Somalia has an estimated population of 18.1 million,of which 2.7 million live in the capital and largest city,Mogadishu. Around 85% of Somalia's residents are ethnicSomalis; the official languages of the country areSomaliandArabic, though Somali is the primary language. Somalia has historic and religious ties to theArab world.As such the people in Somalia areMuslims,the majority of themSunni.
In antiquity, Somalia was an important commercial center.During the Middle Ages, several powerful Somali empires dominated the regional trade, including theAjuran Sultanate,Adal Sultanate, and theSultanate of the Geledi. In the late 19th century, Somalisultanateswere colonized by theItalianandBritishEmpires,who merged all of these tribal territories into twocolonies:Italian SomalilandandBritish Somaliland.In 1960, the two territories united to form the independentSomali Republicunder a civilian government.Siad Barreof theSupreme Revolutionary Council(SRC) seized power in 1969 and established theSomali Democratic Republic, brutally attempting to squash theSomaliland War of Independencein the north of the country.The SRC collapsed in 1991 with the onset of theSomali Civil War.TheTransitional National Government of Somalia(TNG) was established in 2000, followed by the formation of theTransitional Federal Government of Somalia(TFG) in 2004, which reestablished theSomali Armed Forces.
At the end of 2006, aUS-backed Ethiopian invasionoverthrew theIslamic Courts Union(ICU), leading to the installation of theTFGinMogadishuunder an Ethiopianmilitary occupation.The subsequentinsurgencywhich emerged saw the ICU fragment into various rebel factions, including the hardline groupal-Shabaab, which waged a protracted conflict against Ethiopian forces.al-Shabaab soon began asserting territorial control for the first time,and by late 2008 the insurgency had driven the Ethiopian army out of much of Somalia.In 2009, a new TFG government was established.By mid-2012, al-Shabaab lost most of its territories during fighting against the TFG andAfrican Union troops.That same year, al-Shabaab pledged allegiance toAl-Qaeda.The insurgents still control much of central and southern Somalia,and wield influence in government-controlled areas,with the town ofJilibacting as thede factocapital for the insurgents.
A new provisionalconstitutionwas passed in August 2012,reforming Somalia as afederation.The same month, theFederal Government of Somaliawas formedand a period of reconstruction began in Mogadishu, despite al-Shabaab frequently carrying outattacks there.Somalia is among theleast developed countriesin the world, as evidenced by its ranking in metrics such asGDP per capita,It has maintained aninformal economymainly based on livestock, remittances fromSomalis working abroad, and telecommunications.It is a member of theUnited Nations,theArab League,African Union,Non-Aligned Movement,East African Community,and theOrganisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Samaale, the oldest common ancestor of severalSomali clans, is generally regarded as the source of theethnonymSomali. One other theory is that the name is held to be derived from the wordssooandmaal, which together mean "go" and "milk". This interpretation differs depending on region with northern Somalis imply it refers to go and milk in regards to the camel's milk, southern Somalis use the transliteration "sa'maal" which refers to cow's milk.This is a reference to the ubiquitouspastoralismof the Somali people.Another plausibleetymologyproposes that the termSomaliis derived from theArabicword for "wealthy" (zāwamāl), again referring to Somali riches in livestock.
Alternatively, the ethnonymSomaliis believed to have been derived from the Automoli (Asmach), a group of warriors fromancient Egyptdescribed byHerodotus.Asmachis thought to have been their Egyptian name, withAutomolibeing a Greek derivative of the Hebrew wordS’mali(meaning "on the left hand side").
ATang Chinesedocument from the 9th century CE referred to the northern Somalia coast — which was then part of a broader region inNortheast Africaknown asBarbaria, in reference to the area'sBarbars(Cushitic) inhabitants— asPo-pa-li.
The first clear written reference of the sobriquetSomalidates back to the early 15th century CE during the reign of Ethiopian EmperorYeshaq Iwho had one of his court officials compose ahymncelebrating a military victory over theSultanate of Ifat.Simurwas also an ancientHararialias for the Somali people.
Somalis overwhelmingly prefer the demonymSomaliover the incorrectSomaliansince the former is an endonym, while the latter is an exonym with double suffixes.Thehypernymof the termSomalifrom a geopolitical sense isHornerand from an ethnic sense, it isCushite.
Somalia was likely one of the first lands to be settled by early humans due to its location.Hunter-gathererswho would later migrate out of Africa likely settled here before their migrations.During the Stone Age, the Doian and Hargeisan cultures flourished here.The oldest evidence of burial customs in the Horn of Africa comes from cemeteries in Somalia dating back to the 4th millennium BCE.The stone implements from the Jalelo site in the north were also characterized in 1909 as important artifacts demonstrating the archaeological universality during the Paleolithic between the East and the West.
According to linguists, the firstAfroasiatic-speaking populations arrived in the region during the ensuingNeolithicperiod from the family's proposedurheimat("original homeland") in theNile Valley,or theNear East.
TheLaas Geelcomplex on the outskirts ofHargeisain northwestern Somalia dates back approximately 5,000 years, and hasrock artdepicting both wild animals and decorated cows.Othercave paintingsare found in the northernDhambalinregion, which feature one of the earliest known depictions of a hunter on horseback. The rock art is dated to 1,000 to 3,000 BCE.Additionally, between the towns ofLas KhoreyandEl Ayoin northern Somalia liesKarinhegane, the site of numerous cave paintings, which collectively have been estimated to be around 2,500 years old.
Ancientpyramidicalstructures,mausoleums, ruined cities and stone walls, such as theWargaade Wall, are evidence of an old civilization that once thrived in the Somali peninsula.This civilization enjoyed a trading relationship withancient EgyptandMycenaean Greecesince the second millennium BCE, supporting the hypothesis that Somalia or adjacent regions were the location of the ancientLand of Punt.The Puntites native to the region tradedmyrrh, spices, gold, ebony, short-horned cattle, ivory andfrankincensewith the Egyptians, Phoenicians, Babylonians, Indians, Chinese and Romans through their commercial ports. An Egyptian expedition sent to Punt by the18th dynastyQueenHatshepsutis recorded on the temple reliefs atDeir el-Bahari, during the reign of the Puntite King Parahu and Queen Ati.
In theclassical era, theMacrobians, who may have been ancestral to Somalis, established a powerful  kingdom that ruled large parts of modern Somalia. They were reputed for their longevity and wealth, and were said to be the "tallest and handsomest of all men".The Macrobians were warrior herders and seafarers. According to Herodotus' account, thePersian EmperorCambyses II, upon hisconquest of Egyptin 525 BC, sent ambassadors to Macrobia, bringing luxury gifts for the Macrobian king to entice his submission. The Macrobian ruler, who was elected based on his stature and beauty, replied instead with a challenge for his Persian counterpart in the form of an unstrung bow: if the Persians could manage to draw it, they would have the right to invade his country; but until then, they should thank the gods that the Macrobians never decided to invade their empire.The Macrobians were a regional power reputed for their advanced architecture andgoldwealth, which was so plentiful that they shackled their prisoners in golden chains.Thecamelis believed to have been domesticated in the Horn region sometime between the 2nd and 3rd millennium BCE. From there, it spread toEgyptand theMaghreb.
During the classical period, theBarbaracity-states ofMosylon,Opone,Mundus,Isis,Malao,Avalites,Essina,NikonandSarapiondeveloped a lucrative trade network, connecting with merchants fromPtolemaic Egypt,Ancient Greece,Phoenicia,Parthian Persia,Saba, theNabataean Kingdom, and theRoman Empire. They used the ancient Somali maritime vessel known as thebedento transport their cargo.
After theRoman conquest of the Nabataean Empireand the Roman naval presence atAdento curb piracy, Arab and Somali merchants agreed with the Romans to bar Indian ships from trading in the free port cities of theArabian peninsulato protect the interests of Somali and Arab merchants in the lucrative commerce between the Red and Mediterranean Seas.However, Indian merchants continued to trade in the port cities of the Somali peninsula, which was free from Roman interference.For centuries, Indian merchants brought large quantities of cinnamon to Somalia and Arabia fromCeylonand theSpice Islands. The source of the cinnamon and other spices is said to have been the best-kept secret of Arab and Somali merchants in their trade with the Roman and Greek world; the Romans and Greeks believed the source to have been the Somali peninsula.The collusive agreement among Somali and Arab traders inflated the price of Indian and Chinese cinnamon in North Africa, the Near East, and Europe, and made the cinnamon trade a very profitable revenue generator, especially for the Somali merchants.
Islamwas introduced to the area early on by the first Muslims of Mecca fleeing prosecution during the firstHejirawithMasjid al-QiblatayninZeilabeing built before theQiblahtowardsMecca. It is one of the oldestmosquesin Africa.In the late 9th century,Al-Yaqubiwrote that Muslims were living along the northern Somali seaboard.He also mentioned that theAdal Kingdomhad its capital in the city.According toLeo Africanus, theAdal Sultanatewas governed by localSomalidynasties and its realm encompassed the geographical area between the Bab el Mandeb and Cape Guardafui. It was thus flanked to the south by theAjuran Empireand to the west by theAbyssinian Empire.
Throughout the Middle Ages, Arab immigrants arrived in Somaliland, a historical experience which would later lead to the legendary stories about Muslimsheikhssuch asDaaroodandIshaaq bin Ahmed(the purported ancestors of theDarodandIsaaqclans, respectively) travelling fromArabiato Somalia and marrying into the localDirclan.
In 1332, the Zeila-based King of Adal was slain in a military campaign aimed at halting Abyssinian emperorAmda Seyon I's march toward the city.When the last Sultan of Ifat,Sa'ad ad-Din II, was also killed by EmperorDawit Iin Zeila in 1410, his children escaped to Yemen, before returning in 1415.In the early 15th century, Adal's capital was moved further inland to the town ofDakkar, whereSabr ad-Din II, the eldest son of Sa'ad ad-Din II, established a new base after his return from Yemen.
