Page last updated on January 28, 2014
Britain withdrew from British Somaliland in 1960 to allow its protectorate to join with Italian Somaliland and form the new nation of Somalia. In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed SIAD Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule characterized by the persecution, jailing, and torture of political opponents and dissidents. After the regime's collapse early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. In May 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence and continues efforts to establish a constitutional democracy, including holding municipal, parliamentary, and presidential elections. The regions of Bari, Nugaal, and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring semi-autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998 but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing a legitimate, representative government but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. In 2000, the Somalia National Peace Conference (SNPC) held in Djibouti resulted in the formation of an interim government, known as the Transitional National Government (TNG). When the TNG failed to establish adequate security or governing institutions, the Government of Kenya, under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), led a subsequent peace process that concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of a second interim government, known as the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of the Somali Republic. The TFG included a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP). President YUSUF resigned late in 2008 while United Nations-sponsored talks between the TFG and the opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) were underway in Djibouti. In January 2009, following the creation of a TFG-ARS unity government, Ethiopian military forces, which had entered Somalia in December 2006 to support the TFG in the face of advances by the opposition Islamic Courts Union (ICU), withdrew from the country. The TFP was doubled in size to 550 seats with the addition of 200 ARS and 75 civil society members of parliament. The expanded parliament elected Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed, the former ICU and ARS chairman as president in January 2009. The creation of the TFG was based on the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC), which outlined a five-year mandate leading to the establishment of a new Somali constitution and a transition to a representative government following national elections. In 2009, the TFP amended the TFC to extend TFG's mandate until 2011 and in 2011 Somali principals agreed to institute political transition by August 2012. The transition process ended in September 2012 when clan elders replaced the TFP by appointing 275 members to a new parliament who subsequently elected a new president.
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
total: 637,657 sq km
country comparison to the world: 44
land: 627,337 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km
slightly smaller than Texas
total: 2,340 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km
principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m
uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves
arable land: 1.73%
permanent crops: 0.05%
other: 98.23% (2011)
total: 3.3 cu km/yr (0%/0%/99%)
per capita: 377.6 cu m/yr (2003)
recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season
famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
noun: Somali(s)
adjective: Somali
Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including 30,000 Arabs)
Somali (official), Arabic (official, according to the Transitional Federal Charter), Italian, English
Sunni Muslim (Islam) (official, according to the Transitional Federal Charter)
10,251,568 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare
0-14 years: 44.3% (male 2,270,282/female 2,273,506)
15-24 years: 18.9% (male 978,197/female 955,253)
25-54 years: 31% (male 1,643,803/female 1,538,723)
55-64 years: 3.5% (male 165,408/female 188,992)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male 93,434/female 143,970) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 100.1 %
youth dependency ratio: 94.4 %
elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 %
potential support ratio: 17.7 (2013)
total: 17.7 years
male: 17.8 years
female: 17.6 years (2013 est.)
1.67% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
41.45 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
14.22 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
-10.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213
urban population: 37.7% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 3.79% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
MOGADISHU (capital) 1.353 million (2009)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
1,000 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 3
total: 101.91 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 3
male: 110.74 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 92.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 51.19 years
country comparison to the world: 217
male: 49.22 years
female: 53.23 years (2013 est.)
6.17 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2006)
0.7% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
34,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
1,600 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Rift Valley fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2013)
4.8% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 162
32.8% (2006)
country comparison to the world: 11
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8%
male: 49.7%
female: 25.8% (2001 est.)
total: 3 years
male: 3 years
female: 2 years (2007)
total number: 1,148,265
percentage: 49 % (2006 est.)
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Somalia
conventional short form: Somalia
local long form: Jamhuuriyadda Federaalkaa Soomaaliya
local short form: Soomaaliya
former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic
in the process of building a federal parliamentary republic
name: Mogadishu
geographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 20 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe (Middle Jubba), Jubbada Hoose (Lower Jubba), Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe (Middle Shabeelle), Shabeellaha Hoose (Lower Shabeelle), Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland that became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960 and Italian Somaliland that became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960 to form the Somali Republic)
Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland
previous 1961, 1979; latest drafted 12 June 2012, approved 1 August 2012 (provisional) (2012)
mixed legal system of civil law, Islamic law, and customary law (referred to as Xeer)
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President HASSAN SHEIKH Mahamud (since 10 September 2012)
head of government: Prime Minister ABDIWELLI Sheikh Ahmed (since 21 December 2013)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by the National Parliament; note - new cabinet sworn in 22 January 2014
elections: president elected by the National Parliament; election last held 10 September 2012
election results: HASSAN SHEIKH Mahamud elected president; National Parliament vote - HASSAN SHEIKH Mahamud 190, Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed 79; the prime minister is chosen by the president and confirmed by the National Parliament
bicameral National Parliament consisting of the House of the People of the Federal Parliament (275 seats, elected by Somali citizens) and the Upper House of the Federal Parliament (54 seats, elected by people of the federal member states)
note: the inaugural House of the People in September 2012 was appointed by clan elders; as of December 2013, the Upper House has not been formed
