Somalia
none
Somalia as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 95 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian | Ocean, east of Ethiopia
18 fieldsLand useshare of 637,660 sq km
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
Natural resources
uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt
Environment-current issues
- famine;
- use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems;
- deforestation;
- overgrazing;
- soil erosion;
- desertification
Environment-international agreements
- party to:
- Endangered Species, Law of the Sea
- signed, but not ratified:
- Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography-note
strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
People
15 fieldsNote
Per 1,000 population(1998 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 44% (male 1,512,014; female 1,511,858)
- 15-64 years:
- 53% (male 1,833,922; female 1,786,261)
- 65 years and over:
- 3% (male 90,475; female 107,165) (July 1998 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.84 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Government
None
20 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- none
- conventional short form:
- Somalia
- former:
- Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic
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)
Executive branch
- Somalia has no functioning government;
- the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Major General Mohamed SIAD Barre on 27 January 1991;
- the present political situation is one of anarchy, marked by interclan fighting and random banditry
Legislative branch
unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha Shacbiga note: the Golaha Shacbiga is not functioning
Judicial branch
(not functioning); note-following the breakdown of national government, most regions have reverted to Islamic law with a provision for appeal of all sentences
Political parties and leaders
- the United Somali Congress or USC ousted the former regime on 27 January 1991;
- formerly the only party was the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party or SRSP, headed by former President and Commander in Chief of the Army Major General Mohamed SIAD Barre
Political pressure groups and leaders
numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US
Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991)
Diplomatic representation from the US
- the US does not have an embassy in Somalia;
- US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi at Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue;
- mail address: ;
- APO AE 09831;
- telephone: [254] (2) 334141;
- FAX [254] (2) 340838
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)
Government-note
While chaos and clan fighting continue in most of Somalia, some orderly government has been established in the northern part. In May 1991, the elders of clans in former British Somaliland established the independent Republic of Somaliland, which, although not recognized by any government, maintains a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of the ruling clan and the economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian and American military assistance programs.
The economy has been growing and in February 1996 the EU agreed to finance the reconstruction of the port of Berbera; since then, other aid projects have been assumed by the EU and by a non-governmental Italian organization.
Economy
One of the world's poorest and least developed | countries, Somalia has few resources.
28 fieldsGDP-composition by sector(1995 est.)
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 semi-nomads, 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. After livestock, bananas are the principal export; sugar, sorghum, corn, and fish are products for the domestic market. The small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, accounts for less than 10% of GDP;
most facilities have been shut down because of the civil strife. Moreover, ongoing civil disturbances in Mogadishu and outlying areas are interfering with any substantial economic advance.
Industries
a few small industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down)
Electricity-capacity
- 144,000 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
Agriculture-products
- bananas, sorghum, corn, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans;
- cattle, sheep, goats;
- fishing potential largely unexploited
Exports
- total value:
- $130 million (1994 est.)
- commodities:
- bananas, live animals, fish, hides (1997)
- partners:
- Saudi Arabia 57%, Yemen 14%, Italy 13%, UAE 10%, US (bananas) (1995 est.)
Imports
- total value:
- $269 million (1994 est.)
- commodities:
- manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials (1995)
- partners:
- Kenya 24%, Djibouti 18%, Pakistan 6% (1995 est.)
Exchange rates
Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1-7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995), 2,616 (1 July 1993), 4,200 (December 1992)
note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent country not recognized by any government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling (Sol.
Sh.); estimated exchange rate, Sol. Sh. per US$1-4,000 (November 1997)
Telephone system
- the public telecommunications system was completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions;
- all relief organizations depend on their own private systems
- domestic:
- recently, local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers
- international:
- international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite
Radio broadcast stations
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (there are at least five radio broadcast stations of NA type)
Television broadcast stations
0 (Somalia's only TV station was demolished during the civil strife, sometime in 1991)
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Airports-with paved runways
- total:
- 7
- over 3,047 m:
- 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Military
NA; note-no functioning central government military | forces; clan militias continue to battle for control of key economic | or political prizes
5 fieldsMilitary branches
- NA;
- note-no functioning central government military forces;
- clan militias continue to battle for control of key economic or political prizes
Transnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes-international
most of the southern half of the boundary with Ethiopia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Ethiopia over the Ogaden SOUTH AFRICA
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Somalia.” The World Factbook 1998. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/somalia/1998.