Adal's headquarters were again relocated the following century, this time southward toHarar. From this new capital, Adal organised an effective army led by ImamAhmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi(Ahmad "Gurey" or "Gran"; both meaning "the left-handed") and his closest top generalGarad Hirabu "Emir Of The Somalisthat invaded the Abyssinian empire.This 16th-century campaign is historically known as theConquest of Abyssinia(Futuh al-Habash). During the war, Imam Ahmad pioneered the use of cannons supplied by the Ottoman Empire, which he imported through Zeila and deployed against Abyssinian forces and their Portuguese allies led byCristóvão da Gama.
During theAjuran Sultanateperiod, the city-states and republics ofMerca,Mogadishu,Barawa,Hobyoand their respective ports flourished and had a lucrative foreign commerce with ships sailing to and from Arabia, India,Venetia,Persia, Egypt, Portugal, and as far away as China.Vasco da Gama, who passed by Mogadishu in the 15th century, noted that it was a large city with houses several storeys high and large palaces in its centre, in addition to many mosques with cylindrical minarets.TheHarla, an earlyHamiticgroup of tall stature who inhabited parts of Somalia, Tchertcher and other areas in the Horn, also erected varioustumuli.These masons are believed to have been ancestral to ethnic Somalis.
In the 16th century,Duarte Barbosanoted that many ships from theKingdom of Cambayain modern-day India sailed to Mogadishu with cloth and spices, for which they in return received gold, wax and ivory. Barbosa also highlighted the abundance of meat, wheat, barley, horses, and fruit on the coastal markets, which generated enormous wealth for the merchants.Mogadishu, the center of a thriving textile industry known astoob benadir(specialized for the markets in Egypt, among other places), together with Merca and Barawa, also served as a transit stop forSwahilimerchants fromMombasaandMalindiand for the gold trade fromKilwa.Jewishmerchants from theHormuzbrought their Indian textile and fruit to the Somali coast in exchange forgrainand wood.
Trading relations were established withMalaccain the 15th century,with cloth, ambergris and porcelain being the main commodities of the trade.Giraffes, zebras and incense were exported to theMing Empireof China, which established Somali merchants as leaders in the commerce between East Asia and the Horn.Hindu merchants fromSuratand Southeast African merchants fromPate, seeking to bypass both thePortuguese Indiablockade ( and later the Omani interference), used the Somali ports of Merca and Barawa (which were out of the two powers' direct jurisdiction) to conduct their trade in safety and without interference.
In theearly modernperiod, successor states to the Adal Sultanate andAjuran Sultanatebegan to flourish in Somalia. These included theHiraab Imamate, theIsaaq Sultanateled by theGuled dynasty,theHabr Yunis Sultanateled by theAinanshe dynasty,theSultanate of the Geledi(Gobroon dynasty), theMajeerteen Sultanate(Migiurtinia), and theSultanate of Hobyo(Obbia). They continued the tradition of castle-building and seaborne trade established by previous Somali empires.
SultanYusuf Mahamud Ibrahim, the third Sultan of the House of Gobroon, started the golden age of the Gobroon Dynasty. His army came out victorious during the Bardheere Jihad, which restored stability in the region and revitalized the East Africanivory trade. He also had cordial relations and received gifts from the rulers of neighbouring and distant kingdoms such as the Omani,Wituand Yemeni Sultans.
Sultan Ibrahim's sonAhmed Yusufsucceeded him as one of the most important figures in 19th-century East Africa, receiving tribute from Omani governors and creating alliances with important Muslim families on the East African coast.
InSomaliland, the Isaaq Sultanate was established in 1750. The Isaaq Sultanate was aSomalikingdom that ruled parts of theHorn of Africaduring the 18th and 19th centuries.It spanned the territories of theIsaaqclan, descendants of theBanu Hashimclan,in modern-daySomalilandandEthiopia. The sultanate was governed by the Rer Guled branch established by the first sultan, SultanGuled Abdi, of theEidagaleclan.According to oral tradition, prior to the Guled dynasty theIsaaqclan-family were ruled by a dynasty of the Tolje'lo branch starting from, descendants of Ahmed nicknamed Tol Je'lo, the eldest son ofSheikh Ishaaq'sHarariwife. There were eight Tolje'lo rulers in total, starting with Boqor Harun (Somali:Boqor Haaruun) who ruled the Isaaq Sultanate for centuries starting from the 13th century.The last Tolje'lo rulerGaradDhuh Barar (Somali:Dhuux Baraar) was overthrown by a coalition of Isaaq clans. The once strong Tolje'lo clan were scattered and took refuge amongst theHabr Awalwith whom they still mostly live.
In the late 19th century, after theBerlin Conferenceof 1884, European powers began theScramble for Africa. In that year, a British protectorate was declared over part of Somalia, on the African coast opposite South Yemen.Initially, this region was under the control of the Indian Office, and so administered as part of the Indian Empire; in 1898 it was transferred to control by London.In 1889, the protectorate and later colony ofItalian Somaliawas officially established byItalythrough various treaties signed with a number of chiefs and sultans;SultanYusuf Ali Kenadidfirst sent a request to Italy in late December 1888 to make hisSultanate of Hobyoan Italian protectorate before later signing a treaty in 1889.
The Dervish movement successfully repulsed the British Empire four times and forced it to retreat to the coastal region.TheDarawiishdefeated the Italian, British, Abyssinian colonial powers on numerous occasions, most notably, the 1903 victory at Cagaarweyne commanded bySuleiman Aden Galaydh,forcing theBritish Empireto retreat to the coastal region in the early 1900s.The Dervishes were finally defeated in 1920 by British airpower.
The dawn offascismin the early 1920s heralded a change of strategy for Italy, as the north-eastern sultanates were soon to be forced within the boundaries ofLa Grande Somalia("Greater Somalia") according to the plan of Fascist Italy. With the arrival of GovernorCesare Maria De Vecchion 15 December 1923, things began to change for that part of Somaliland known asItalian Somaliland. The last piece of land acquired by Italy in Somalia wasOltre Giuba, present-dayJubalandregion, in 1925.
The Italians began local infrastructure projects, including the construction of hospitals, farms and schools.Fascist Italy, underBenito Mussolini, attacked Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1935, with an aim to colonize it. The invasion was condemned by theLeague of Nations, but little was done to stop it or to liberate occupied Ethiopia. In 1936, Italian Somalia was integrated intoItalian East Africa, alongside Eritrea and Ethiopia, as theSomalia Governorate. On 3 August 1940, Italian troops, including Somali colonial units, crossed from Ethiopia toinvade British Somaliland, and by 14 August, succeeded in takingBerberafrom the British.
A British force, including troops from several African countries, launched thecampaign in January 1941from Kenya to liberate British Somaliland and Italian-occupied Ethiopia and conquer Italian Somaliland. By February most of Italian Somaliland was captured and, in March, British Somaliland was retaken from the sea. The forces of the British Empire operating in Somaliland comprised the three divisions of South African, West African, and East African troops. They were assisted by Somali forces led by Abdulahi Hassan with Somalis of theIsaaq,Dhulbahante, andWarsangaliclans prominently participating. The number ofItalian Somalisbegan to decline after World War II, with fewer than 10,000 remaining in 1960.
Following World War II, Britain retained control of bothBritish Somalilandand Italian Somaliland as protectorates. In 1945, during thePotsdam Conference, the United Nations granted Italy trusteeship of Italian Somaliland as theTrust Territory of Somaliland, on the condition first proposed by the Somali Youth League (SYL) and other nascent Somali political organizations, such as Hizbia Digil Mirifle Somali (HDMS) and the Somali National League (SNL)—that Somalia achieve independence within ten years.British Somaliland remained a protectorate of Britain until 1960.
To the extent thatItalyheld the territory by UN mandate, the trusteeship provisions gave the Somalis the opportunity to gain experience in Western political education and self-government. These were advantages that British Somaliland, which was to be incorporated into the new Somali state, did not have. Although in the 1950s British colonial officials attempted, through various administrative development efforts, to make up for past neglect, the protectorate stagnated in political administrative development. The disparity between the two territories in economic development and political experience would later cause serious difficulties integrating the two parts.
Meanwhile, in 1948, under pressure from their World War II allies and to the dismay of the Somalis,the British returned theHaud(an important Somali grazing area that was presumably protected by British treaties with the Somalis in 1884 and 1886) and theSomali Regionto Ethiopia, based on a treaty they signed in 1897 in which the British ceded Somali territory to the Ethiopian EmperorMenelikin exchange for his help against possible advances by the French.
Britain included the conditional provision that the Somali residents would retain their autonomy, but Ethiopia immediately claimed sovereignty over the area. This prompted an unsuccessful bid by Britain in 1956 to buy back the Somali lands it had turned over.Britain also granted administration of the almost exclusively Somali-inhabitedNorthern Frontier District(NFD) to Kenyan nationalists.This was despite aplebiscitein which, according to a British colonial commission, almost all of the territory's ethnic Somalis favored joining the newly formed Somali Republic.
Areferendumwas held in neighbouringDjibouti(then known asFrench Somaliland) in 1958, on the eve of Somalia's independence in 1960, to decide whether or not to join the Somali Republic or to remain with France. The referendum turned out in favour of a continued association with France, largely due to a combined yes vote by the sizableAfarethnic group and resident Europeans.There was also widespread vote rigging, with the French expelling thousands of Somalis before the referendum reached the polls.
The majority of those who voted 'no' were Somalis who were strongly in favour of joining a united Somalia, as had been proposed byMahmoud Harbi, Vice President of the Government Council. Harbi was killed in a plane crash two years later.Djibouti finally gained independence fromFrancein 1977, andHassan Gouled Aptidon, a Somali who had campaigned for a 'yes' vote in the referendum of 1976, eventually became Djibouti's first president (1977–1999).
On 1 July 1960, five days after the former British Somaliland protectorate obtained independence as the State of Somaliland, the territory united with the Trust Territory of Somaliland to form theSomali Republic,albeit within boundaries drawn up by Italy and Britain.A government was formed byAbdullahi IssaandMuhammad Haji Ibrahim Egalwith other members of the trusteeship and protectorate governments, withAbdulcadir Muhammed Adenas President of theSomali National Assembly,Aden Abdullah Osman DaarasPresidentof the Somali Republic, andAbdirashid Ali ShermarkeasPrime Minister(later to become president from 1967 to 1969). On 20 July 1961 and through apopular referendum, was ratified popularly by the people of Somalia under Italian trusteeship, Most of the people from the former Somaliland Protectorate did not participate in the referendum, although only a small number of Somalilanders who participated the referendum voted against thenew constitution,which was first drafted in 1960.In 1967, Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal became Prime Minister, a position to which he was appointed by Shermarke. Egal would later become the President of the autonomousSomalilandregion in northwestern Somalia.
On 15 October, while president Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke was touring drought-stricken Las Anood, his personal bodyguard shot and killed him. Former US Secretary of StateHenry Kissingerconcluded that the bodyguard was acting of his own accord.Six days later, on 21 October, GeneralSiad Barreled a military coup and successfully overthrew the parliamentary government. Modern political analysts assert that the coup was motivated by corruption in the parliamentary government.The bodyguard was tried, tortured and executed by theSupreme Revolutionary Council(SRC). He came from the same clan background as the president who he killed.
Alongside Barre, the SRC that assumed power after President Sharmarke's assassination was led by Brigadier GeneralMohamed Ainanshe Guled, Lieutenant ColonelSalaad Gabeyre Kediyeand Chief of PoliceJama Korshel. Kediye officially held the title "Father of the Revolution", and Barre shortly afterwards became the head of the SRC.The SRC subsequently renamed the country the Somali Democratic Republic,dissolved the parliament and the Supreme Court, and suspended the constitution.
The revolutionary government established large-scale public works programs and successfully implemented an urban and ruralliteracycampaign, which helped dramatically increase the literacy rate. The Somali Democratic Republic achieved a literacy rate of 70%, one of the highest in Africa at the time.
In addition to a nationalization program of industry and land, the new regime's foreign policy placed an emphasis on Somalia's traditional and religious links with theArab world, eventually joining theArab Leaguein February, 1974.That same year, Barre also served as chairman of theOrganisation of African Unity(OAU), the predecessor of theAfrican Union(AU).
In July 1976, Barre's SRC disbanded itself and established in its place theSomali Revolutionary Socialist Party(SRSP), a one-party government based onscientific socialismand Islamic tenets. The SRSP was an attempt to reconcile the official state ideology with the official state religion byadapting Marxist preceptsto local circumstances. Emphasis was placed on the Muslim principles of social progress, equality and justice, which the government argued formed the core of scientific socialism and its own accent on self-sufficiency, public participation and popular control, as well as direct ownership of the means of production. While the SRSP encouraged private investment on a limited scale, the administration's overall direction was essentiallycommunist.
In July 1977, theOgaden Warbroke out after Barre's government used a plea for national unity to justify anaggressiveincorporation of the predominantly Somali-inhabitedOgadenregion of Ethiopia into a Pan-SomaliGreater Somalia, along with the rich agricultural lands of south-eastern Ethiopia, infrastructure, and strategically important areas as far north as Djibouti.In the first week of the conflict, Somali armed forces took southern and central Ogaden and for most of the war, the Somali army scored continuous victories on the Ethiopian army and followed them as far asSidamo. By September 1977, Somalia controlled 90% of the Ogaden and captured strategic cities such asJijigaand put heavy pressure onDire Dawa, threatening the train route from the latter city to Djibouti. After the siege of Harar, a massive unprecedented Soviet intervention consisting of 20,000Cubanforces and several thousand Soviet experts came to the aid of Ethiopia's communistDergregime. By 1978, the Somali troops were ultimately pushed out of the Ogaden. This shift in support by the Soviet Union motivated the Barre government to seek allies elsewhere. It eventually settled on the Soviets'Cold Wararch-rival, theUnited States, which had been courting the Somali government for some time. Somalia's initial friendship with the Soviet Union and later partnership with the United States enabled it to build the largest army in Africa.
A new constitution was promulgated in 1979 under which elections for a People's Assembly were held. However, Barre's Somali Revolutionary Socialist Partypolitburocontinued to rule.In October 1980, the SRSP was disbanded, and the Supreme Revolutionary Council was re-established in its place.By that time, Barre's government had become increasingly unpopular. Many Somalis had become disillusioned with life under military dictatorship.
The regime was weakened further in the 1980s as the Cold War drew to a close and Somalia's strategic importance was diminished. The government became increasinglyauthoritarian, andresistance movements, encouraged by Ethiopia, sprang up across the country, eventually leading to theSomali Civil War. Among the militia groups were theSomali Salvation Democratic Front(SSDF),United Somali Congress(USC),Somali National Movement(SNM) and theSomali Patriotic Movement(SPM), together with the non-violent political oppositions of theSomali Democratic Movement(SDM), theSomali Democratic Alliance(SDA) and the Somali Manifesto Group (SMG).
As themoral authorityof Barre's government was gradually eroded, many Somalis became disillusioned with life under military rule. By the mid-1980s, resistance movements supported by Ethiopia's communistDergadministration had sprung up across the country. Barre responded by ordering punitive measures against those he perceived as locally supporting the guerrillas, especially in the northern regions. The clampdown included bombing of cities, with the northwestern administrative centre ofHargeisa, aSomali National Movement(SNM) stronghold, among the targeted areas in 1988.
The clampdown initiated byBarre's government extended its reach beyond the initial bombings in the north to encompass various regions across the country. This reproduction of aggressive strategies aimed at stifling descent and retaining authority over the populace was a hallmark of the government's repressive actions in the South. One of the most notable instances occurred in 1991, when Barre's regime initiated a ruthless aerial assault that led to the deaths of numerous innocent individuals in the town ofBeledwene, situated in southern Somalia.The cruelty and magnitude of this atrocity highlighted the degree to which the government was prepared to go to quash any sort of opposition or resistance, displaying a blatant disregard for human rights and the worth of human life.
Another notable instance ofBarre's repressive policies occurred in the city ofBaidoa, which earned the nickname 'the city of death' due to the tragic events that unfolded there during the famine andcivil war.Hundreds of thousands of individuals lost their lives as a consequence of governmental strategies specifically aimed at theRahanweyncommunity residing in these areas.
During 1990, in the capital city of Mogadishu, the residents were prohibited from gathering publicly in groups greater than three or four. Fuel shortages, inflation, and currency devaluation impacted the economy. A thriving black market existed in the centre of the city as banks experienced shortages of local currency for exchange. Harshexchange controlregulations were introduced to prevent export of foreign currency. Although no travel restrictions were placed on foreigners, photographing many locations was banned. During daytime in Mogadishu, the appearance of any government military force was extremely rare. Alleged late-night operations by government authorities, however, included "disappearances" of individuals from their homes.
In 1991, the Barre administration was ousted by a coalition of clan-based opposition groups, backed by Ethiopia's then-rulingDergregime andLibya.Following a meeting of theSomali National Movementand northern clans' elders, the northern former British portion of the countrydeclared its independenceas theRepublic of Somalilandin May 1991. Althoughde factoindependent and relatively stable compared to the tumultuous south, it has not been recognized by any foreign government.
Many of the opposition groups subsequently began competing for influence in the power vacuum that followed the ouster of Barre's regime. In the south, armed factions led by USC commanders GeneralMohamed Farah AididandAli Mahdi Mohamed, in particular, clashed as each sought to exert authority over the capital.In 1991, a multi-phased international conference on Somalia was held in neighbouring DjiboutiOwing to the legitimacy bestowed on Muhammad by the Djibouti conference, he was subsequently recognized by the international community as the new President of Somalia.He was not able to exert his authority beyond parts of the capital. Power was instead vied with other faction leaders in the southern half of Somalia and with autonomous sub-national entities in the north.The Djibouti conference was followed by two abortive agreements for national reconciliation and disarmament, which were signed by 15 political stakeholders: an agreement to hold an Informal Preparatory Meeting on National Reconciliation, and the 1993 Addis Ababa Agreement made at the Conference on National Reconciliation.
In the early 1990s, due to the protracted lack of a permanent central authority, Somalia began to be characterized as a "failed state".
The Transitional National Government (TNG) was established in April–May 2000 at the Somalia National Peace Conference (SNPC) held in Arta, Djibouti.Abdiqasim Salad Hassanwas selected as the President of the nation's new Transitional National Government (TNG), an interim administration formed to guide Somalia to its third permanent republican government.The TNG's internal problems led to the replacement of the Prime Minister four times in three years, and the administrative body's reported bankruptcy in December 2003. Its mandate ended at the same time.
On 10 October 2004, legislators electedAbdullahi Yusuf Ahmedas the first President of theTransitional Federal Government(TFG), the Transitional National Government's successor.the TFG was the second interim administration aiming to restore national institutions to Somalia after the 1991 collapse of the Siad Barre regime and the ensuing civil war.
The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was the internationally recognised government of Somalia until 20 August 2012, when its tenure officially ended.It was established as one of theTransitional Federal Institutions(TFIs) of government as defined in theTransitional Federal Charter(TFC) adopted in November 2004 by theTransitional Federal Parliament(TFP). The Transitional Federal Government officially comprised theexecutivebranch of government, with the TFP serving as thelegislativebranch. The government was headed by thePresident of Somalia, to whom thecabinetreported through thePrime Minister. However, it was also used as a general term to refer to all three branches collectively.
In 2006, theIslamic Courts Union(ICU), assumed control of much of the southern part of the country for 6 months and imposedShari'alaw. Top UN officials have referred to this brief period as a 'Golden era' in the history of Somali politics.
The Transitional Federal Government sought to re-establish its authority, and, with the assistance ofEthiopian troops,African Unionpeacekeepers and air support by the United States, drove out the ICU and solidified its rule.On 8 January 2007, TFG PresidentAbdullahi Yusuf Ahmedentered Mogadishu with the Ethiopian military support for the first time since being elected to office. The government then relocated toVilla Somaliain the capital from its interim location inBaidoa. This marked the first time since the fall of the Siad Barre regime in 1991 that the federal government controlled most of the country.
