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m This is how its today,its the capital city of somaliland, but i did not changed the fact that somaliland is not recognized.
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| map_caption =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Somalia
| pushpin_map = Somaliland
| pushpin_relief = yes
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| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Somalia
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Somaliland
| latd = 10 | latm = 00 | lats = 00 | latNS = N
| latd = 10 | latm = 00 | lats = 00 | latNS = N
| longd = 044 | longm = 30 | longs = 00 | longEW = E
| longd = 044 | longm = 30 | longs = 00 | longEW = E
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| coordinates_region = SO-WG
| coordinates_region = SO-WG
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Somalia}}
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Somaliland}}
*{{flag|Somaliland}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[Administrative divisions of Somalia|Region]]
| subdivision_type1 = [[Administrative divisions of Somalia|Region]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Woqooyi Galbeed]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Woqooyi Galbeed]]
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| footnotes =
| footnotes =
}}
}}
'''Hargeisa''' ({{lang-so|''Hargeysa''}}, {{lang-ar|هرجيسا}}, "little [[Harar]]") is a city in the northwestern [[Woqooyi Galbeed]] province of [[Somalia]]. It is the second-largest city in the country after [[Mogadishu]], the national [[Capital city|capital]].<ref name="Jubba">{{cite web|title=Hargeisa|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20130122160435/http://jubba-airways.com/destinations/hargeisa.aspx|publisher=Jubba Airways|accessdate=18 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Somalia: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population | url=http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1350565654&lng=fr&des=gamelan&geo=-198&srt=pnan&col=abcdefghinoq&msz=1500&men=gcis&lng=en | work=world-gazetteer.com | accessdate=October 19, 2012|archiveurl=http://archive.is/B4XYZ|archivedate=9 February 2013}}</ref> Hargeisa serves as the capital of [[Somaliland]], a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an [[States and regions of Somalia|autonomous region]] of Somalia.<ref name="Sqfirhbmsscf">[http://wardheernews.com/Articles_2010/June/Buh/29_Somaliland_recognition_&_the_HBM-SSC_Factor.html] Somaliland’s Quest for International Recognition and the HBM-SSC Factor</ref>
'''Hargeisa''' ({{lang-so|''Hargeysa''}}, {{lang-ar|هرجيسا}}, "little [[Harar]]") is a city in the western [[Woqooyi Galbeed]] province of [[Somaliland]]. It is the largest city in the country , the national [[Capital city|capital]].<ref name="Jubba">{{cite web|title=Hargeisa|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20130122160435/http://jubba-airways.com/destinations/hargeisa.aspx|publisher=Jubba Airways|accessdate=18 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Somalia: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population | url=http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1350565654&lng=fr&des=gamelan&geo=-198&srt=pnan&col=abcdefghinoq&msz=1500&men=gcis&lng=en | work=world-gazetteer.com | accessdate=October 19, 2012|archiveurl=http://archive.is/B4XYZ|archivedate=9 February 2013}}</ref> Hargeisa serves as the capital of [[Somaliland]], a self-declared republic that is internationally not recognized <ref name="Sqfirhbmsscf">[http://wardheernews.com/Articles_2010/June/Buh/29_Somaliland_recognition_&_the_HBM-SSC_Factor.html] Somaliland’s Quest for International Recognition and the HBM-SSC Factor</ref>


During the Middle Ages, Hargeisa was part of the [[Adal Sultanate]]'s domain. The city later succeeded [[Berbera]] as the capital of the [[British Somaliland]] [[protectorate]] in 1941. In 1960, the protectorate gained independence as the [[State of Somaliland]] and united as scheduled days later with the [[Trust Territory of Somalia]] (the former [[Italian Somaliland]]) to form the [[Somali Republic]].<ref name="Wssom1">[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html Worldstatesmen – Somalia]</ref><ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica 2002 p.835">Encyclopædia Britannica, ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica'', (Encyclopædia Britannica: 2002), p.835</ref>
During the Middle Ages, Hargeisa was part of the [[Adal Sultanate]]'s domain. The city later succeeded [[Berbera]] as the capital of the [[British Somaliland]] [[protectorate]] in 1941. In 1960, the protectorate gained independence as the [[State of Somaliland]] and united as scheduled days later with the [[Trust Territory of Somalia]] (the former [[Italian Somaliland]]) to form the [[Somali Republic]].<ref name="Wssom1">[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html Worldstatesmen – Somalia]</ref><ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica 2002 p.835">Encyclopædia Britannica, ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica'', (Encyclopædia Britannica: 2002), p.835</ref>
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The rock art had been known to the area's inhabitants for centuries before the French discovery. However, the existence of the site had not been broadcast to the international community. In November 2003, a mission returned to Laas Gaal and a team of experts undertook a detailed study of the paintings and their prehistoric context.
The rock art had been known to the area's inhabitants for centuries before the French discovery. However, the existence of the site had not been broadcast to the international community. In November 2003, a mission returned to Laas Gaal and a team of experts undertook a detailed study of the paintings and their prehistoric context.


