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Background:
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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 that
managed to impose a degree of stability in the country for a
couple of decades. 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 self-declared 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. A two-year peace process, led by the Government of
Kenya under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority
on Development (IGAD), concluded in October 2004 with the
election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of the
Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia and the
formation of an interim government, known as the Somalia
Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). The Somalia TFIs
include a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the
Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA), a transitional Prime
Minister, Nur "Adde" Hassan HUSSEIN, and a 90-member
cabinet. The TFIs are based on the Transitional Federal
Charter, which outlines a five-year mandate leading to the
establishment of a new Somali constitution and a transition
to a representative government following national elections.
While its institutions remain weak, the TFG continues to
reach out to Somali stakeholders and work with international
donors to help build the governance capacity of the TFIs and
work towards national elections in 2009. In June 2006, a
loose coalition of clerics, business leaders, and Islamic
court militias known as the Council of Islamic Courts (CIC)
defeated powerful Mogadishu warlords and took control of the
capital. The Courts continued to expand militarily
throughout much of southern Somalia and threatened to
overthrow the TFG in Baidoa. Ethiopian and TFG forces,
concerned over links between some CIC factions and the al-Qaida
East Africa network and the al-Qaida operatives responsible
for the bombings of the US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya
in 1998, intervened in late December 2006, resulting in the
collapse of the CIC as an organization. However, the TFG
continues to face violent resistance from extremist
elements, such as the al-Shabaab militia previously
affiliated with the now-defunct CIC. |
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Location:
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Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian
Ocean, east of Ethiopia
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Geographic coordinates:
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10 00 N, 49 00 E
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total: 637,657 sq km
land: 627,337 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Texas
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,340 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km,
Kenya 682 km
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Coastline:
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3,025 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 200 nm
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Climate:
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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 |
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Terrain:
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mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m
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Natural resources:
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uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin,
gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil
reserves
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Land use:
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arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 98.32% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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2,000 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
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15.7 cu km (1997)
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Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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total: 3.29 cu km/yr (0%/0%/100%)
per capita: 400 cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards:
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recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains
in summer; floods during rainy season
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Environment - current issues:
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famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human
health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
desertification |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
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Geography - note:
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strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern
approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and
Suez Canal
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Population:
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9,558,666
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 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 44.7% (male 2,143,758/female 2,132,869)
15-64 years: 52.8% (male 2,525,562/female 2,516,879)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 100,655/female 138,943)
(2008 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 17.5 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.6 years (2008 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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2.824% (2008 est.)
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Birth rate:
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44.12 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
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Death rate:
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15.89 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9325 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 110.97 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 120.17 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 101.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 49.25 years
male: 47.43 years
female: 51.12 years (2008 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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6.6 children born/woman (2008 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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1% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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43,000 (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree of risk: 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 (2008)
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Nationality:
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noun: Somali(s)
adjective: Somali
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Ethnic groups:
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Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs
30,000)
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Religions:
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Sunni Muslim
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Languages:
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Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8%
male: 49.7%
female: 25.8% (2001 est.)
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Education expenditures:
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NA
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Somalia
local long form: Jamhuuriyada Demuqraadiga
Soomaaliyeed
local short form: Soomaaliya
former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic
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Government type:
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no permanent national government; transitional,
parliamentary federal government
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Capital:
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name: Mogadishu
geographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 22 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington,
DC during Standard Time)
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Administrative divisions:
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18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool,
Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,
Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe,
Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed |
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Independence:
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1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which
became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian
Somaliland, which became independent from the
Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form
the Somali Republic) |
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National holiday:
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Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26
June (1960) in Somaliland
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Constitution:
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25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
note: the formation of transitional governing
institutions, known as the Transitional Federal Government,
is currently ongoing
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Legal system:
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no national system; a mixture of English common law, Italian
law, Islamic Shari'a, and Somali customary law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Transitional Federal President
Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed (since 14 October 2004); note - a
transitional governing entity with a five-year mandate,
known as the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs), was
established in October 2004; the TFIs relocated to Somalia
in June 2004
head of government: Prime Minister Nur "Adde" HASSAN
Hussein (since 24 November 2007)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and
approved by the Transitional Federal Assembly
election results: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed, the former
leader of the semi-autonomous Puntland region of Somalia,
was elected president by the Transitional Federal Assembly
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral National Assembly
note: unicameral Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA)
(275 seats; 244 members appointed by the four major clans
(61 for each clan), 31 seats allocated to smaller clans and
subclans) |
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Judicial branch:
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following the breakdown of the central government, most
regions have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution,
either secular, traditional Somali customary law, or Shari'a
(Islamic) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences
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Political parties and leaders:
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none
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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other: numerous clan and sub-clan factions exist both
in support and in opposition to the transitional government
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International organization participation:
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ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITSO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased
operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TFG is represented in
the United States through its Permanent Mission to the
United Nations |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are
represented by 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 |
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Flag description:
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light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the
center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN
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Government - note:
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although an interim government was created in 2004, other
regional and local governing bodies continue to exist and
control various regions of the country, including the
self-declared Republic of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia
and the semi-autonomous State of Puntland in northeastern
Somalia |
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Economy - overview:
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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 about 65% 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 sold as scrap metal.