Al-Shabaabopposed the Ethiopian military's presence in Somalia and continued an insurgency against the TFG. Throughout 2007 and 2008, Al-Shabaab scored military victories, seizing control of key towns and ports in both central and southern Somalia. By January 2009, Al-Shabaab and other militias had forced the Ethiopian troops to retreat, leaving behind an under-equipped African Union peacekeeping force to assist the Transitional Federal Government's troops.
Owing to a lack of funding and human resources, anarms embargothat made it difficult to re-establish a national security force, and general indifference on the part of the international community, Yusuf found himself obliged to deploy thousands of troops from Puntland to Mogadishu to sustain the battle against insurgent elements in the southern part of the country. Financial support for this effort was provided by the autonomous region's government. This left little revenue for Puntland's own security forces and civil service employees, leaving the territory vulnerable to piracy and terrorist attacks.
On 29 December 2008, Yusuf announced before a united parliament in Baidoa his resignation as President of Somalia. In his speech, which was broadcast on national radio, Yusuf expressed regret at failing to end the country's seventeen-year conflict as his government had been mandated to do.He also blamed the international community for their failure to support the government, and said that the speaker of parliament would succeed him in office per theCharter of the Transitional Federal Government.
Between 31 May and 9 June 2008, representatives of Somalia's federal government and the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) participated in peace talks in Djibouti brokered by the former United Nations Special Envoy to Somalia,Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah. The conference ended with a signed agreement calling for the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops in exchange for the cessation of armed confrontation. Parliament was subsequently expanded to 550 seats to accommodate ARS members, which then electedSheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, as president.With the help of a small team of African Union troops, the TFG began acounteroffensivein February 2009 to assume full control of the southern half of the country. To solidify its rule, the TFG formed an alliance with the Islamic Courts Union, other members of the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia, andAhlu Sunna Waljama'a, a moderateSufimilitia.Furthermore, Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam, the two main Islamist groups in opposition, began to fight amongst themselves in mid-2009.As a truce, in March 2009, the TFG announced that it would re-implement Shari'a as the nation's official judicial system.However, conflict continued in the southern and central parts of the country. Within months, the TFG had gone from holding about 70% of south-central Somalia's conflict zones, to losing control of over 80% of the disputed territory to the Islamist insurgents.
In October 2011, a coordinated operation,Operation Linda Nchibetween the Somali and Kenyan militaries and multinational forces began against the Al-Shabaab in southern Somalia.By September 2012, Somali, Kenyan, andRaskamboniforces had managed to capture Al-Shabaab's last major stronghold, the southern port of Kismayo.In July 2012, three European Union operations were launched to engage with Somalia:EUTM Somalia, EU Naval Force SomaliaOperation Atalantaoff the Horn of Africa, and EUCAP Nestor.
As part of the official "Roadmap for the End of Transition", a political process that provided clear benchmarks leading toward the formation of permanent democratic institutions in Somalia, the Transitional Federal Government's interim mandate ended on 20 August 2012.TheFederal Parliament of Somaliawas concurrently inaugurated.
TheFederal Government of Somalia, the first permanent central government in the country since the start of the civil war, was established in August 2012. In August 2014, the Somali government-ledOperation Indian Oceanwas launched against insurgent-held pockets in the countryside.
Somalia bordersDjiboutito the northwest,Ethiopiato the west, theGulf of Adento the north, the Somali Sea andGuardafui Channelto the east, andKenyato the southwest. With a land area of 637,657 square kilometers, Somalia's terrain consists mainly ofplateaus,plainsandhighlands.Its coastlineis more than 3,333 kilometers in length, the longest of mainland Africa.It has been described as being roughly shaped "like a tilted number seven".
In the far north, the rugged east–west ranges of theOgo Mountainslie at varying distances from the Gulf of Aden coast. Hot conditions prevail year-round, along with periodicmonsoonwinds and irregular rainfall.Geology suggests the presence of valuable mineral deposits. Somalia is separated fromSeychellesby the Somali Sea and is separated fromSocotraby theGuardafui Channel.
Somalia is officially divided into eighteenregions(gobollada, singulargobol),which in turn are subdivided into districts. The regions are:
Northern Somalia is nowde factodivided up among theautonomous regionsofPuntland(which considers itself anautonomous state),Somaliland(a self-declared butunrecognized state) and newly establishedKhatumo State of Somalia. In central Somalia,Galmudugis another regional entity that emerged just south of Puntland.Jubalandin the far south is a fourth autonomous region within the federation.In 2014, a newSouth West Statewas likewise established.In April 2015, a formation conference was also launched for a newHirshabelle State.
TheFederal Parliamentis tasked with selecting the ultimate number and boundaries of the autonomous regional states (officiallyFederal Member States) within the Federal Republic of Somalia.
Somalia is bordered by Kenya to the southwest, theGulf of Adento the north, theGuardafui Channeland Indian Ocean to the east, and Ethiopia to the west. The country bordersDjibouti. It lies between latitudes2°Sand12°N, and longitudes41°and52°E. Strategically located at the mouth of theBab el Mandebgateway to theRed Seaand theSuez Canal, the country occupies the tip of a region that, due to its resemblance on the map to arhinoceros' horn, is commonly referred to as the Horn of Africa.
Somalia has the longest coastline on the mainland of Africa,with a seaboard that stretches 3,333 kilometres (2,071 mi). Its terrain consists mainly ofplateaus,plainsandhighlands. The nation has a total area of 637,657 square kilometres (246,201 sq mi) of which constitutes land, with 10,320 square kilometres (3,980 sq mi) of water. Somalia's land boundaries extend to about 2,340 kilometres (1,450 mi); 58 kilometres (36 mi) of that is shared with Djibouti, 682 kilometres (424 mi) with Kenya, and 1,626 kilometres (1,010 mi) with Ethiopia. Its maritime claims includeterritorial watersof 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi).
Somalia has several islands and archipelagos on its coast, including theBajuni Islandsand theSaad ad-Din Archipelago: seeislands of Somalia.
Somalia contains seven terrestrial ecoregions:Ethiopian montane forests,Northern Zanzibar–Inhambane coastal forest mosaic,Somali Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets,Ethiopian xeric grasslands and shrublands,Hobyo grasslands and shrublands,Somali montane xeric woodlands, andEast African mangroves.
In the north, a scrub-covered, semi-desert plain referred as theGubanlies parallel to the Gulf of Adenlittoral. With a width of twelve kilometres in the west to as little as two kilometres in the east, the plain is bisected by watercourses that are essentially beds of dry sand except during the rainy seasons. When the rains arrive, the Guban's low bushes and grass clumps transform into lush vegetation.This coastal strip is part of theEthiopian xeric grasslands and shrublandsecoregion.
Cal Madowis amountain rangein the northeastern part of the country. Extending from several kilometres west of the city ofBosasoto the northwest ofErigavo, it features Somalia's highestpeak,Shimbiris, which sits at an elevation of about 2,416 metres (7,927 ft).The rugged east–west ranges of the Karkaar Mountains also lie to the interior of the Gulf of Aden littoral.In the central regions, the country's northern mountain ranges give way to shallow plateaus and typically dry watercourses that are referred to locally as theOgo. The Ogo's western plateau, in turn, gradually merges into theHaud, an important grazing area for livestock.
Somalia has only two permanent rivers, theJubbaandShabele, both of which begin in theEthiopian Highlands. These rivers mainly flow southwards, with the Jubba River entering the Indian Ocean atKismayo. The Shabele River at one time apparently used to enter the sea nearMerca, but now reaches a point just southwest of Mogadishu. After that, it consists of swamps and dry reaches before finally disappearing in the desert terrain east ofJilib, near the Jubba River.
Somalia is asemi-aridcountry with about 1.6%arable land.The first local environmental organizations were Ecoterra Somalia and the Somali Ecological Society, both of which helped promote awareness about ecological concerns and mobilized environmental programs in all governmental sectors as well as in civil society. From 1971 onward, a massive tree-planting campaign on a nationwide scale was introduced by the Siad Barre government to halt the advance of thousands of acres of wind-drivensand dunesthat threatened to engulf towns, roads and farm land.By 1988, 265 hectares of a projected 336 hectares had been treated, with 39 range reserve sites and 36 forestry plantation sites established.In 1986, the Wildlife Rescue, Research and Monitoring Centre was established by Ecoterra International, with the goal of sensitizing the public to ecological issues. This educational effort led in 1989 to the so-called "Somalia proposal" and a decision by the Somali government to adhere to theConvention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora(CITES), which established for the first time a worldwide ban on the trade of elephantivory.
Later,Fatima Jibrell, a prominent Somali environmental activist, mounted a successful campaign to conserve old-growth forests ofacaciatrees in the northeastern part of Somalia.These trees, which can live for 500 years, were being cut down to make charcoal which was highly in demand in the Arabian Peninsula, where the region'sBedouintribes believe the acacia to be sacred.Being a relatively inexpensive fuel, the production of charcoal often leads todeforestationanddesertification.As a way of addressing this problem, Jibrell and the Horn of Africa Relief and Development Organization (Horn Relief; nowAdeso), an organization of which she was the founder and executive director, trained a group of teens to educate the public on the permanent damage that producing charcoal can create. In 1999, Horn Relief coordinated a peace march in the northeastern Puntland region of Somalia to put an end to the so-called "charcoal wars". As a result of Jibrell's lobbying and education efforts, the Puntland government in 2000 prohibited the exportation of charcoal. The government has also since enforced the ban, which has reportedly led to an 80% drop in exports of the product.Jibrell was awarded theGoldman Environmental Prizein 2002 for her efforts against environmental degradation and desertification.In 2008, she also won theNational Geographic Society/Buffett FoundationAward for Leadership in Conservation.
Following the massivetsunami of December 2004, there have also emerged allegations that after the outbreak of theSomali Civil Warin the late 1980s, Somalia's long, remote shoreline was used as a dump site for the disposal of toxic waste. The huge waves that battered northern Somalia after the tsunami are believed to have stirred up tons of nuclear and toxic waste that might have been dumped illegally in the country by foreign firms.
