Background: Intermittent civil war has been a fact of life in Somalia since 1977. In 1991 the northern portion of the country declared its independence as Somaliland; although de facto independent and relatively stable compared to the tumultuous south it has not been recognized by any foreign government. Beginning in 1993 a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions.

Map reference: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 637,660 km²
Land: 627,340 km²

Land boundaries: total 2,366 km, Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,626 km, Kenya 682 km

Coastline: 3,025 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea:200 nm

Climate: desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), cooler southwest monsoon (May to October; irregular rainfall; hot, humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons

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

Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt

Land use
Arable land: 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 46%
Forest and woodland: 14%
Other: 38%

Irrigated land: 1,600 km² (1989 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer

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

Population: 6,666,873 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 3.24% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Somali(s)

Ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu, Arabs 30,000, Europeans 3,000, Asians 800

Languages: Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Religions: Sunni Muslim

Population growth rate: 3.24% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 45.97 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 13.53 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Environment
Current issues: use of contaminated water contributes to health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Infant mortality rate: 125.8 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 54.75 years
Male: 54.49 years
Female: 55.01 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 7.25 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Total population: 24%
Male: 36%
Female: 14%

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: former:Somali Republic

Government type: none

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

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: NA

Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: Somalia has no functioning government; presidential elections last held 23 December 1986 (next to be held NA; results - President SIAD was reelected without opposition

Legislative branch: NA
People's Assembly Golaha Shacbiga: elections last held 31 December 1984 (next to be held NA); results - SRSP was the only party; seats - (177 total, 171 elected) SRSP 171; note - the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Maj. Gen. Mohamed SIAD Barre on 27 January 1991; the provisional government has promised that a democratically elected government will be established

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (non-functioning)

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a UN trust territory)

Economy overview: One of the world's poorest and least developed countries, Somalia has few resources. Moreover, much of the economy has been devastated by the civil war. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and seminomads who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihoods make up more than half of the population. Crop production generates only 10% of GDP and employs about 20% of the work force. The main export crop is bananas; sugar, sorghum, and corn are grown for the domestic market. The small industrial sector is based on the processing of agricultural products and accounts for less than 10% of GDP. Greatly increased political turmoil in 1991-93 has resulted in a substantial drop in output, with widespread famine.

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $500 (1993 est.)

Agriculture products: dominant sector, led by livestock raising (cattle, sheep, goats; crops - bananas, sorghum, corn, mangoes, sugarcane; not self-sufficient in food; distribution of food disrupted by civil strife; fishing potential largely unexploited

Industries: a few small industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining; probably shut down by the widespread destruction during the civil war

Industrial production growth rate: 0% (1990; accounts for 4% of GDP

Labor force: 2.2 million (very few are skilled laborers)
By occupation pastoralnomad: 70%
By occupation agriculture government trading fishing handicrafts andother: 30%
By occupation note: 53% of population of working age (1985)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues:$NA

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $58 million (1990 est.)
Commodities: bananas, live animals, fish, hides
Partners: Saudi Arabia, Italy, FRG (1986)

Imports: $249 million (1990 est.)
Commodities: petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials
Partners: US 13%, Italy, FRG, Kenya, UK, Saudi Arabia (1986)

Debt external: $1.9 billion (1989)

Exchange rates: Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1 - 2,616 (1 July 1993), 4,200 (December 1992), 3,800.00 (December 1990), 490.7 (1989)

Electricity
Capacity: former 75,000 kW is almost completely shut down by the destruction of the civil war; UN, relief organizations, and foreign military units in Somalia use their own portable power systems
Production: NA
Consumption per capita: NA

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $NA, NA% of GDP

Airports: 76
Usable: 59
With permanentsurface runways: 8
With runways over 3659 m: 2
With runways 2440-3659 m: 6
With runways 1220-2439 m: 24

Pipelines: crude oil 15 km

Merchant marine: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,554 GRT/6,892 DWT, cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1

Disputes international: southern half of boundary with Ethiopia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Ethiopia over the Ogaden