highest court(s): The provisional constitution stipulates the establishment of the Constitutional Court (consists of 5 judges including the chief judge and deputy chief judge)
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president upon proposal of the Judicial Service Commission, a 9-member judicial and administrative body; judge tenure NA
subordinate courts: federal- and federal member state-level courts; military courts; sharia (Islamic) courts
other: numerous clan and sub-clan factions exist both in support and in opposition to the transitional government
ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU (candidate), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO
Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991); note - the Somali Government is represented in the US through its Permanent Mission to the UN
the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Special Representative for Somalia, James P. MCANULTY operating out of the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; mailing address: Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000; FAX [254] (20) 363-6157
light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; the blue field was originally influenced by the flag of the UN, but today is said to denote the sky and the neighboring Indian Ocean; the five points of the star represent the five regions in the horn of Africa that are inhabited by Somali people: the former British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland (which together make up Somalia), Djibouti, Ogaden (Ethiopia), and the North East Province (Kenya)
name: "Qolobaa Calankeed" (Every Nation Has its own Flag)
lyrics/music: lyrics/music: Abdullahi QARSHE
note: adopted 2012; written in 1959
regional and local governing bodies continue to exist and control various areas of the country, including the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia and the semi-autonomous state of Puntland in northeastern Somalia
Despite the lack of effective national governance, Somalia has maintained a healthy informal economy, largely based on livestock, remittance/money transfer companies, and telecommunications. Agriculture is the most important sector with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and more than 50% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-pastoralists, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and the machinery sold as scrap metal. Somalia''s service sector has grown. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money transfer/remittance services have sprouted throughout the country, handling up to $1.6 billion in remittances annually. Mogadishu''s main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate and are supported with private-security militias. Somalia''s arrears to the IMF have continued to grow. Somalia''s capital city - Mogadishu - has enjoyed a rebirth following the departure of al-Shabaab in August 2011. Mogadishu has witnessed the development of the city''s first gas stations, supermarkets, and flights between Europe (Istanbul-Mogadishu) since the collapse of central authority in 1991. This economic growth has yet to expand outside of Mogadishu.
$5.896 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
$2.372 billion (2010 est.)
2.6% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
$600 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 224
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
agriculture: 59.3%
industry: 7.2%
services: 33.5% (2012 est.)
bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fish
a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, wireless communication
3.447 million (2007)
country comparison to the world: 98
agriculture: 71%
industry and services: 29% (1975)
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA
NA%
note: businesses print their own money, so inflation rates cannot be easily determined
$515.8 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal
UAE 51.7%, Yemen 18.1%, Oman 13% (2012)
$1.263 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, qat
Djibouti 27.3%, India 13.2%, Kenya 7.1%, China 6.7%, Pakistan 6.4%, Oman 5.1%, UAE 5%, Yemen 4.4% (2012)
$3.05 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
Somali shillings (SOS) per US dollar -
310 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
288.3 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
80,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 186
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
5,659 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
5,399 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 94
753,400 Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
100,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 146
658,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 162
general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled during the civil war; private companies offer limited local fixed-line service and private wireless companies offer service in most major cities while charging the lowest international rates on the continent
domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers with one company beginning to provide 3G services in late 2012
international: country code - 252; Mogadishu is a landing point for the EASSy fiber-optic submarine cable system linking East Africa with Europe and North America (2010)
2 private TV stations rebroadcast Al-Jazeera and CNN; Somaliland has 1 government-operated TV station and Puntland has 1 private TV station; the transitional government operates Radio Mogadishu; 1 SW and roughly 10 private FM radio stations broadcast in Mogadishu; several radio stations operate in central and southern regions; Somaliland has 1 government-operated radio station; Puntland has roughly a half dozen private radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2007)
186 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 202
106,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 159
61 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 80
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
total: 55
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m:
total: 22,100 km
country comparison to the world: 105
paved: 2,608 km
unpaved: 19,492 km (2000)
total: 1
country comparison to the world: 148
by type: cargo 1 (2008)
major seaport(s): Berbera, Kismaayo
despite a dramatic drop in the number of attacks in 2012, the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean as a region of significant risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships accounting for 25% of all attacks in 2012; 75 vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, were attacked or hijacked both at anchor and while underway compared with 237 in 2011; the number of hijackings off the coast of Somalia was reduced to 14 in 2012, down from 28 in 2011; as of April 2013, 77 vessels and 7 hostages were being held for ransom by Somali pirates; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators, including the use of on-board armed security teams, have reduced piracy incidents in that body of water; in response Somali-based pirates, using hijacked fishing trawlers as "mother ships" to extend their range, shifted operations as far south as the Mozambique Channel, eastward to the vicinity of the Maldives, and northeastward to the Strait of Hormuz
National Security Force (NSF): Somali Army (2011)
18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2012)
males age 16-49: 2,260,175
females age 16-49: 2,159,293 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 1,331,894
females age 16-49: 1,357,051 (2010 est.)
male: 101,634
female: 101,072 (2010 est.)
Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera to landlocked Ethiopia and have established commercial ties with other regional states; "Puntland" and "Somaliland" "governments" seek international support in their secessionist aspirations and overlapping border claims; the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading south across the border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists
