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 but when the UN withdrew in 1995 having suffered significant casualties order still had not been restored.

Area
Total: 637,660 km²
Land: 627,340 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

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: 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 2,450 m

Natural resources:

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

Irrigated land: 1,600 km² (1989 est.)

Population: 9,639,151 (July 1996 est.)
Note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1987 by the Somali Government with the cooperation of the UN and the US Bureau of the Census; population estimates are updated year by year between census years by factoring growth rates into them, and by taking account of refugee movements, and of losses due to famine; lower estimates of Somalia's population in mid-1996 (on the order of 6.0 to 6.5 million) have been made by aid and relief agencies, based on the number of persons being fed; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large numbers of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Somali(s)
Adjective: Somali

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions: Sunni Muslim

Age structure
0-14 years: 44% (male 2,143,775; female 2,139,104)
15-64 years: 52% (male 2,609,911; female 2,387,620)
65 years and over: 4% (male 182,991; female 175,750) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Environment
Current issues: famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Current issues Natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer
International agreements: party to_Endangered Species, Law of the Sea; signed, but not ratified_Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
International agreements note: Strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female
All ages:

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 55.49 years (1996 est.); 55.74 years (1995 est.)
Male: 55.18 years (1996 est.); 55.48 years (1995 est.)
Female: 55.8 years (1996 est.); 56 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

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

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Somalia
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 U.K. 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; the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Maj. Gen. Mohamed SIAD Barre on 27 January 1991; the present political situation is one of anarchy, marked by inter-clan fighting and random banditry

Legislative branch: Unicameral People's Assembly People's Assembly (Golaha Shacbiga):Not functioning

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (not functioning)

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

Flag description: The flag of Somalia is 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 livelihood, make up a large portion 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; most facilities have been shut down because of the civil strife. The greatly increased political turmoil of 1991-93 resulted in a substantial drop in agricultural output, with widespread famine. In 1994 economic conditions stabilized in the countryside, followed in 1995 by slight improvements. However, ongoing civil strife in Mogadishu and outlying areas is interfering with any substantial recovery.

Real gdp growth rate: 2% (1995 est.)

Real gdp per capita:

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

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate NA

Labor force: 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)(1993 est.)
By occupation Agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism): 71%
By occupation Industry and services: 29%

Unemployment rate: NA

Budget
Revenues: NA
Expenditures: NA

Fiscal year: Calendar year

Exports:
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$249 million (1990 est.)
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external: $1.9 billion (1989)

Exchange rates: Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1_approximately 7,000 (January 1996), 5,000 (1 January 1995), 2,616 (1 July 1993), 4,200 (December 1992), 3,800.00 (December 1990), 490.7 (1989),

Electricity
Capacity: 75,000 kW prior to the civil war, but now largely shut down due to war damage; some localities operate their own generating plants, providing limited municipal power; note_UN and relief organizations use their own portable power systems
Production: NA kWh
Consumption per capita: NA kWh

Telephone system: 9,000 telephones; the public telecommunications system was completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; all relief organizations depend on their own private systems
Local: NA
Domestic: recently, local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers

Airports: 52
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 6
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 15
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 20 (1995 est.)

Pipelines: Crude oil 15 km

Merchant marine
Total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,529 GRT/6,892 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1