TheEuropean Green Partyfollowed up these revelations by presenting before the press and theEuropean ParliamentinStrasbourgcopies of contracts signed by two European companies — the Italian Swiss firm, Achair Partners, and an Italianwaste broker, Progresso — and representatives of the then President of Somalia, the faction leader Ali Mahdi Mohamed, to accept 10 million tonnes of toxic waste in exchange for $80 million (then about £60 million).
According to reports by theUnited Nations Environment Programme(UNEP), the waste has resulted in far higher than normal cases of respiratory infections, mouth ulcers and bleeding, abdominal haemorrhages and unusual skin infections among many inhabitants of the areas around the northeastern towns ofHobyoandBenadiron the Indian Ocean coast — diseases consistent with radiation sickness. UNEP adds that the situation along the Somali coastline poses a very serious environmental hazard not only in Somalia, but also in the eastern Africa sub-region.
Owing to Somalia's proximity to theequator, there is not much seasonal variation in its climate. Hot conditions prevail year-round along with periodicmonsoonwinds and irregular rainfall. Mean daily maximum temperatures range from 30 to 40 °C (86 to 104 °F), except at higher elevations along the eastern seaboard, where the effects of a cold offshore current can be felt. In Mogadishu, for instance, average afternoon highs range from 28 to 32 °C (82 to 90 °F) in April. Some of the highest mean annual temperatures in the world have been recorded in the country;Berberaon the northwestern coast has an afternoon high that averages more than 38 °C (100 °F) from June through September. Nationally, mean daily minimums usually vary from about 15 to 30 °C (59 to 86 °F).The greatest range in climate occurs in northern Somalia, where temperatures sometimes surpass 45 °C (113 °F) in July on the littoral plains and drop below the freezing point during December in the highlands.In this region, relative humidity ranges from about 40% in the mid-afternoon to 85% at night, changing somewhat according to the season.Unlike the climates of most other countries at this latitude, conditions in Somalia range from arid in the northeastern and central regions tosemiaridin the northwest and south. In the northeast, annual rainfall is less than 100 mm (4 in); in the central plateaus, it is about 200 to 300 mm (8 to 12 in). The northwestern and southwestern parts of the nation, however, receive considerably more rain, with an average of 510 to 610 mm (20 to 24 in) falling per year. Although the coastal regions are hot and humid throughout the year, the hinterland is typically dry and hot.
There are four main seasons around which pastoral and agricultural life revolve, and these are dictated by shifts in the wind patterns. From December to March is theJilal, the harshest dry season of the year. The main rainy season, referred to as theGu, lasts from April to June. This period is characterized by the southwest monsoons, which rejuvenate the pasture land, especially the central plateau, and briefly transform the desert into lush vegetation. From July to September is the second dry season, theXagaa(pronounced "Hagaa"). TheDayr, which is the shortest rainy season, lasts from October to December.Thetangambiliperiods that intervene between the two monsoons (October–November and March–May) are hot and humid.
Somalia contains a variety of mammals due to its geographical and climatic diversity. Wildlife still occurring includescheetah,lion,reticulated giraffe,baboon,serval,elephant,bushpig,gazelle,ibex,kudu,dik-dik,oribi,Somali wild ass,reedbuckandGrévy's zebra,elephant shrew,rock hyrax,golden moleandantelope. It also has a large population of thedromedary camel.
Somalia is home to around 727 species of birds. Of these, eight are endemic, one has been introduced by humans, and one is rare or accidental. Fourteen species are globally threatened. Birds species found exclusively in the country include theSomali Pigeon,Alaemon hamertoni(Alaudidae), Lesser Hoopoe-Lark,Heteromirafra archeri(Alaudidae), Archer's Lark,Mirafra ashi, Ash's Bushlark,Mirafra somalica(Alaudidae), Somali Bushlark,Spizocorys obbiensis(Alaudidae), Obbia Lark,Carduelis johannis(Fringillidae), and Warsangli Linnet.
Somalia's territorial waters are prime fishing grounds for highly migratory marine species, such as tuna. A narrow but productive continental shelf contains severaldemersalfish andcrustaceanspecies.Fish species found exclusively in the nation includeCirrhitichthys randalli(Cirrhitidae),Symphurus fuscus(Cynoglossidae),Parapercis simulataOC (Pinguipedidae),Cociella somaliensisOC (Platycephalidae), andPseudochromis melanotus(Pseudochromidae).
There are roughly 235 species of reptiles. Of these, almost half live in the northern areas. Reptiles endemic to Somalia include the Hughes'saw-scaled viper, the Southern Somali garter snake, a racer (Platyceps messanai), a diadem snake (Spalerosophis josephscorteccii), the Somalisand boa, theangled worm lizard, a spiny-tailed lizard (Uromastyx macfadyeni), Lanza's agama, a gecko (Hemidactylus granchii), the Somali semaphoregecko, and a sand lizard (MesalinaorEremias). A colubrid snake (Aprosdoketophis andreonei) and Haacke-Greer's skink (Haackgreerius miopus) are endemic species.
Somalia is aparliamentaryrepresentative democraticrepublic. ThePresident of Somaliais thehead of stateandcommander-in-chiefof theSomali Armed Forcesand selects aPrime Ministerto act ashead of government.
TheFederal Parliament of Somaliais the national parliament of Somalia. The bicameral National Legislature consists of the House of the People (lower house) and theSenate(upper house), whose members are elected to serve four-year terms. The parliament elects the President, Speaker of Parliament and Deputy Speakers. It also has the authority to pass and veto laws.
TheJudiciary of Somaliais defined by theProvisional Constitutionof the Federal Republic of Somalia. Adopted on 1 August 2012 by a National Constitutional Assembly in Mogadishu,the document was formulated by a committee of specialists chaired by attorney and Speaker of the Federal Parliament,Mohamed Osman Jawari.It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the Federal Republic and source of legal authority.
The national court structure is organized into three tiers: the Constitutional Court, Federal Government level courts andStatelevel courts. A nine-member Judicial Service Commission appoints any Federal tier member of the judiciary. It also selects and presents potential Constitutional Court judges to the House of the People of the Federal Parliament for approval. If endorsed, the President appoints the candidate as a judge of the Constitutional Court. The five-member Constitutional Court adjudicates issues pertaining to the constitution, in addition to various Federal and sub-national matters.
Somali law draws from a mixture of three different systems:civil law,Islamic lawandcustomary law.
According to 2023V-Dem Democracy indicesSomalia is the 5th leastdemocratic country in Africa.
After thecollapse of Somalia in 1991, there were no relations or any contact between theSomaliland government, which declared itself a country, and thegovernment of Somalia.
Somalia'sforeign relationsare handled by the President as the head of state, the Prime Minister as the head of government, and the federalMinistry of Foreign Affairs.
According to Article 54 of the national constitution, the allocation of powers and resources between the Federal Government and the Federal Republic of Somalia's constituent Federal Member States shall be negotiated and agreed upon by the Federal Government and the Federal Member States, except in matters pertaining to foreign affairs, national defence, citizenship and immigration, and monetary policy. Article 53 also stipulates that the Federal Government shall consult the Federal Member States on major issues related to international agreements, including negotiations vis-a-vis foreign trade, finance and treaties.The Federal Government maintainsbilateral relationswith a number of other central governments in the international community. Among these areDjibouti,Ethiopia,Egypt, theUnited Arab Emirates,Yemen,Turkey,Italy, theUnited Kingdom,Denmark,France, theUnited States, thePeople's Republic of China,Japan,Russian FederationandSouth Korea.
Additionally, Somalia has severaldiplomatic missionsabroad. There are likewise variousforeign embassies and consulatesbased in the capital Mogadishu and elsewhere in the country.
Somalia is also a member of many international organizations, such as theUnited Nations, African Union andArab League. It was a founding member of theOrganisation of Islamic Cooperationin 1969.Other memberships include theAfrican Development Bank,East African Community,Group of 77,Intergovernmental Authority on Development,International Bank for Reconstruction and Development,International Civil Aviation Organization,International Development Association,International Finance Corporation,Non-Aligned Movement,World Federation of Trade UnionsandWorld Meteorological Organization.
TheSomali Armed Forces(SAF) are the military forces of the Federal Republic of Somalia.Headed by the President as Commander in Chief, they are constitutionally mandated to ensure the nation's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
The SAF was initially made up of theArmy,Navy,Air Force,Police Forceand theNational Security Service.In the post-independence period, it grew to become among the larger militaries on the continent.The subsequent outbreak of thecivil warin 1991 led to the disbandment of the Somali National Army.
In 2004, the gradual process of reconstituting the military was put in motion with the establishment of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). The Somali Armed Forces are now overseen by theMinistry of Defenceof the Federal Government of Somalia, formed in mid-2012. In January 2013, the Somali federal government also re-opened the national intelligence service in Mogadishu, renaming the agency theNational Intelligence and Security Agency(NISA).TheSomalilandandPuntlandregional governments maintain their own security and police forces.
Both male and femalesame-sex sexual activityarepunishable by deathwithin Somalia.On October 3, 2020, aUNhuman rights investigator raised concerns over Somali government's backtracking of human rights commitments.
According to theCIAand theCentral Bank of Somalia, despite experiencing civil unrest, Somalia has maintained a healthy informaleconomy, based mainly onlivestock,remittance/money transfercompanies andtelecommunications.Owing to a dearth of formal government statistics and the recentcivil war, it is difficult to gauge the size or growth of the economy. For 1994, the CIA estimated theGDPat $3.3 billion.In 2001, it was estimated to be $4.1 billion.By 2009, the CIA estimated that the GDP had grown to $5.731 billion, with a projected real growth rate of 2.6%.According to a 2007British Chambers of Commercereport, the private sector also grew, particularly in the service sector. Unlike the pre-civil war period when most services and the industrial sector weregovernment-run, there has been substantial, albeit unmeasured, private investment in commercial activities; this has been largely financed by theSomali diaspora, and includes trade and marketing, money transfer services, transportation, communications, fishery equipment, airlines, telecommunications, education, health, construction and hotels.LibertarianeconomistPeter Leesonattributes this increased economic activity to the Somalicustomary law(referred to asXeer), which he suggests provides a stable environment to conduct business in.