Northern Somalia in general is home to numerous such [[archaeological site]]s, with similar rock art and/or ancient edifices found at [[Haylaan]], [[Qa’ableh]], [[Qombo'ul]] and [[Elaayo]]. However, many of these old structures have yet to be properly explored, a process which would help shed further light on local history and facilitate their preservation for posterity.<ref name="Hodd">Michael Hodd, ''East African Handbook'', (Trade & Travel Publications: 1994), p.640.</ref>
Somaliland in general is home to numerous such [[archaeological site]]s, with similar rock art and/or ancient edifices found at [[Haylaan]], [[Qa’ableh]], [[Qombo'ul]] and [[Elaayo]]. However, many of these old structures have yet to be properly explored, a process which would help shed further light on local history and facilitate their preservation for posterity.<ref name="Hodd">Michael Hodd, ''East African Handbook'', (Trade & Travel Publications: 1994), p.640.</ref>


===British Somaliland===
===British Somaliland===
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[[Berbera]], a major trading harbour on the [[Red Sea]], was the protectorate's first capital due to its strategic importance. However, the capital was moved from Berbera to Hargeisa, and the city was granted capital status in 1941. During the [[East African Campaign (World War II)|East African Campaign]], the protectorate was [[The Italian Invasion of British Somaliland|occupied by Italy]] in August 1940, but recaptured by the British in March 1941.
[[Berbera]], a major trading harbour on the [[Red Sea]], was the protectorate's first capital due to its strategic importance. However, the capital was moved from Berbera to Hargeisa, and the city was granted capital status in 1941. During the [[East African Campaign (World War II)|East African Campaign]], the protectorate was [[The Italian Invasion of British Somaliland|occupied by Italy]] in August 1940, but recaptured by the British in March 1941.


The protectorate gained its independence on 26 June 1960 as the [[State of Somaliland]],<ref name="nytimes6">
The protectorate gained its independence on 26 June 1960 as the [[State of Somaliland]],<ref name="nytimes6">{{Cite news |title=Somaliland Marks Independence After 73 Years of British Rule |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00A10FB395A1A7A93C4AB178DD85F448685F9 |format=fee required |publisher=The New York Times |page=6 |date=1960-06-26 |accessdate=2008-06-20}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-10740852 |work=BBC News |title=How Britain said farewell to its Empire |date=2010-07-23}}</ref> before uniting as planned days later with the [[Trust Territory of Somalia]] (the former [[Italian Somaliland]]) to form the [[Somali Republic]].<ref name="Encybr">Encyclopaedia Britannica, ''The New Encyclopaedia Britannica'', (Encyclopaedia Britannica: 2002), p.835</ref>

