Background: 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 characterized by the persecution jailing and torture of political opponents and dissidents. 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 semi-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. In 2000 the Somalia National Peace Conference (SNPC) held in Djibouti resulted in the formation of an interim government known as the Transitional National Government (TNG). When the TNG failed to establish adequate security or governing institutions the Government of Kenya under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) led a subsequent peace process that concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of a second interim government known as the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of the Somali Republic. The TFG included a 275-member parliamentary body known as the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP). President YUSUF resigned late in 2008 while United Nations-sponsored talks between the TFG and the opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) were underway in Djibouti. In January 2009 following the creation of a TFG-ARS unity government Ethiopian military forces which had entered Somalia in December 2006 to support the TFG in the face of advances by the opposition Islamic Courts Union (ICU) withdrew from the country. The TFP was increased to 550 seats with the addition of 200 ARS and 75 civil society members of parliament. The expanded parliament elected Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed the former CIC and ARS chairman as president on 31 January 2009 in Djibouti. Subsequently President SHARIF appointed Omar Abdirashid ali SHARMARKE son of a former president of Somalia as prime minister on 13 February 2009. SHARMARKE resigned in September 2010 and was replaced by Mohamed Abdullahi MOHAMED aka Farmajo a dual US-Somali citizen who lived in the United States from 1985 until his return to Somalia in October 2010. The creation of the TFG was based on the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC) 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. However in January 2009 the TFP amended the TFC to extend TFG's mandate until 2011.

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N 49 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 637,657 km²
Rank: 44
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 1600 km; Kenya 682 km

Coastline: 3,025 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate: 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

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: 1.64%
Permanent crops: 0.04%
Other: 98.32% (2005)

Irrigated land: 2000 km² (2008)

Total renewable water resources: 15.7 km³ (1997)

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

Population: 9,925,640 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 86
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
Growth rate: 1.603% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 71
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Somali
Adjective: Somali

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

Languages: Somali (official) Arabic Italian English

Religions: Sunni Muslim

Age structure
0-14 years: 44.7%
15-64 years: 52.9% (male 2,663,729/female 2,588,716)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 95,859/female 142,383) (2011 est.)

Median age
Total: 17.8 years
Male: 17.8 years
Female: 17.7 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.603% (2011 est.)
Rank: 71

Birth rate: 42.71 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 8

Death rate: 14.87 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 11

Net migration rate: -11.81 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 213

Urbanization
Urban population: 37% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 4.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Environment
Current issues: famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Desertification Endangered Species Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 105.56 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 5
Male: 114.53 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 96.31 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 50.4 years
Rank: 212
Male: 48.49 years
Female: 52.37 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.35 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 4

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.035 physicians/1000 population (2006)
Rank: 182

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 61
People living with hivaids: 34,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 65
Deaths: 1600 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 59

Major infectious diseases
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 (2009)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 32.8% (2006)
Rank: 14

Education expenditures: NA

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
Total: 3 years
Male: 3 years
Female: 2 years (2007)

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Somalia
Local long form: Jamhuuriyada Demuqraadiga Soomaaliyeed
Local short form: Soomaaliya
Former: Somali Republic Somali Democratic Republic

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

Capital
Name: Mogadishu
Geographic coordinates: 2 04 N 45 22 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 18 regions (plural - NA singular - gobolka); 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

Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland that became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960 and Italian Somaliland that 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: 25 August 1979 presidential approval 23 September 1979
Note: the formation of transitional governing institutions known as the Transitional Federal Government is currently ongoing

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law Islamic law and customary law (referred to as Xeer)

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Transitional Federal President Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed ; 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; in 2009 the TFIs were given a two-year extension to October 2011
Head of government: Prime Minister ABDIWELI Mohamed Ali (since 28 June 2011)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by the Transitional Federal Assembly
Election results: Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed elected president by the expanded Transitional Federal Assembly in Djibouti

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly
Note: unicameral Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA) (550 seats; 475 members appointed according to the 4.5 clan formula with the remaining 75 seats reserved for civil society and business persons)