Somalia's service sector also 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 exchange
services have sprouted throughout the country, handling
between $500 million and $1 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 continued to grow in 2006-07. Statistics
on Somalia's GDP, growth, per capita income, and inflation
should be viewed skeptically. In late December 2004, a major
tsunami caused an estimated 150 deaths and resulted in
destruction of property in coastal areas. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$5.575 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$2.483 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.6% (2007 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$600 (2007 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 65%
industry: 10%
services: 25% (2000 est.)
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Labor force:
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3.7 million (few skilled laborers) (1975)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 71%
industry and services: 29% (1975)
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Unemployment rate:
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NA%
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Population below poverty line:
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NA%
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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NA%; note - businesses print their own money, so inflation
rates cannot be easily determined
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Budget:
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revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA
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Agriculture - products:
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bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes,
sesame seeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fish
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Industries:
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a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles,
wireless communication
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA%
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Electricity - production:
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270 million kWh (2005)
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Electricity - consumption:
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251.1 million kWh (2005)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2005)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2005)
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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5,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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0 bbl/day (2004)
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Oil - imports:
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4,800 bbl/day (2004)
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Oil - proved reserves:
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0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2005 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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0 cu m (2005 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2005 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2005)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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5.432 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
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Exports:
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$300 million f.o.b. (2006)
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Exports - commodities:
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livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal
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Exports - partners:
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UAE 50.7%, Yemen 21%, Oman 6.1% (2006)
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Imports:
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$798 million f.o.b. (2006)
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Imports - commodities:
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manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction
materials, qat
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Imports - partners:
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Djibouti 31.1%, Brazil 8.6%, India 8.2%, Kenya 8.1%, Oman
5.4%, UAE 5.1%, Yemen 5% (2006)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$236.4 million (2005 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$3 billion (2001 est.)
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Currency (code):
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Somali shilling (SOS)
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Exchange rates:
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Somali shillings per US dollar - NA (2007), 1,438.3 (2006)
official rate; the unofficial black market rate was about
23,000 shillings per dollar as of February 2007
note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared
independent country not recognized by any foreign
government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling
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Fiscal year:
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NA
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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100,000 (2005)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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600,000 (2007)
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Telephone system:
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ngeneral assessment: the public telecommunications
system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled during
the civil war; private wireless companies offer service in
most major cities and charge the lowest international rates
on the continent
domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been
established in Mogadishu and in several other population
centers
international: country code - 252; international
connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite (2001)
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 0, FM 11 (also 1 station each in Puntland and
Somaliland), shortwave 1 (in Mogadishu) (2001)
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Television broadcast stations:
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4 (2 in Mogadishu and 2 in Hargeisa) (2001)
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Internet country code:
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.so
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Internet hosts:
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0 (2007)
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Internet users:
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94,000 (2006)
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Airports:
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67 (2007)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 7
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 60
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 7 (2007)
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Roadways:
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total: 22,100 km
paved: 2,608 km
unpaved: 19,492 km (2000)
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Merchant marine:
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total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,659 GRT/2,540 DWT
by type: cargo 1
foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2008)
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Ports and terminals:
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Berbera, Kismaayo
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Military branches:
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no national-level armed forces (2008)
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Manpower available for military service:
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males age 16-49: 2,181,050
females age 16-49: 2,125,558 (2008 est.)
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 16-49: 1,274,783
females age 16-49: 1,317,991 (2008 est.)
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Military expenditures:
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0.9% (2005 est.)
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Disputes - international:
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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 |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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IDPs: 1.1 million (civil war since 1988, clan-based
competition for resources) (2007)
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This page was last updated on 4 September
2008
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