===1960–1980s===
[[File:Monument in Hargeysa.jpg|thumb|The MiG monument in Hargeisa commemorating the Somaliland region's breakaway attempt from the rest of Somalia during the 1980s. It serves as a symbol of struggle for the province's residents.<ref>{{cite news|title=Close Residents of Somaliland sit under a war memorial of a MiG fighter jet in the centre of town in Hargeisa|url=http://www.trust.org/item/20130519152736-07z9a/?source=search&view=quickview|accessdate=11 February 2014|newspaper=Reuters|date=19 May 2013}}</ref>]]
In the post-independence period, Hargeisa was administered as the capital of the [[Woqooyi Galbeed]] province of Somalia. Numerous new development projects were subsequently launched in the city by the Somali government. Among these initiatives was the creation in 1977 of the [[Hargeisa Provincial Museum]]. It was the first museum to be established in Somalia since independence in 1960.<ref name="mi1">{{cite journal|doi=10.1111/j.1468-0033.1986.tb00633.x|title=The Provincial Museum of Hargeisa|author=Cobelj, Stefanja|work=Museum International|date=April 24, 2009}}</ref> The [[Hargeisa International Airport]] was also renovated and modernized, with the ultimate aim of equipping the facility to accommodate larger aircraft and offer more flight destinations.<ref name="Eiugb">Economist Intelligence Unit (Great Britain), ''Country report: Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti'', (The Unit: 1986), p.43.</ref>
[[File:Hargeisa airport.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Hargeisa International Airport]] was renovated and modernized during the 1980s.]]
After fallout from the unsuccessful [[Ogaden War|Ogaden campaign]] of the late 1970s, the ruling socialist government of the [[Somali Democratic Republic]] under Major General [[Mohamed Siad Barre]] began arresting government and military officials under suspicion of participation in an abortive 1978 coup d'état.<ref name="Ararep">''ARR: Arab report and record'', (Economic Features, ltd.: 1978), p.602.</ref><ref name="Ahmed">{{cite web|last=Ahmed III|first=Abdul|title=Brothers in Arms Part I|url=http://wardheernews.com/Articles_2011/Oct/29_Brothers_in_Army_abdul.pdf|publisher=WardheerNews|accessdate=February 28, 2012}}</ref> Most of the people who had allegedly helped plot the putsch were summarily executed.<ref name="Npmc">New People Media Centre, ''New people'', Issues 94–105, (New People Media Centre: Comboni Missionaries, 2005).</ref> However, several officials managed to escape abroad and started to form the first of various dissident groups dedicated to ousting Barre's administration by force.<ref name="Fitzgerald">Nina J. Fitzgerald, ''Somalia: issues, history, and bibliography'', (Nova Publishers: 2002), p.25.</ref> Among these rebel outfits was the [[Somali National Movement]] (SNM), which was supported by [[Ethiopia]]'s then ruling [[Derg]] communist regime. By the late 1980s, the insurgent group had managed to capture Hargeisa, prompting air strikes by government forces. The ensuing bombing raids and crossfire claimed thousands of casualties and destroyed much of the city.<ref name="Cadogi">{{cite book|last=Jimcaale|first=Cabdirahman|title=Consolidation and decentralization of government institutions|year=2002|publisher=Academy for Peace and Development|page=19|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=82kWAQAAIAAJ}}</ref>

===Reconstruction===
[[File:Hargskyl1.jpg|thumb|right|A residential area in Hargeisa.]]
After the collapse of the Somali central government and the start of the [[Somali Civil War|civil war]] in 1991, SNM secessionists in the northwestern part of the country unilaterally declared independence. A slow process of infrastructural reconstruction subsequently began in Hargeisa and other towns in the region.

Since 1991, Hargeisa has undergone a large-scale facelift. The renovations have been largely financed by local entrepreneurs, as well as Somali expatriates sending [[remittance]] funds to relatives in the region through some of the various Somali-owned money transfer operators.<ref name="Usrs">[http://www.diaspora-centre.org/DOCS/UK_Somali_Remittan.pdf UK Somali Remittances Survey]</ref> Most of the destroyed residential and commercial buildings have since been reconstructed, with many newer structures erected. Single storey buildings downtown are also progressively giving way to multi-storey edifices and [[Tower block|high-rises]].

==Geography==

===Location and habitat===
Hargeisa is located in a mountainous area, in an enclosed valley of the northwestern [[Ogo Mountains|Galgodon]] (Ogo) [[highland]]s. It sits at an elevation of {{convert|1,334|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}} above [[sea level]].
[[File:Hargeisa countryside.jpg|thumb|right|Hargeisa countryside]]
The city used to be surrounded by forest when it was smaller in size, but the countryside around it still has small [[juniper]]s. Near Hargeisa are the fertile Sheikh and [[Daallo Mountain|Daallo]] mountains, which receive large amounts of [[rain]]. South of the city is the [[Haud]] savannah ([[Baligubadle]]), which attracts many different species of wildlife to graze in the area.

