Somalia

no permanent national government

Somalia as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 116 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalMogadishu
Position10 00 N, 49 00 E
Area637,657 sq km
LocationEastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
2004

Every edition of Somalia

Populationas each edition published it
8.3 million July 2004 est. · 8.42m in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.41% 2004 est. · 1.35% in 1993
Median ageyears
17.6 years 2004 est. · 17.6 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
47.71 years 2004 est. · 32.91 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.91 children per woman 2004 est. · 7.3 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
118.52 deaths per 1,000 live births 2004 est. · 125 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$500 2003 est. · $500 in 1994
GDP real growth% a year
2.1% 2003 est. · 2% in 1996

Introduction

1 field

Background

The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy have followed in the years since. 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 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.

The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG), created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expired in August 2003. New Somali President Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed has formed a new Transitional Federal Government (TFG) consisting of a 275-member parliament. It was established in October 2004 to replace the TNG but has not yet moved to Mogadishu. Discussions regarding the establishment of a new government in Mogadishu are ongoing in Kenya.

Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control of the capital city as well as for other southern regions. Suspicion of Somali links with global terrorism further complicates the picture.

Geography

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia

18 fields

Land useshare of 637,657 sq km

arable land 1.67%permanent crops 0.04%other 98.29% (2001)irrigated 2,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Area
637,657sq km
land: 627,337 sq kmwater: 10,320 sq kmslightly smaller than Texas
Coastline
3,025km
territorial sea: 200 nm
Highest point
2,416m
Shimbirislowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Land boundaries
2,340km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

Location

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia

Geographic coordinates

10 00 N, 49 00 E

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

Natural resources

uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

Natural hazards

  • recurring droughts;
  • frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer;
  • floods during rainy season

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, Ozone Layer Protection

Geography - note

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

People

19 fields
Population
8,304,601
growth rate: 3.41% (2004 est.)
Note
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.)

Per 1,000 population(2004 est.)

Birth
46.04Death
17.3Net migration
5.37

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2004 est.)47.71
46.02 · 49.46Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)118.52
127.95 · 108.81
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2001 est.)37.8%
49.7% · 25.8%Median age years (2004 est.)17.6
17.5 · 17.6
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Age structure

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.)

Sex ratio

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.)

Total fertility rate

6.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Somali(s)
adjective:
Somali

Ethnic groups

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

Religions

Sunni Muslim

Languages

Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Government

No permanent national government; Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed (since 14 October 2004); Prime Minister Ali Muhammad GHEDI (since 3 November 2004)

19 fields

Country name

conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Somalia
former:
Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

Government type

no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary national government

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

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 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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed (since 14 October 2004);
  • note - a new Transitional Federal Government consisting of a 275-member parliament was established in October 2004 replacing the Transitional National Government created in 2000
head of government:
Prime Minister Ali Muhammad GHEDI (since 3 November 2004)
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
election results:
Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed, the leader of the Puntland region of Somalia, was elected president by the Transitional Federal Government

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly

note: fledgling parliament; a 275-member Transitional Federal Government replaced the Transitional National Government created in 2000; the new parliament consists of 61 seats assigned to each of four large clan groups (Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir, and Hawiye) with the remaining 31 seats divided between minority clans

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power

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 (observer), 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 TNG and other factions have representatives in Washington and at the United Nations

Diplomatic representation from the US

  • 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

Flag description

light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN

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

Somalia's economic fortunes are being driven by its deep political divisions.

37 fields
Real growth rate
2.1%
(2003 est.)industrial production growth: NA
Labor force
3.7million
(very few are skilled laborers)
Debt - external
$2.6billion
(2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2000 est.)

agriculture 65%industry 10%services 25% (2000 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

37.2%
UAE
5.1%
Djibouti
33.9%
22.3%
Yemen
Kenya
15.5%
10.1%
Oman
Brazil
6.6%
6%
China
4.4%
Kuwait
Thailand
4.2%
4%
Nigeria
Exports $79 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)Imports $344 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)(2003)

Electricity

Electricity production
245.1 million (2001)Electricity consumption
227.9 million (2001)

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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $4.361 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $500 (2003 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

note - businesses print their own money, so inflation rates cannot be sensibly determined (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29%

Budget

revenues:
NA
expenditures:
NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Agriculture - products

  • cattle, sheep, goats;
  • bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans;
  • fish

Industries

a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down), wireless communication

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves

2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports

$79 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal

Imports

$344 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, qat

Economic aid - recipient

$60 million (1999 est.)

Currency

Somali shilling (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

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
35,000
(2002)
Fixed lines
100,000 est
(2002) · country code .so

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 users

89,000 (2002)

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

4
over 3,047 m
1
2438 to 3047 m
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
19
2,438 to 3,047 m
4
914 to 1,523 m
29
under 914 m
2
Paved 6Unpaved 54

Highways

total:
22,100 km
paved:
2,608 km
unpaved:
19,492 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu

Airports

60 (2003 est.)

Military

6 fields

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.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 375,000 (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition for resources) (2004)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Somalia.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/somalia/2004.

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