According to the Central Bank of Somalia, the country's GDP per capita as of 2012is $226, a slight reduction in real terms from 1990. About 43% of the population lives on less than 1 US dollar a day, with around 24% of those found in urban areas and 54% living in rural areas.
Somalia's economy consists of both traditional and modern production, with a gradual shift toward modern industrial techniques. Somalia has the largest population of camels in the world.According to the Central Bank of Somalia, about 80% of the population are nomadic or semi-nomadic pastoralists, who keep goats, sheep, camels and cattle. The nomads also gather resins and gums to supplement their income.
Agriculture is the most important economic sector of Somalia. It accounts for about 65% of the GDP and employs 65% of the workforce.Livestock contributes about 40% to GDP and more than 50% of export earnings.Other principal exports includefish,charcoalandbananas;sugar,sorghumandcornare products for the domestic market.According to the Central Bank of Somalia, imports of goods total about $460 million per year, surpassing aggregate imports prior to the start of the civil war in 1991. Exports, which total about $270 million annually, have also surpassed pre-war aggregate export levels. Somalia has a trade deficit of about $190 million per year, but this is exceeded by remittances sent by Somalis in the diaspora, estimated to be about $1 billion.
With the advantage of being located near the Arabian Peninsula, Somali traders have increasingly begun to challengeAustralia's traditional dominance over the Gulf Arab livestock and meat market, offering quality animals at very low prices. In response, Gulf Arab states have started to make strategic investments in the country, withSaudi Arabiabuilding livestock export infrastructure and theUnited Arab Emiratespurchasing large farmlands.Somalia is also a major world supplier offrankincenseandmyrrh.
The modestindustrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, accounts for 10% of Somalia's GDP.According to theSomali Chamber of Commerce and Industry, over six privateairlinefirms also offer commercial flights to both domestic and international locations, includingDaallo Airlines,Jubba Airways,African Express Airways, East Africa 540, Central Air and Hajara.In 2008, the Puntland government signed a multimillion-dollar deal withDubai's Lootah Group, a regional industrial group operating in the Middle East and Africa. According to the agreement, the first phase of the investment is worthDhs170 m and will see a set of new companies established to operate, manage and buildBosaso's free trade zone and sea and airport facilities. The Bosaso Airport Company is slated to develop the airport complex to meet international standards, including a new 3,400 m (11,200 ft) runway, main and auxiliary buildings, taxi and apron areas, and security perimeters.
Prior to the outbreak of the civil war in 1991, the roughly 53 state-owned small, medium and large manufacturing firms were foundering, with the ensuing conflict destroying many of the remaining industries. However, primarily as a result of substantial local investment by the Somali diaspora, many of these small-scale plants have re-opened and newer ones have been created. The latter include fish-canning and meat-processing plants in the northern regions, as well as about 25 factories in the Mogadishu area, which manufacturepasta,mineral water,confections,plastic bags,fabric, hides and skins,detergentandsoap,aluminium, foammattressesandpillows, fishingboats, carry out packaging, andstone processing.In 2004, an $8.3 millionCoca-Colabottling plant also opened in the city, with investors hailing from various constituencies in Somalia.Foreign investmentalso included multinationals includingGeneral MotorsandDole Fruit.
The Central Bank of Somalia is the officialmonetary authorityof Somalia.In terms of financial management, it is in the process of assuming the task of both formulating and implementingmonetary policy.
Owing to a lack of confidence in the local currency, theUS dollaris widely accepted as a medium of exchange alongside the Somali shilling.Dollarizationnotwithstanding, the large issuance of the Somali shilling has increasingly fuelled price hikes, especially for low value transactions. According to the Central Bank, this inflationary environment is expected to come to an end as soon as the bank assumes full control of monetary policy and replaces the presently circulating currency introduced by the private sector.
Although Somalia has had no central monetary authority for more than 15 years between the outbreak of the civil war in 1991 and the subsequent re-establishment of the Central Bank of Somalia in 2009, the nation's payment system is fairly advanced primarily due to the widespread existence of privatemoney transfer operators(MTO) that have acted as informal banking networks.
These remittance firms (hawalas) have become a large industry in Somalia, with an estimated US$1.6 billion annually remitted to the region bySomalisin the diaspora via money transfer companies.Most are members of the Somali Money Transfer Association (SOMTA), an umbrella organization that regulates the community's money transfer sector, or its predecessor, the Somali Financial Services Association (SFSA).The largest of the Somali MTOs isDahabshiil, a Somali-owned firm employing more than 2,000 people across 144 countries with branches inLondonandDubai.
With a significant improvement in local security, Somali expatriates began returning to the country for investment opportunities. Coupled with modest foreign investment, the inflow of funds have helped the Somali shilling increase considerably in value. By March 2014, the currency had appreciated by almost 60% against the U.S. dollar over the previous 12 months. The Somali shilling was the strongest among the 175 global currencies traded byBloomberg, rising close to 50 percentage points higher than the next most robust global currency over the same period.
TheSomalia Stock Exchange(SSE) is the nationalbourseof Somalia. It was founded in 2012 to attract investment from both Somali-owned firms and global companies in order to accelerate the ongoing post-conflict reconstruction process in Somalia.
The World Bank reports thatelectricityis now in large part supplied by local businesses.Among these domestic firms is theSomali Energy Company, which performs generation, transmission and distribution of electric power.In 2010, the nation produced 310 million kWh and consumed 288.3 million kWh of electricity, ranked 170th and 177th, respectively, according to the CIA.
Somalia has reserves of several natural resources, includinguranium,iron ore,tin,gypsum,bauxite,copper,saltandnatural gas. The CIA reports that there are 5.663 billion cubic metres of proven natural gas reserves.
The presence or extent of proven oil reserves in Somalia is uncertain. The CIA asserts that as of 2011there are no proven reserves of oil in the country,whileUNCTADsuggests that most proven oil reserves in Somalia lie off its northwestern coast, in the Somaliland region.An oil group listed inSydney,Range Resources, estimates that the Puntland region in the northeast has the potential to produce 5 billion barrels (790×10^m) to 10 billion barrels (1.6×10^m) of oil,compared to the 6.7 billion barrels of proven oil reserves in Sudan.As a result of these developments, theSomalia Petroleum Corporationwas established by the federal government.
In the late 1960s, UN geologists also discovered major uranium deposits and other rare mineral reserves in Somalia. The find was the largest of its kind, with industry experts estimating that the amount of the deposits could amount to over 25% of the world's then known uranium reserves of 800,000 tons.In 1984, the IUREP Orientation Phase Mission to Somalia reported that the country had 5,000 tons of uranium reasonably assured resources (RAR), 11,000 tons of uranium estimated additional resources (EAR) incalcretedeposits, as well as 0–150,000 tons of uranium speculative resources (SR) insandstoneand calcrete deposits.Somalia evolved into a major world supplier of uranium, with American, UAE, Italian and Brazilian mineral companies vying for extraction rights. Link Natural Resources has a stake in the central region, and Kilimanjaro Capital has a stake in the 1,161,400 acres (470,002 ha) Amsas-Coriole-Afgoi (ACA) Block, which includes uranium exploration.
TheTrans-National Industrial Electricity and Gas Companyis anenergyconglomeratebased in Mogadishu. It unites five major Somali companies from thetrade,finance,securityandtelecommunicationssectors, following a 2010 joint agreement signed inIstanbulto provide electricity and gas infrastructure in Somalia. With an initial investment budget of $1 billion, the company launched the Somalia Peace Dividend Project, a labour-intensive energy program aimed at facilitating local industrialization initiatives.
According to the Central Bank of Somalia, as the nation embarks on the path of reconstruction, the economy is expected not only to match its pre-civil war levels, but also to accelerate in growth and development due to Somalia's untapped natural resources.
After the start of the civil war, various new telecommunications companies began to spring up and compete to provide missing infrastructure. Funded by Somali entrepreneurs and backed by expertise fromChina,South Koreaand Europe, these nascent telecommunications firms offer affordablemobile phoneand Internet services that are not available in many other parts of the continent. Customers can conductmoney transfers(such as through the popularDahabshiil) and otherbankingactivities via mobile phones, as well as easily gain wireless Internet access.
After forming partnerships with multinational corporations such asSprint,ITTandTelenor, these firms now offer the cheapest and clearest phone calls in Africa.These Somali telecommunication companies also provide services to every city and town in Somalia. There are presently around 25 mainlines per 1,000 persons, and the local availability of telephone lines (tele-density) is higher than in neighbouring countries; three times greater than in adjacent Ethiopia.Prominent Somali telecommunications companies includeGolis Telecom Group,Hormuud Telecom,Somafone,Nationlink,Netco,TelcomandSomali Telecom Group. Hormuud Telecom alone grosses about $40 million a year. Despite their rivalry, several of these companies signed an inter-connectivity deal in 2005 that allows them to set prices, maintain and expand their networks, and ensure that competition does not get out of control.
The state-runSomali National Televisionis the principal national public service TV channel. After a twenty-year hiatus, the station was officially re-launched on 4 April 2011.Its radio counterpartRadio Mogadishualso broadcasts from the capital.Somaliland National TVandPuntland TV and Radioair from the northern regions.
Additionally, Somalia has several private television and radio networks. Among these areHorn Cable TelevisionandUniversal TV.The political Xog Doon and Xog Ogaal and Horyaal Sports broadsheets publish out of the capital. There are also a number of online media outlets covering local news,includingGarowe Online, Wardheernews, andPuntland Post.
The internetcountry code top-level domain(ccTLD) for Somalia is.so. It was officially relaunched on 1 November 2010 by .SO Registry, which is regulated by the nation's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.
In November 2013, following a Memorandum of Understanding signed withEmirates Postin April of the year, the federal Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications officially reconstituted theSomali Postal Service(Somali Post).In October 2014, the ministry also relaunched postal delivery from abroad.
