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Background:
|
 The
SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil,
factional fighting, and anarchy have followed for thirteen
years. 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 civil strife in 2002. 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.
Discussions regarding the establishment of a new government
are ongoing in Kenya. Numerous warlords and factions are still
fighting for control of Mogadishu and the other southern
regions. Suspicion of Somali links with global terrorism
further complicates the picture. |
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Location:
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Eastern Africa,
bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of
Ethiopia |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total:
637,657 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km
land: 627,337 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than Texas |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
2,340 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km,
Kenya 682 km |
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Coastline:
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3,025 km |
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Climate:
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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 |
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Terrain:
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mostly flat to
undulating plateau rising to hills in north |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m |
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Natural resources:
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uranium and
largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum,
bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves |
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Land use:
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arable land:
1.66%
other: 98.3% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 0.04% |
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Irrigated land:
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2,000 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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recurring
droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer;
floods during rainy season |
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Environment - current issues:
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famine; use of
contaminated water contributes to human health problems;
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection |
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Geography - note:
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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:
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8,304,601
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.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
|
Median age:
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total:
17.6 years
male: 17.5 years
female: 17.6 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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3.41% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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46.04
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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17.3 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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5.37 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
118.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 108.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 127.95 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 47.71 years
male: 46.02 years
female: 49.46 years (2004 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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1% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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43,000 (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
|
noun:
Somali(s)
adjective: Somali |
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Ethnic groups:
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Somali 85%, Bantu
and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000) |
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Religions:
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Sunni Muslim |
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Languages:
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Somali
(official), Arabic, Italian, English |
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Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8%
male: 49.7%
female: 25.8% (2001 est.) |
|
Country name:
|
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Somalia
former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic |
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Government type:
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no permanent
national government; transitional, parliamentary national
government |
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Capital:
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Mogadishu |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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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) |
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National holiday:
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Foundation of the
Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in
Somaliland |
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Constitution:
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25 August 1979,
presidential approval 23 September 1979
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 |
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Legal system:
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no national
system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some localities |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan (since 26 August 2000);
note - as of December 2002, there was no executive branch in
southern Somalia; Interim President ABDIKASSIM was chosen for
a three-year term by a 245-member National Assembly serving as
a transitional government but has little power; the political
situation, particularly in the south, with interclan fighting
and random banditry, remains fluid
election results: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan was elected
president of an interim government at the Djibouti-sponsored
Arta Peace Conference on 26 August 2000 by a broad
representation of Somali clans that comprised a transitional
National Assembly
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Abdi YUSUF
(since 8 December 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and
sworn in on 20 October 2000; as of 1 January 2002, the Cabinet
was in caretaker status following a no-confidence vote in
October 2001 that ousted HASSAN's predecessor |
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Legislative branch:
|
unicameral
National Assembly
note: fledgling parliament; a transitional 245-member
National Assembly began to meet on 13 August 2000 in the town
of Arta, Djibouti and is now based in Mogadishu |
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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 |
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Political parties and leaders:
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none |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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numerous clan and
subclan factions are currently vying for power |
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831;
telephone: [254] (2) 537800; FAX [254] (2) 537810 |
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Government - note:
|
although an
interim government was created in 2000 other governing bodies
continue to exist and control various cities and regions of
the country, including Somaliland, Puntland, and traditional
clan and faction strongholds |
|
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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $4.361 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
|
2.1% (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power
parity - $500 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
65%
industry: 10%
services: 25% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
|
NA% (1999 est.) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
note - businesses
print their own money, so inflation rates cannot be sensibly
determined (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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3.7 million (very
few are skilled laborers) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture
(mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29% |
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Unemployment rate:
|
NA% |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of
$NA |
|
Industries:
|
a few light
industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum
refining (mostly shut down), wireless communication |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
|
245.1 million kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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227.9 million kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
|
0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
|
4,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
2.832 billion cu
m (1 January 2002) |
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Agriculture - products:
|
cattle, sheep,
goats; bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane,
mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish |
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Exports:
|
$79 million
f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
livestock,
bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal |
|
Exports - partners:
|
UAE 41.8%, Yemen
22.8%, Oman 11.4% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$344 million
f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
manufactures,
petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, qat |
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Imports - partners:
|
Djibouti 30.2%,
Kenya 14%, Brazil 8.7%, Thailand 4.9%, UK 4.7%, UAE 4.4%
(2002) |
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Debt - external:
|
$2.6 billion
(2000 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
|
$60 million (1999
est.) |
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Currency:
|
Somali shilling
(SOS) |
|
Currency code:
|
SOS |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Somali shillings
per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000), 2,620 (January 1999),
7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000
(1 January 1995)
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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Fiscal year:
|
NA |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
100,000 est
(2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
35,000 (2002) |
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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 |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 0, FM 11,
shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1 FM in Somaliland
(2001) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
4
note: two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001) |
|
Internet country code:
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.so |
|
Internet users:
|
89,000 (2002) |
|
Railways:
|
0 km |
|
Highways:
|
total:
22,100 km
paved: 2,608 km
unpaved: 19,492 km (1999 est.) |
|
Waterways:
|
none |
|
Pipelines:
|
crude oil 15 km |
|
Ports and harbors:
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Boosaaso, Berbera,
Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu |
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Merchant marine:
|
none |
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Airports:
|
60 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 4
2438 to 3047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 54
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
|
A Somali National
Army was attempted under the interim government; numerous
factions and clans maintain independent militias, and the
Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their
own security and police forces |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age
15-49: 2,010,152 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age
15-49: 1,109,405 (2004 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$18.9 million
(2003) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
0.9% (2003) |
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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 |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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