Hargeisa is situated near the town of [[Gabiley]], which serves as an agricultural center in northern Somalia. That town's Allay-Baday area produces tons of tomatoes and onions each month during the rainy season. The city of [[Arabsiyo]] is also located nearby, and is noted for its lemon production.

Due to its relative fertility and greenery, wild animals come to the Hargeisa area to either breed or graze on the grassland savannah. Fauna that can be found in rural sections of the city include the [[kudu]], [[wild boar]]s, [[Somali wild ass]], [[warthog]]s, [[antelope]]s, [[Somali sheep]], [[goat]]s, [[camel]]s, and many different types of [[bird]]s. There are also a number of both public and private menageries. South of Hargeisa is a grassland savannah, which attracts many types of wildlife to the area, including [[lion]]s and [[leopard]]s.

===Climate===
Hargeisa has a [[Desert climate|semi-arid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: BSh). The city generally features warm winters and hot summers. However, despite its location in the tropics, due to the high altitude Hargeisa seldom experiences either very hot or very cold weather. This is a trait rarely seen in regions with a semi-arid climates. The city receives the bulk of its precipitation between the months of April and September, averaging just under 400&nbsp;mm of rainfall annually. Average monthly temperatures in Hargeisa range from 17 C in the months of December and January to 35 C in the month of June.

{{Weather box
| location = Hargeisa
| metric first = Yes
| single line = Yes

| Jan high C = 24.2
| Feb high C = 26.6
| Mar high C = 28.7
| Apr high C = 29.2
| May high C = 30.5
| Jun high C = 31
| Jul high C = 29.2
| Aug high C = 29.2
| Sep high C = 30.5
| Oct high C = 28.2
| Nov high C = 26
| Dec high C = 23.7

| Jan mean C = 17.7
| Feb mean C = 18.7
| Mar mean C = 21.6
| Apr mean C = 23
| May mean C = 24.1
| Jun mean C = 24.3
| Jul mean C = 23.6
| Aug mean C = 23.6
| Sep mean C = 23.6
| Oct mean C = 24.1
| Nov mean C = 18.7
| Dec mean C = 18
| year mean C = 21.7

| Jan low C = 11.6
| Feb low C = 12.6
| Mar low C = 15
| Apr low C = 16.6
| May low C = 17.7
| Jun low C = 17.7
| Jul low C = 17.1
| Aug low C = 17.1
| Sep low C = 17.1
| Oct low C = 15
| Nov low C = 13.1
| Dec low C = 12.1

| rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm=2
|Feb rain mm=7
|Mar rain mm=29
|Apr rain mm=66
|May rain mm=61
|Jun rain mm=35
|Jul rain mm=52
|Aug rain mm=67
|Sep rain mm=64
|Oct rain mm=21
|Nov rain mm=7
|Dec rain mm=2

|Jan rain days=0
|Feb rain days=1
|Mar rain days=2
|Apr rain days=4
|May rain days=6
|Jun rain days=7
|Jul rain days=5
|Aug rain days=8
|Sep rain days=7
|Oct rain days=3
|Nov rain days=1
|Dec rain days=0

| Jan humidity = 65
| Feb humidity = 65
| Mar humidity = 58
| Apr humidity = 57
| May humidity = 56
| Jun humidity = 55
| Jul humidity = 53
| Aug humidity = 53
| Sep humidity = 55
| Oct humidity = 56
| Nov humidity = 61
| Dec humidity = 64

|Jand sun=8
|Febd sun=9
|Mard sun=9
|Aprd sun=8
|Mayd sun=9
|Jund sun=8
|Juld sun=7
|Augd sun=7
|Sepd sun=8
|Octd sun=9
|Novd sun=9
|Decd sun=9

| source 1 = [[FAO]] (UN)<ref name= FAOSWALIM >{{cite web
| url = http://www.faoswalim.org/ftp/Water_Reports/Cleared/W-01-Climate%20of%20Somalia.pdf
| title = Climate of Somalia FAOSWALIM
| accessdate = 1 July 2014
| publisher = Somalia Water and Land Information Management, FAO Nairobi, Kenya
| date = October 2007}}</ref>

|source 2 = Weather2Travel (rain, rain days, sunshine)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/somalia/hargeisa.php |title=Hargeisa Climate and Weather Averages, Somalia |publisher=Weather2Travel |accessdate=2014-07-01 }}</ref>