Somalia has a number of local attractions, consisting of historical sites, beaches, waterfalls, mountain ranges and national parks. The tourist industry is regulated by the national Ministry of Tourism. The autonomous Puntland and Somaliland regions maintain their own tourism offices.The Somali Tourism Association (SOMTA) also provides consulting services from within the country on the national tourist industry.As of March 2015, the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife of theSouth West Stateannounced that it is slated to establish additional game reserves and wildlife ranges.The United States Government recommends travelers to not travel to Somalia.
Notable sights include theLaas Geelcaves containing Neolithicrock art; theCal Madow,Golis MountainsandOgo Mountains; theIskushubanandLamadayawaterfalls; and theHargeisa National Park,Jilib National Park,Kismayo National ParkandLag Badana National Park.
Somalia's network of roads is 22,100 km (13,700 mi) long. As of 2000, 2,608 km (1,621 mi) streets arepavedand 19,492 km (12,112 mi) are unpaved.A 750 km (470 mi) highway connects major cities in the northern part of the country, such asBosaso,GalkayoandGarowe, with towns in the south.
TheSomali Civil Aviation Authority(SOMCAA) is Somalia's nationalcivil aviation authoritybody. After a long period of management by theCivil Aviation Caretaker Authority for Somalia(CACAS), SOMCAA is slated to re-assume control of Somalia's airspace by 31 December 2013.
Sixty-two airports across Somalia accommodate aerial transportation; seven of these have paved runways. Among the latter, four airports have runways of over 3,047 metres (9,997 ft); two are between 2,438 and 3,047 m (7,999 and 9,997 ft) and one is 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 7,995 ft) long.There are fifty-five airports with unpaved landing areas. One has a runway of over 3,047 m; four are between 2,438 m and 3,047 m in length; twenty are 1,524 m to 2,437 m; twenty-four are 914 m to 1,523 m; and six are under 914 metres (2,999 ft).Major airports in the nation include theAden Adde International Airportin Mogadishu, theHargeisa International Airportin Hargeisa, theKismayo AirportinKismayo, theBaidoa Airportin Baidoa, and theBender Qassim International Airportin Bosaso.
Established in 1964,Somali Airlineswas theflag carrierof Somalia. It suspended operations during the civil war.However, a reconstituted Somali government later began preparations in 2012 for an expected relaunch of the airline,with the first new Somali Airlines aircraft scheduled for delivery by the end of December 2013.According to theSomali Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the void created by the closure of Somali Airlines has since been filled by various Somali-owned private carriers. Over six of these private airline firms offer commercial flights to both domestic and international locations, includingDaallo Airlines,Jubba Airways,African Express Airways, East Africa 540, Central Air and Hajara.
Possessing the longest coastline on the continent,Somalia has several majorseaports. Maritime transport facilities are found in the port cities of Mogadishu, Bosaso,Berbera,KismayoandMerca. There is also onemerchant marine. Established in 2008, it is cargo-based.
Somalia lacks reliable population data.The country had an estimated population of around 17.1 million inhabitants in 2021;the total population according to the 1975 census was 3.3 million.AUnited Nations Population Fundsurvey conducted in 2013 and 2014 estimated the total population to be 12,316,895.
About 85% of local residents areethnic Somalis,who have historically inhabited the northern part of the country.They have traditionally been organized into nomadic pastoral clans, loose empires, sultanates and city-states.Civil strifein the early 1990s greatly increased the size of theSomali diaspora, as many of the best educated Somalis left the country.
Non-Somali ethnic minority groups make up the remainder of Somalia's population, and are largely concentrated in the southern regions.They includeBravanese,Bantus,Bajuni,Ethiopians(especiallyOromos),Yemenis,Indians,Persians,ItaliansandBritons. The Bantus, the largest ethnic minority group in Somalia, are the descendants ofslaveswho were brought in from southeastern Africa by Arab and Somali traders.In 1940, there were about 50,000Italiansliving in Italian Somaliland.Most Europeans left after independence, while a small number of Westerners are still present in Somalia mainly working forinternational organizationsoperating in Somalia.
A sizable Somali diaspora exists in variousWestern countries, such as theUnited States(particularly in the state ofMinnesota) and in theUnited Kingdom(particularly inLondon),Sweden,Canada,Norway, theNetherlands,Germany,Denmark,Finland,Australia,Switzerland,Austria, andItaly, as well on the Arabian peninsula, and several African nations, such asUgandaandSouth Africa. The Somali diaspora is deeply involved in the politics and development of Somalia. The president of Somalia,Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, was a former diaspora Somali and heldUS citizenshipwhich he voluntarily renounced in 2019.
Somalia's population is expanding at a growth rate of 1.75% per annum and a birth rate of 40.87 births per 1,000 people.Thetotal fertility rateof Somalia is 6.08 children born per woman (2014 estimates), the fourth highest in the world, according to theCIA World Factbook.Most local residents are young, with a median age of 17.7 years; about 44% of the population is between the ages of 0–14 years, 52% is between the ages of 15–64 years, and only 2% is 65 years of age or older.Thegender ratiois roughly balanced, with proportionally about as many men as women.
There is little reliable statistical information onurbanizationin Somalia. Rough estimates have been made indicating a rate of urbanization of 4.8% per annum (2005–2010 est.), with many towns quickly growing into cities.Many ethnic minorities have also moved from rural areas to urban centres since the onset of the civil war, particularly toMogadishuandKismayo.As of 2008, 37.7% of the nation's population live in towns and cities, with the percentage rapidly increasing.
Somaliis the official language of Somalia whileArabicis aSecond Languageper the constitution.The Somali language is the mother tongue of theSomali people, the nation's most populous ethnic group.It is a member of theCushiticbranch of theAfro-Asiaticlanguage family, and its nearest relatives are theOromo,AfarandSaholanguages.Somali is the best documented of the Cushitic languages,with academic studies of it dating from before 1900.
Somalidialectsare divided into three main groups:Northern,BenadirandMaay. Northern Somali (or Northern-Central Somali) forms the basis for Standard Somali. Benadir (also known as Coastal Somali) is spoken on theBenadircoast, fromAdaleto south ofMercaincluding Mogadishu, as well as in the immediate hinterland. The coastal dialects have additionalphonemesthat do not exist in Standard Somali. Maay is principally spoken by the Digil and Mirifle (Rahanweyn) clans in the southern areas of Somalia.Benadiri is the main dialect spoken in the country, in contrast to Northern Somali which is the main dialect spoken in Somaliland.
A number ofwriting systemshave been used over the years for transcribing the Somali language. Of these, theSomali alphabetis the most widely used, and has been the official writing script in Somalia since the Supreme Revolutionary Council formally introduced it in October 1972.Other orthographies that have been used for centuries for writing Somali include the long-establishedArabic scriptandWadaad's writing. Indigenous writing systems developed in the 20th century include theOsmanya,BoramaandKaddarescripts.
In addition to Somali,Arabicis an official national language in Somalia.Around 2 million Somalis speak itdue to centuries-old ties with theArab world, the far-reaching influence of the Arabic media, and religious education.
Englishis widely spoken and taught. It used to be an administrative language in the British Somaliland protectorate and due toglobalizationis now also prominent across Somalia. English is themedium of instructionat many universities across Somalia,and is one of the primary working languages of majorNGOsoperating in Somalia.Italianwas an official language in Italian Somaliland and during the trusteeship period, but its use significantly diminished following independence. It is now most frequently heard among older generations, government officials, and in educated circles.
Other minority languages includeBravanese, a variant of theBantuSwahili languagethat is spoken along the coast by theBravanese people, as well asKibajuni, a Swahili dialect that is the mother tongue of theBajuniminority ethnic group.
According to thePew Research Center, 99.8% of Somalia's population isMuslim.The majority belong to theSunnibranch ofIslamand theShafi'ischool ofIslamic jurisprudence.Sufism, themysticalsect of Islam, is also well established, with many localjama'a(zawiya) or congregations of the varioustariiqaor Sufi orders.The constitution of Somalia likewise defines Islam as the state religion of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and Islamicsharialaw as the basic source for national legislation. It also stipulates that no law that is inconsistent with the basic tenets of Shari'a can be enacted.
Christianityis a minority religion in Somalia, with adherents representing less than 0.1% of the population in 2010 according to the Pew Research Center.The number of Christians in Somalia is estimated at 1,000 people.There is oneCatholicdiocese for the whole country, theDiocese of Mogadishu, which estimates that there were only about one hundred Catholic practitioners in 2004.
In 1913, during the early part of the colonial era, there were virtually no Christians in the Somali territories, with only about 100–200 followers coming from the schools and orphanages of the few Catholic missions in theBritish Somalilandprotectorate.There were also no known Catholic missions in Italian Somaliland during the same period.In the 1970s, during the reign of Somalia's thenMarxistgovernment, church-run schools were closed andmissionariessent home. There has been noarchbishopin the country since 1989, and thecathedralin Mogadishu was severely damaged during the civil war. In December 2013, the Ministry of Justice and Religious Affairs also released a directive prohibiting the celebration of Christian festivities in the country.
According to the Pew Research Center, less than 0.1% of Somalia's population in 2010 were adherents offolk religions.These mainly consisted of some non-Somali ethnic minority groups in the southern parts of the country, who practiceanimism. In the case of theBantu, these religious traditions were inherited from their ancestors inSoutheast Africa.
Additionally, according to the Pew Research Center, less than 0.1% of Somalia's population in 2010 were adherents ofJudaism,Hinduism,Buddhism, orunaffiliated with any religion.
Until the collapse of the federal government in 1991, the organizational and administrative structure of Somalia'shealthcaresector was overseen by the Ministry of Health. Regional medical officials enjoyed some authority, but healthcare was largely centralized. Thesocialistgovernment of former President of SomaliaSiad Barrehad put an end to private medical practice in 1972.Much of the national budget was devoted to military expenditure, leaving few resources for healthcare, among other services.
Somalia's public healthcare system was largely destroyed during the ensuing civil war. As with other previously nationalized sectors, informal providers have filled the vacuum and replaced the former government monopoly over healthcare, with access to facilities witnessing a significant increase.Many new healthcare centres, clinics, hospitals and pharmacies have in the process been established through home-grown Somali initiatives.The cost of medical consultations and treatment in these facilities is low, at $5.72 per visit in health centres (with a population coverage of 95%), and $1.89–3.97 per outpatient visit and $7.83–13.95 per bed day in primary through tertiary hospitals.
