Map of Somalia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil factional fighting and anarchy have followed in the years since. In May of 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 aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British Russian and American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and 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 towards 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. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG) created in August 2000 in Arta Djibouti expired in August 2003. New Somali President Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed has formed a new Transitional Federal Government (TFG) consisting of a 275-member parliament. It was established in October 2004 to replace the TNG but has not yet moved to Mogadishu. Discussions regarding the establishment of a new government in Mogadishu are ongoing in Kenya. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control of the capital city as well as for other southern regions. Suspicion of Somali links with global terrorism further complicates the picture.


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

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N 49 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 637,657 km²
Land: 627,337 km²
Water: 10,320 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 2,340 km
Border countries: (3) Djibouti 58 km; , Ethiopia 1,600 km; , Kenya 682 km

Coastline: 3,025 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate: principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October - southwest monsoon torrid in the north and hot in the south irregular rainfall hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

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

Land use
Arable land: 1.67%
Permanent crops: 0.04%
Other: 98.29% (2001)

Irrigated land: 2000 km² (1998 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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

Geography
Note: 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
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 2004 est.)
Growth rate: 3.41% (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: NA

Nationality
Noun: Somali
Adjective: Somali

Ethnic groups: Somali 85% Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)

Languages: Somali (official) Arabic Italian English

Religions: Sunni Muslim

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,860,451; female 1,849,484)
15-64 years: 52.7% (male 2,197,572; female 2,176,762)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 94,905; female 125,427) (2004 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 17.6 years
Male: 17.5 years
Female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.41% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 46.04 births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 17.3 deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.37 migrant(s)/1000 population (2004 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
International agreements party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female (2004 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 118.52 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 127.95 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 108.81 deaths/1000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 47.71 years
Male: 46.02 years
Female: 49.46 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 43,000 (2001 est.)
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 37.8%
Male: 49.7%
Female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Somalia
Former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

Government type: no permanent national government; transitional parliamentary national government

Capital: Mogadishu

Administrative divisions: 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

Dependent areas

Independence: 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)

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

Constitution
Note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 had a three-year mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections, this goal was not achieved but the process is ongoing

Legal system: no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some localities

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed (since 14 October 2004); note - a new Transitional Federal Government consisting of a 275-member parliament was established in October 2004 replacing the Transitional National Government created in 2000
Head of government: Prime Minister Ali Muhammad GHEDI (since 3 November 2004)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
Election results: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed, the leader of the Puntland region of Somalia, was elected president by the Transitional Federal Government

Legislative branch
Note: fledgling parliament; a 275-member Transitional Federal Government replaced the Transitional National Government created in 2000; the new parliament consists of 61 seats assigned to each of four large clan groups (Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir, and Hawiye) with the remaining 31 seats divided between minority clans

Judicial branch: following the breakdown of national government most regions have reverted to either Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences or traditional clan-based arbitration

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: 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) ITU LAS NAM OIC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UPU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have representatives in Washington and at the United Nations
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi Kenya at Mombasa Road; mailing address: P. O. Box 30,137 Unit 64,100 Nairobi; APO AE 9,831; telephone: [254] (2) 537,800; FAX [254] (2) 537,810

Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Somalia's economic fortunes are being driven by its deep political divisions. The northern area has declared its independence as 'Somaliland'; the central area Puntland is a self-declared autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is riddled with the struggles of rival factions. Economic life continues in part because much activity is local and relatively easily protected. Agriculture is the most important sector with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings but Saudi Arabia's recent ban on Somali livestock because of Rift Valley Fever concerns has severely hampered the sector. Nomads and semi-nomads 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. Despite the seeming anarchy Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and grow. 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 $200 million and $500 million in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate and militias provide security. The ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries however have interfered with any broad-based economic development and international aid arrangements. In 2002 Somalia's overdue financial obligations to the IMF continued to grow. Statistics on Somalia's GDP growth per capita income and inflation should be viewed skeptically.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 2.1% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $500 (2003 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 65%
Industry: 10%
Services: 25% (2000 est.)

Agriculture products: cattle sheep goats; bananas sorghum corn coconuts rice sugarcane mangoes sesame seeds beans; fish

Industries: a few light industries including sugar refining textiles petroleum refining (mostly shut down) wireless communication

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Labor force: 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)
By occupation agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism): 71%
By occupation industry and services: 29%

Unemployment rate: NA

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA
Highest 10: NA

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: NA
Expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: NA

Inflation rate consumer prices: note - businesses print their own money so inflation rates cannot be sensibly determined (2003 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $79 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: livestock bananas hides fish charcoal scrap metal
Partners: UAE 37.2% Yemen 22.3% Oman 10.1% China 6% Kuwait 4.4% Nigeria 4% (2003)

Imports: $344 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: manufactures petroleum products foodstuffs construction materials qat
Partners: Djibouti 33.9% Kenya 15.5% Brazil 6.6% UAE 5.1% Thailand 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $2.6 billion (2000 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates
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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Electricity
Production: 245.1 million kWh (2001)
Consumption: 227.9 million kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Proven reserves: 2.832 billion m³ (1 January 2002)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 100,000 est (2002)
Mobile cellular: 35,000 (2002)

Telephone system
General assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; 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

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .so
Hosts: 4 (2004)
Users: 89,000 (2002)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $18.9 million (2003)
Percent of gdp: 0.9% (2003)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 60 (2003 est.)
With paved runways total: 6
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 54
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 19
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 29
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: 'Somaliland' secessionists provide port facilities to land-locked Ethiopia and establish commercial ties with regional states; 'Puntland' secessionists clash with 'Somaliland' secessionists to establish territorial limits and clan loyalties each seeking support from neighboring states; Ethiopia maintains only an administrative line with the Oromo region of southern Somalia and maintains alliances with local Somali clans opposed to the unrecognized Transitional National Government in Mogadishu

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Idps: 375,000 (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition for resources) (2004)

Illicit drugs