}}

==Administration==
Situated in the Woqooyi Galbeed province of the Somaliland region, Hargeisa is the seat of the regional [[parliament]], the presidential palace and government ministries.<ref name="Hgc"/>

The municipal administration is currently led by [[Abdurrahman Mahmoud Aidiid]] (Soltelco). A member of the [[Peace, Unity, and Development Party]] (Kulmiye), the ruling political association in the region, he was elected [[Mayor]] on 14 April 2013 by a quorum of 24 city councilors.<ref name="Spscamasbtnmoh">{{cite news|last=Goth|first=Goth Mohamed|title=Somaliland: Councilor Abdurrahman Mahmoud Aidiid (SOLTELCO) Becomes the New Mayor of Hargeisa|url=http://somalilandpress.com/somalilandcouncilor-abdurrahman-mahmoud-aidiid-soltelco-becomes-the-new-mayor-of-hargeisa-41053|accessdate=18 July 2013|newspaper=Somaliland Press}}</ref><ref name="Kasnmoh">{{cite news|last=Qaran News|title=Kulmiye’s Abdirahman Soltelco New Mayor Of Hargeisa|url=http://www.qarannews.com/2013/04/kulmiyes-abdirahman-soltelco-new-mayor-of-hargeisa/|accessdate=18 July 2013|newspaper=Qaran News|date=14 April 2013}}</ref>

==Demographics==
Hargeisa has a total population of about 1,200,000 residents.<ref name="Hgc"/> It is primarily inhabited by people from the [[Somali people|Somali]] ethnic group, with the Cidagale and Habar Awal sub-clans of the [[Isaaq]] well-represented.

==Economy==
[[File:Dheeman.jpeg|thumb|right|Qani Abdi Alin, owner of the Dheeman clothing firm, at the launch of the Partnership Fund for local commercial ventures.]]
Hargeisa is the [[Finance|financial]] hub to many entrepreneurial industries ranging from gem stonecutters, to construction, food processing, retail, and import and export firms.<ref name="Jubba"/>

In June 2012, the Partnership Fund for the private sector in the Somaliland region was launched at Hargeisa's Ambassador Hotel. Part of the larger Partnership for Economic Growth program, the initiative will see $900,000 [[United States dollar|USD]] allocated to 13 private local businesses as well as the creation of 250 new full-time jobs, half of which are to be earmarked for youth and one third for women. The Fund is expected to improve job opportunities for 1,300 entrepreneurs through ameliorated product distribution and investment in new technologies and processing facilities. Eligibility is determined through a competitive and transparent selection process overseen by the Partnership program, the Somaliland Chamber of Commerce, and government officials.<ref name="Ultfgpftpsis">{{cite web|title=USAID launches the first grants program for the private sector in Somaliland |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20130218133422/http://eastafrica.usaid.gov/en/USAID/Article/2909/USAID_launches_the_first_grants_program_for_the_private_sector_in_Somaliland|publisher=USAID|accessdate=18 July 2013}}</ref>