Comparing the 2005–2010 period with the half-decade just prior to the outbreak of the conflict (1985–1990),life expectancyactually increased from an average of 47 years for men and women to 48.2 years for men and 51 years for women.Similarly, the number of one-year-olds fully immunized againstmeaslesrose from 30% in 1985–1990 to 40% in 2000–2005,and fortuberculosis, it grew nearly 20% from 31% to 50% over the same period.
The number of infants with low birth weight fell from 16 per 1,000 to 0.3, a 15% drop in total over the same time frame.Between 2005 and 2010 as compared to the 1985–1990 period,infant mortalityper 1,000 births also fell from 152 to 109.6.Significantly, maternal mortality per 100,000 births fell from 1,600 in the pre-war 1985–1990 half-decade to 1,100 in the 2000–2005 period.The number of physicians per 100,000 people also rose from 3.4 to 4 over the same time frame,as did the percentage of the population with access to sanitation services, which increased from 18% to 26%.
According toUnited Nations Population Funddata on the midwifery workforce, there is a total of 429 midwives (including nurse-midwives) in Somalia, with a density of one midwife per 1,000 live births. Eight midwifery institutions presently exist in the country, two of which are private. Midwifery is regulated by the government, and a license is required to practice professionally. A live registry is also in place to keep track of licensed midwives. In addition, midwives in the country are officially represented by a local midwives association, with 350 registered members.
According to a 2005 World Health Organization estimate, about 97.9% of Somalia's women and girls underwentFemale genital mutilation,a pre-marital custom mainly endemic to thehorn of Africaand parts of the Near East.Encouraged by women in the community, it is primarily intended to protect chastity, deter promiscuity, and offer protection from assault.By 2013, UNICEF in conjunction with the Somali authorities reported that the prevalence rate among 1- to 14-year-old girls in the autonomous northern Puntland and Somaliland regions had dropped to 25% following a social and religious awareness campaign.About 93% of Somalia's male population is also reportedly circumcised.
Somalia has one of the lowestHIVinfection rates on the continent. This is attributed to the Muslim nature of Somali society and adherence of Somalis to Islamic morals.While the estimated HIV prevalence rate in Somalia in 1987 (the first case report year) was 1% of adults,a 2012 report from UNAIDS says that since 2004, estimates from 0.7% to 1.0% have been assumed.
Although healthcare is now largely concentrated in the private sector, the country's public healthcare system is in the process of being rebuilt, and is overseen by the Ministry of Health. The Minister of Health is Qamar Adan Ali.The autonomous Puntland region maintains its own Ministry of Health,as does the Somaliland region in northwestern Somalia.
Some of the prominent healthcare facilities in the country areEast Bardera Mothers and Children's Hospital,Abudwak Maternity and Children's Hospital,Edna Adan Maternity HospitalandWest Bardera Maternity Unit.
TheMinistry of Educationis officially responsible for education in Somalia, and oversees the nation'sprimary,secondary,technical and vocationalschools, as well as primary and technicalteacher trainingandnon-formal education. About 15% of the government's budget is allocated toward scholastic instruction.The autonomous Puntland and Somaliland macro-regions maintain their own Ministries of Education.
Higher education in Somalia is now largely private. Several universities in the country, includingMogadishu University, have been scored among the 100 best universities in Africa in spite of the harsh environment, which has been hailed as a triumph forgrass-rootsinitiatives.Other universities also offering higher education in the south includeBenadir University, theSomalia National University,Kismayo Universityand theUniversity of Gedo. In Puntland, higher education is provided by thePuntland State UniversityandEast Africa University. In Somaliland, it is provided byAmoud University, theUniversity of Hargeisa,Somaliland University of TechnologyandBurao University.
Qu'ranic schools(also known asdugsi quranormal'aamad quran) remain the basic system of traditional religious instruction. Known as the most stable local, non-formal system of education providing basic religious and moral instruction, their strength rests on community support and their use of locally made and widely available teaching materials. The Qu'ranic system, which teaches the greatest number of students relative to other educational sub-sectors, is often the only system accessible to Somalis in nomadic as compared to urban areas. To address shortcomings in religious instruction, the Somali government on its own part also subsequently established the Ministry of Endowment and Islamic Affairs, under which Qur'anic education is now regulated.
Somali cuisine is an intricate and diverse fusion of a multitude of culinary influences, drawing from the rich tapestry ofArab,Indian, andItalianflavours. This culinary tapestry is a direct result of Somalia's longstanding heritage of vibrant trade and bustling commerce.
The essential components that form the foundation of Somali dishes encompass staples likericeandpasta, along with an extensive selection ofmeatsranging fromlambtobeefandchicken. Aromaticspicessuch ascumin,cardamom, and coriander are frequently utilized to infuse dishes with tantalizing flavors.
The culinary landscape of Somali cuisine also boasts an impressive assortment of heartystews, traditionalflatbreads, and delectablepastries, with highlights like the beloved "Canjeero/Lahooh", a delightful variation of the tangy fermentedpancake-likeflatbreadthat is savoured not only in Somalia but also in its neighbouring countries likeEthiopia,Eritrea, andYemen.
Additionally, a distinctive feature of Somali culinary tradition is the incorporation ofcamelmeatandmilk. They are considered a delicacy and serve as cherished and fundamental elements in the rich tapestry of Somali cuisine.
Somali rice, the usual staple fordinnerorlunch, is typicallyseasonedand mixed with variousingredientssuch asmeat,vegetables, and, in a somewhat unique manner,raisins, adding a sweet note to the dish. Also, it is not uncommon for this dish to be presented in a visually appealing manner by incorporating multiple colors, as certain portions may be artificially tinted with shades of yellow or orange usingsaffronand otherspicesto enhance its aesthetic appeal.
An enduring testament to the influence ofItalian colonial rule in Somaliais the widespread adoption ofpastaandlasagnein the local culinary landscape, espicially in the south, showcasing how these dishes have integrated into the traditional diet alongside rice.
Teaandcoffee, both well-lovedbeverages, are also really popular. Among the early adopters ofcoffeeconsumption were the Somalis, who have the historical distinction of being among the first individuals documented to have enjoyed this stimulating drink. Additionally, Somali merchants played a pivotal role in the global coffee trade, being one of the first to export coffee beans.The unique Somali coffee, known locally as 'Qahwo' and tea 'Shah', stand out due to their preparation method which involves a blend of variousspicesmeticulously selected to enhance their rich and complex flavor profile.
'Xalwo', which is closely associated withOmani'Halwa', is a smooth jelly-like treat that is made with a blend ofspices, seeds,nuts, andcaramelizedsugar.This delightfulconfectionis well-loved in Somalia and is commonly served together with Somali 'Qahwo'. After meals, homes are traditionally perfumed usingfrankincenseorincense(unsi), which is prepared inside anincense burner referred to as adabqaad.
Somalia has a rich musical heritage centred on traditional Somalifolklore. Most Somali songs arepentatonic.  Somali music might be mistaken for the sounds of nearby regions such as Ethiopia, Sudan or the Arabian Peninsula, but it is ultimately recognizable by its unique tunes and styles. Traditional instruments prominently featured in the music of Somalia include theoudlute. It is often accompanied by smalldrumsand areedflutein the background. Somali songs are usually the product of collaboration betweenlyricists(midho),songwriters(laxan) andsingers(codkaor "voice").
The Somali community has been a source of many significant poets, writers, and Islamic figures over the years, a considerable proportion of whom have played a pivotal role in influencing and moulding the trajectory of Muslim scholarship and traditions, not just in the Horn of Africa but also reaching far into the Arabian Peninsula and other regions around the world. Somalia has also been called by, among others, theCanadiannovelist and scholarMargaret Laurence, a "Nation ofPoets" and a "Nation ofBards". Famed British explorer and writerRichard Burtoneloquently wrote about Somalia:
With the adoption of theLatin alphabetin 1972 as the nation's standard orthography, numerous contemporary Somali authors have also released novels, some of which have received worldwide acclaim. Among these modern authors,Nuruddin Farahis the most renowned, receiving, among other honors, the 1998Neustadt international prize for Literature.Faarax M.J. Cawlis another notable Somali author who is famous for his novel set in theDervish era,Ignorance is the enemy of love. Somali poetry also thrived during this era withHadraawigaining national renown for his prose and poetry.
Footballis the most popular sport in Somalia. Important domestic competitions are theSomalia LeagueandSomalia Cup, with theSomalia national football teamplaying internationally.
Basketballis also played in the country. TheFIBA Africa Championship 1981was hosted in Mogadishu from 15 to 23 December 1981, during which thenational basketball teamreceived the bronze medal.
In 2013, aSomalia national bandy teamwas formed inBorlänge. It participated in theBandy World Championship 2014.
In themartial arts,Faisal Jeylani Aweysand Mohamed Deq Abdulle of thenational taekwondo teamtook home a silver medal and fourth place, respectively, at the 2013 Open WorldTaekwondoChallenge Cup inTongeren.Additionally, Mohamed Jama has won both world and European titles inK-1andThai Boxing.
Somali architecture is a rich and diverse tradition of engineering and design. Spanning the country's ancient, medieval and early modern periods, it also embraces the fusion of Somalo-Islamic architecture with contemporary Western designs.
In ancient Somalia,pyramidicalstructures known in Somali astaalowere a popular burial style, with hundreds of thesedry stonemonuments scattered around the country today. Houses were built ofdressed stonesimilar to the ones inancient Egypt.There are also examples of courtyards and large stone walls enclosing settlements, such as the Wargaade Wall.
The adoption of Islam in Somalia's early medieval history broughtIslamic architectural influencesfromArabiaandPersia. This stimulated a shift in construction from dry stone and other related materials tocoralstone,sun dried bricks, and the widespread use oflimestonein Somali architecture. Many of the new architectural designs, such as mosques, were built on the ruins of older structures, a practice that would continue throughout the following centuries.
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