Somalia

<p>Between A.D. 800 and 1100, immigrant Muslim Arabs and Persians set up coastal trading posts along the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, solidifying present-day Somalia’s close trading relationship with the Arab Peninsula. In the late 19th century, Britain, France, and Italy established colonies in the Somali Peninsula that lasted until 1960, when British Somaliland gained independence and joined with Italian Somaliland to form the Republic of Somalia. <br><br>The country functioned as a parliamentary democracy until 1969, when General Mohamed SIAD Barre took control in a coup, beginning a 22-year socialist dictatorship. In an effort to centralize power, SIAD called for the eradication of the clan, the key cultural and social organizing principle in Somali society. Resistance to SIAD’s socialist leadership, which was causing a rapid deterioration of the country, prompted allied clan militias to overthrow SIAD in 1991, resulting in state collapse. Subsequent fighting between rival clans for resources and territory overwhelmed the country, causing a manmade famine and prompting international intervention. Beginning in 1993, the UN spearheaded an international humanitarian mission, but the international community largely withdrew by 1995 after an incident that became known as Black Hawk Down, in which two US military helicopters were shot down in Mogadishu. The fighting and subsequent siege and rescue resulted in 21 deaths and 82 wounded among the international forces.<br><br>International peace conferences in the 2000s resulted in a number of transitional governments that operated outside Somalia. Left largely to themselves, Somalis in the country established alternative governance structures; some areas formed their own administrations, such as Somaliland and Puntland, while others developed localized institutions. Many local populations turned to sharia courts, an Islamic judicial system that implements religious law. Several of these courts came together in 2006 to form the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The ICU established order in many areas of central and southern Somalia, including Mogadishu, but was forced out when Ethiopia intervened militarily in 2006 on behalf of the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG). As the TFG settled in the capital, the ICU fled to rural areas or left Somalia altogether, but the organization reemerged less than a year later as the Islamic insurgent and terrorist movement al-Shabaab, which is still active today. <br><br>In 2007, the African Union (AU) established a peacekeeping force, took over security responsibility for the country, and gave the TFG space to develop Somalia’s new government. By 2012, Somali powerbrokers agreed on a provisional constitution with a loose federal structure and established a central government in Mogadishu called the Somali Federal Government (SFG). Since then, the country has seen several interim regional administrations and three presidential elections, but significant governance and security problems remain because al-Shabaab still controls large portions of the country.</p>

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia

10 00 N, 49 00 E

Africa

almost five times the size of Alabama; slightly smaller than Texas

3,025 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

uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

2,000 sq km (2012)

Ogaden-Juba Basin

distribution varies greatly throughout the country; least densely populated areas are in the northeast and central regions, as well as areas along the Kenyan border; most populated areas are in and around the cities of Mogadishu, Marka, Boorama, Hargeysa, and Baidoa, as shown on this population distribution map

recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season

strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

predominantly Somali with lesser numbers of Arabs, Bantus, and others

Muslim 99.9% (Sunni Muslim 98.1%, Shia Muslim 1.2%, Islamic schismatic 0.6%), ethnic religionist 0.1% (2020 est.)

3.32% (2025 est.)

46.36 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

11.22 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-1.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

distribution varies greatly throughout the country; least densely populated areas are in the northeast and central regions, as well as areas along the Kenyan border; most populated areas are in and around the cities of Mogadishu, Marka, Boorama, Hargeysa, and Baidoa, as shown on this population distribution map

2.610 million MOGADISHU (capital), 1.127 million Hargeysa (2023)

563 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

6.38 children born/woman (2025 est.)

3.14 (2025 est.)

2.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

0.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

8.3% (2016)

62.4% (2019 est.)

water scarcity; contaminated water; improper waste disposal; deforestation; land degradation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

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

14.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

14.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

federal parliamentary republic

18 regions (<em>gobollo</em>, singular - <em>gobol</em>); 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

mixed system of civil law, Islamic (sharia) 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&nbsp;suffrage starting with 24 June 2024 local elections

Cosmopolitan Democratic Party<br>Green Party<br>Himilo Qaran Party<br>Ilays Party<br>Justice and Reconciliation Party<br>National Progressive Party<br>Peace and Unity Party<br>Qaransoor Party<br>Qiimo Qaran Party<br>Security and Justice Party<br>Social Justice Party<br>Somali Labour Party<br>Somali Republic Party<br>Somali Social Unity Party or SSUP<br>Union for Peace and Development Party or PDP<br>Wadajir Party

ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU (candidate), EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO

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)

Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland

<strong>description:</strong> light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center<br><br><strong>meaning: </strong>the blue field was originally influenced by the UN flag but today is said to represent the sky and the Indian Ocean; the five points of the star represent the regions in the horn of Africa where Somali people live: the former British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland (which together make up Somalia), Djibouti, Ogaden (Ethiopia), and the Northeast Province (Kenya)

leopard

blue, white

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

low-income African Horn economy; 30 years of war and instability crippled economic potential; high remittances for basic survival; new fiscal federalism approach; cleared some unsustainable debt; environmentally fragile; digitally driven urbanization efforts

$12.109 billion (2024 est.)

camel milk, milk, goat milk, sheep milk, sugarcane, fruits, sorghum, cassava, vegetables, maize (2023)

light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, wireless communication

3.439 million (2024 est.)

54.4% (2022 est.)

0% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

UAE 35%, Saudi Arabia 27%, Oman 18%, Djibouti 8%, India 3% (2023)

sheep and goats, gold, postage stamps/documents, other animals, cattle (2023)

UAE 29%, China 19%, India 15%, Turkey 8%, Oman 5% (2023)

raw sugar, tobacco, broadcasting equipment, rice, milk (2023)

2 private TV stations rebroadcast Al-Jazeera and CNN; 1 state-operated TV station and 1 private TV station; state-operated Radio Mogadishu; 1 SW and roughly 10 private FM radio stations in Mogadishu; several radio stations in central and southern regions; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters available (2019)

.so

6O

40 (2025)

Somali Armed Forces (SAF; aka Somali Defense Force): Somali National Army (SNA; aka Land Forces), Somali Navy, Somali Air Force<br><br>Ministry of Internal Security: Somali National Police (SNP, includes Coast Guard, commando unit) (2025)

estimated 20,000 active Somali Armed Forces (2025)

the SNA's inventory is a mix of older and donated (typically secondhand) equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Italy, Russia, South Africa, T&uuml;rkiye, the UK, and the US (2025)

18-22 for voluntary military service for men and women in the Somali Armed Forces; compulsory service is reportedly authorized, but not currently utilized (2025)

the primary responsibility of the Somali National Army (SNA) is combating the al-Shabaab terrorist group, which controls large portions of central and southern Somalia and continues to conduct attacks targeting both military and civilian sites, including military bases, government institutions, and civilian gatherings; the SNA is supported by the National Police, regional/state security forces, and allied militias, as well as international forces; some African Union (AU) countries have provided military assistance to the SNA since 2007 under the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM, 2007-2022), the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS, 2022-2024), and the AU Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM, January 2025-present); Turkey and the US have also provided military support to SNA operations<br><br>Turkey and the US have formed and trained SNA units, including the US-backed Danab ("Lightning") Brigade and the Turkish-trained Gorgor ("Eagle") brigades; SNA soldiers have also received training from Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the EU, Uganda, UAE, and the UK (2025)

al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Somalia