==Transportation==
Buses are the most commonly used form of public transportation in Hargeisa. They travel on a number of routes serving nearly all districts of the city. Intra-city bus services are also available, which connect Hargeisa to other major northern Somali cities and towns, including [[Burao]], [[Berbera]] and [[Borama]].
[[File:City of hargeisa (view).jpg|thumb|right|Vehicles on a main road in suburban Hargeisa.]]
With the growth of urban development, several new taxi companies have sprung up in Hargeisa. They are the brainchild of local entrepreneurs and Somali expatriates who have returned to invest in their hometown. The firms provide high quality and secure taxi transportation to all parts of the city, and offer long-term employment opportunities. [[Raho City Taxi]] was the first of these new cab companies to begin operations in the region. As of 2012, it has a fleet of around 40 vehicles, which include small sedans and vans capable of accommodating up to seven passengers at a time.<ref name="Tcihcjet">{{cite news|last=Dahir|first=Barkhad|title=Taxi companies in Hargeisa create jobs, ease travel|url=http://sabahionline.com/en_GB/articles/hoa/articles/features/2012/12/20/feature-02|accessdate=18 July 2013|newspaper=Sabahi|date=20 December 2012}}</ref> [[Hargeisa Taxi]] is another of the upstart taxi firms based in Hargeisa. It has a fleet of four small compact cars and seven passenger minivans, in addition to around 19 other vehicles. GPS devices installed by the Sahal Technology firm allow the cab company's dispatch office to monitor its taxis to ensure that they travel within the speed limit. The office can also disable the vehicles online in the event of theft. Other new taxi firms serving Hargeisa include Dalhis Taxi and Marodi Jeh Taxi. Fares are inexpensive, costing customers between 15,000 to 18,000 [[Somaliland shilling]]s ($2–$3 USD) per ride,<ref name="Tcihcjet"/> with the national [[Somali shilling]] also widely accepted.<ref name="Fmrasgch">{{cite web|title=Finance Manager – Reporting & Sub Grant Compliance, Hargeisa|url=http://www.somalilandedu.com/students/jobs/70-finance-manager-reporting-a-sub-grant-compliance-hargeisa|publisher=Relief Web|accessdate=19 July 2013}}</ref>

For air transportation, the city is served by the [[Hargeisa International Airport]]. The Somali-owned private carriers [[Daallo Airlines]] and [[Jubba Airways]] offer domestic flights from the facility to various other towns in Somalia, such as [[Aden Adde International Airport|Mogadishu]], [[Bender Qassim International Airport|Bosaso]] and [[Abdullahi Yusuf International Airport|Galkayo]]. Trips to international destinations are also available, including [[Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport|Djibouti]] and [[Dubai International Airport|Dubai]].

==Education==
[[File:Somalischoolroster.jpg|thumb|upright|A school roster board in Hargeisa.]]
Various primary schools and [[Nursery school|nurseries]] are dispersed throughout Hargeisa. There are also several state-run and privately owned [[secondary school|secondary]] and high schools in the city. Among these are the [[SOS Sheikh Secondary School]] and [[Abaarso School of Science and Technology]], the latter of which is the pre-eminent secondary institution in the area. Abaarso School is located about eight miles west of Hargeisa.

In terms of post-secondary education, the city is home to a number of colleges and some universities. The main institutions of higher learning include the [[University of Hargeisa]], [[Admas University College, Hargeisa|Admas University College]], [[Somaliland University of Technology]], [[Gollis University]] and [[Hope University]]. Additionally, the [[Edna Adan Maternity Hospital]] offers nursing programmes to students.

==Communication==
Hargeisa has a modern [[Telephone|telephone system]], with most urban residents enjoying mobile or landline access. As online service providers have grown, a number of [[internet café]]s have also sprung up throughout the city.

The main telecommunication services available in Hargeisa are operated by [[Telesom]], [[Telcom]], [[Somali Telecom Group]] and [[NationLink Telecom]].

==Notable residents==
* [[Faysal Ali Warabe]] – Founder and Chairman of the [[For Justice and Development]] party.

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://wayback.archive.org/*/http://www.hargeisamunicipality.org Hargeisa City Government web Site] (Archive)
* [http://www.geographic.org/geographic_names/name.php?uni=-4566760&fid=5789&c=somalia Hargeisa, Somalia]
* {{wikivoyage-inline}}

{{List of African capitals}}

[[Category:Populated places in Woqooyi Galbeed]]
[[Category:Hargeisa| ]]

Revision as of 10:25, 4 August 2014

Hargeisa
Hargeysa
هرجيسا
City
Country Somaliland
RegionWoqooyi Galbeed
 26 June 1960 (State of Somaliland)
 1 July 1960 (Somali Republic)
Government
 • MayorAbdurrahman Mahmoud Aidiid
Population
 (2000 est.)[1]
 • Total1,200,000
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)

Hargeisa ([Hargeysa] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help), Arabic: هرجيسا, "little Harar") is a city in the western Woqooyi Galbeed province of Somaliland. It is the largest city in the country , the national capital.[2][3] Hargeisa serves as the capital of Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally not recognized [4]