Judicial branch: following the breakdown of the central government most regions have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution either secular traditional Somali customary law or sharia (Islamic) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences

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 ITSO 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 Transitional Federal Government is represented in the United States through its Permanent Mission to 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 United Nations Avenue Nairobi; mailing address: Unit 64,100 Nairobi; APO AE 9,831; telephone: [254] (20) 363-6,000; FAX [254] (20) 363-6,157

Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; the blue field was originally influenced by the flag of the UN but today is said to denote the sky and the neighboring Indian Ocean; the five points of the star represent the five regions in the horn of Africa that are inhabited by Somali people: the former British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland (which together make up Somalia) Djibouti Ogaden (Ethiopia) and the Northern Frontier District (Kenya)

National symbols: leopard

National anthem
Name: 'Soomaaliyeey toosoo'
Lyricsmusic: Ali Mire AWALE and Yuusuf Xaaji Aadan Cilmi QABILLE
Note: adopted 2000; written in 1947 the lyrics speak of creating unity and an end to fighting

Economy overview: 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 more than 50% 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 the machinery 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 transfer/remittance services have sprouted throughout the country handling up to $1.6 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. Due to armed attacks on and threats to humanitarian aid workers the World Food Programme partially suspended its operations in southern Somalia in early January 2010 pending improvement in the security situation. Somalia's arrears

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 158
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 133

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 223
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 60.2%
Industry: 7.4%
Services: 32.5% (2008 est.)

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

Industries: a few light industries including sugar refining textiles wireless communication

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 3.447 million (few skilled laborers) (2007)
Rank: 96
By occupation agriculture: 71%
By occupation industry and services: 29% (1975)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Budget
Revenues: $NA
Expenditures: $NA

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA%
Note: businesses print their own money so inflation rates cannot be easily determined

Central bank discount rate: NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA%

Exports: $300 million (2006)
Rank: 175
Commodities: livestock bananas hides fish charcoal scrap metal
Partners: UAE 51.3% Yemen 19.8% Oman 13% (2010)

Imports: $798 million (2006)
Rank: 177
Commodities: manufactures petroleum products foodstuffs construction materials qat
Partners: Djibouti 31.5% Kenya 8.2% Pakistan 7.4% China 6.5% Brazil 5.7% Yemen 5.1% Oman 5% UAE 4.9% (2010)

Debt external: $3 billion (2001 est.)
Rank: 130

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 315 million kWh (2008 est.)
Production rank: 166
Consumption: 293 million kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 170
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 125
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 130
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 179
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 184
Proven reserves: 5.663 billion m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 90

Telephones
Main lines in use: 100,000 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 147
Mobile cellular: 648,200 (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 158

Telephone system
General assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled during the civil war; private companies offer limited local fixed-line service and private wireless companies offer service in most major cities while charging 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: 2 private TV stations rebroadcast Al-Jazeera and CNN; Somaliland has 1 government-operated TV station and Puntland has 1 private TV station; Radio Mogadishu operated by the transitional government; 1 SW and roughly 10 private FM radio stations broadcast in Mogadishu; several radio stations operate in central and southern regions; Somaliland has 1 government-operated radio station; Puntland has roughly a half dozen private radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .so
Hosts: 3 (2010)
Hosts rank: 229
Users: 106,000 (2009)
Users rank: 159

Military expenditures: 0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 143

Military service age and obligation
Note: since 2005 the UN has listed the Transitional Federal Government and its allied militias as persistent violators in recruiting children

Airports: 59 (2010)
Rank: 80
With paved runways total: 7
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 52
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 19
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 23
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 6 (2010)

Roadways
Total: 22,100 km
Rank: 108
Paved: 2,608 km
Unpaved: 19,492 km (2000)

Merchant marine
Total: 1
Rank: 160
By type: cargo 1
Foreign owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Berbera Kismaayo

Disputes international: 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Idps: 1.1 million (2007)