During the Middle Ages, Hargeisa was part of the Adal Sultanate's domain. The city later succeeded Berbera as the capital of the British Somaliland protectorate in 1941. In 1960, the protectorate gained independence as the State of Somaliland and united as scheduled days later with the Trust Territory of Somalia (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic.[5][6]

Hargeisa is situated in a valley in the Galgodon (Ogo) highlands, and sits at an elevation of 4,377 feet (1,334 m). Home to rock art from the Neolithic period, the city is also a commercial hub for precious stone-cutting, construction, retail services and importing/exporting, among other activities.[2]

Etymology

The place-name Hargeisa literally means "the place where hide is sold".[7] Although little is known about the city's pre-19th century history,[7] Encyclopaedia Aethiopica suggests that the settlement may have evolved in the latter half of the 1800s as a Qadiriyya settlement established by Shaykh Maddar, near a water-stop used by nomadic stock-herders on the way to the town of Harar. It thus proposes that the name "Hargeisa" was possibly derived from the sobriquet Harar as-sagir, meaning "Harar the little".[8]

History

Prehistory

Rock art from the Laas Gaal complex on the outskirts of Hargeisa.

Numerous cave paintings from the Neolithic period are found in the Laas Gaal complex, on the outskirts of Hargeisa. During November and December 2002, an archaeological survey was carried out in the area by a French team of researchers. The expedition's objective was to search for rock shelters and caves containing stratified archaeological infills capable of documenting the period when production economy appeared in this part of Somalia (circa 5,000 and 2,000 BCE). During the course of the survey, the French archaeological team discovered the Laas Gaal rock art, encompassing an area of ten rock alcoves (caves). In an excellent state of preservation, the paintings show human figures with their hands raised and facing long-horned, humpless cattle.[9]

The rock art had been known to the area's inhabitants for centuries before the French discovery. However, the existence of the site had not been broadcast to the international community. In November 2003, a mission returned to Laas Gaal and a team of experts undertook a detailed study of the paintings and their prehistoric context.

Somaliland in general is home to numerous such archaeological sites, with similar rock art and/or ancient edifices found at Haylaan, Qa’ableh, Qombo'ul and Elaayo. However, many of these old structures have yet to be properly explored, a process which would help shed further light on local history and facilitate their preservation for posterity.[10]

British Somaliland

Women's market in Hargeisa, British Somaliland protectorate.

In 1888, after signing successive treaties with the then ruling Somali Sultans such as Mohamoud Ali Shire of the Warsangali Sultanate, the British established a protectorate in the region referred to as British Somaliland.[11] The British garrisoned the protectorate from Aden in present-day Yemen, and administered it from their British India until 1898. British Somaliland was then administered by the Foreign Office until 1905 and afterwards by the Colonial Office.

Berbera, a major trading harbour on the Red Sea, was the protectorate's first capital due to its strategic importance. However, the capital was moved from Berbera to Hargeisa, and the city was granted capital status in 1941. During the East African Campaign, the protectorate was occupied by Italy in August 1940, but recaptured by the British in March 1941.

The protectorate gained its independence on 26 June 1960 as the State of Somaliland,<ref name="nytimes6">

  1. ^ Hargeisa City Hall. Retrieved on 2012-10-17. (2000 est.)
  2. ^ a b "Hargeisa". Jubba Airways. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  3. ^ "Somalia: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population". world-gazetteer.com. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  4. ^ [1] Somaliland’s Quest for International Recognition and the HBM-SSC Factor
  5. ^ Worldstatesmen – Somalia
  6. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica, The New Encyclopædia Britannica, (Encyclopædia Britannica: 2002), p.835
  7. ^ a b Briggs, Philip (2012). Somaliland: With Addis Ababa & Eastern Ethiopia. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 10. ISBN 1841623717.
  8. ^ Ficadorey, Gianfranco (2008). "Ha". Basic Reference. 3. NY, USA: Thomson/Gale: 1032.
  9. ^ The Journal of African Archeology Volume 1.2 (2003) Chapter 3
  10. ^ Michael Hodd, East African Handbook, (Trade & Travel Publications: 1994), p.640.
  11. ^ Hugh Chisholm (ed.), The encyclopædia britannica: a dictionary of arts, sciences, literature and general information, Volume 25, (At the University press: 1911), p.383.
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