Somalia

*Soomaaliya*
الصومال
Somalía
; Soomaaliya; الصومال ; Somalía ;
	Flag Coat of arms
	Motto: None
	Anthem: Somalia Soo Toos
Capital and largest city	Mogadishu
Official languages	Somali, Arabic
Government	Transitional Government
• President	Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
• Prime Minister	Ali Mohammed Ghedi
Independence From United Kingdom, Italy
• Date	July 1, 1960
• Water (%)	1.6%
Population
• July 2005 estimate	8,228,000 (91st)
• 1987 census	7,114,431
GDP (PPP)	2005 estimate
• Total	4.825 billion (158th)
• Per capita	600 (188th)
HDI (2003)	NA; Error: Invalid HDI value (unranked)
Currency	Shilling (SOS)
Time zone	UTC+3
Calling code	252
ISO 3166 code	SO
Internet TLD	.so

Somalia (Somali: Soomaaliya; Arabic: الصومال, Al-Ṣūmāl), formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic, is a coastal nation at the Horn of Africa in East Africa. Continentally, it is entirely surrounded by Ethiopia and Djibouti on the north and mid-west, by Kenya on its south-west, and by the Gulf of Aden on its north, and the Indian Ocean at its eastern border. It currently exists solely in a de jure capacity. Somalia has no recognized central government authority nor any other feature associated with an established independent state. De facto authority resides in the hands of the governments for the unrecognized entities of Somaliland and Puntland, and with other rival warlords.

History

Main article: History of Somalia

The independence of the British Somaliland Protectorate from the United Kingdom was proclaimed on June 26, 1960. On July 1, 1960, unification of the British and ex-Italian Somaliland took place. The government was formed by Abdullahi Issa. Aden Abdullah Osman Daar was appointed as president and Abdirashid Ali Shermarke as prime minister. Later, in 1967, Mohammed Ibrahim Egal became prime minister in the government appointed by Abdirishid Ali shermarke. Egal was later chosen as president of the self-declared independent Somaliland. He died in a hospital in Pretoria on May 3, 2002.

In late 1969, a military government assumed power following the assassination of Shermarke, who had been chosen, and served as, President from 1967–1969. Mohamed Siad Barre, a general in the armed forces, became president in 1969 following a coup d'état. The revolutionary army leaders, headed by Major General Mohamed Siyad Barre, who came from a small tribe in Somalia, established large-scale public works programmes. They also successfully implemented an urban and rural literacy campaign, which helped to dramatically increase the literacy rate from a mere 5% to 55% by the mid-1980s.

In the meantime, Barre assassinated a major figure in his cabinet, Major General Gabiere, and two other officials. Intermittent civil war has been a fact of life in Somalia since 1977. In 1991, first insurgent forces led by Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, leader of the (SSDF), and President Ali Mahdi Mohamed, officially unrecognised, ousted Siad Barre's government. The same year, the northern portion of the country declared its independence as Somaliland; although de facto independent and relatively stable compared to the tumultuous south, it has not been recognized by any foreign government.

Following the failure of Operation Restore Hope in 1993, a two-year UN effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions. The UN contingent included some US troops, some of whom were killed in fighting (along with hundreds of Somalis) after crashing a helicopter in Mogadishu (as shown in the film "Black Hawk Down").

The UN withdrew in Operation United Shield by March 3, 1995, having suffered significant casualties, and the rule of government has not yet been restored.

Yet another secession from Somalia took place in the northeastern region. The self-proclaimed state took the name Puntland after declaring "temporary" independence in 1998, with the intention that it would participate in any Somali reconciliation to form a new central government.

A third secession occurred in 1998 with the declaration of the state of Jubaland. The territory of Jubaland is now encompassed by the state of Southwestern Somalia and its status is unclear.

A fourth self-proclaimed entity led by the Rahanweyn Resistance Army (RRA) was set up in 1999. This "temporary" secession was reasserted in 2002, leading to de facto autonomy of Southwestern Somalia. The RRA had originally set up an autonomous administration over the Bay and Bakool regions of south and central Somalia in 1999.

Somalia was one of the many countries affected by the tsunami which struck the Indian Ocean coast following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, destroying entire villages and killing an estimated 300 people.

The 2nd Battle of Mogadishu started in May 2006. The battle is being fought between the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism or "ARPCT" and militia loyal to Islamic Courts Union or "ICU". The conflict began in mid-February. As of June 5th, at least 350 people, mostly civilians, have died caught in the crossfire. Mogadishu residents described it as the worst fighting in more than a decade of lawlessness. The Islamists blame the U.S. for funding warlords in an attempt to prevent them gaining power in the lawless country through its Central Intelligence Agency. The U.S. government and the CIA have neither admitted nor denied these allegations.

The Somali transitional government president Abdullahi Yusuf told the BBC the alliance of warlords is not fighting on behalf of the government.

On 5 June, 2006, it was reported that members of the Islamic Militia had taken control of Mogadishu, and Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi was seeking to open a dialog with them. Four powerful warlords who had been serving as ministers had been sacked.^[1] On 14 June 2006 the last ARPCT stronghold in the south, the town of Jowhar, fell with little resistance to the ICU. Reports had the remaining ARPCT forces fleeing to the east. As of this date the alliance appears near collapse with three warlords having withdrawn and a fourth reported to be considering joining them. The transitional government has approved the intervention of foreign peacekeepers. On 7 July forces in Mogadishu loyal to the last active member of the Alliance, Abdi Qeybdid, surrendered leaving the ICU in control of 99% of the capital.^[2]

On July 20, 2006, it was reported by the BBC that a column of 100 Ethiopian military vehicles including armoured personnel carriers had crossed from the Ogaden region of Ethiopia and into Somalia. This followed advances made by Islamic Courts Union forces who had advanced to within 60km of the town of Baidoa. Further reports stated that Ethiopian troops had been seen in uniform on the streets of Baidoa. The Ethiopian government denies its forces have entered Somalia.

Politics

Template:Morepolitics Somalia has had no effective national government since 1991. In the northwest and northeast, there are breakaway regions namely Somaliland and Puntland. In the rest of the country there are various warlords. In 2000, the international community recognised the Transitional National Government, originally headed by Abdulkassim Salat Hassan, as the government for the entire country. The government has not even been able to enter the capital because of the violence.

On October 14, 2004 Somali members of parliament elected warlord Abdullahi Yusuf, previously president of Puntland, to be the next president. Because of the situation in Mogadishu, the election was held in a sports centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Yusuf was elected transitional President by Somalia's transitional parliament. He won 189 of the 275 votes from members of parliament. The session of Parliament was also held in neighbouring Kenya. His government is recognized by most western nations as legitimate, although his actual authority is questionable.

Many other small political organizations exist, some clan-based, others seeking a Somalia free from clan-based politics (such as the United Somali Front). Many of them have come into existence since the new president was chosen.

Geography

File:So-map-en.png

Map of Somalia including the self-proclaimed boundary of Somaliland

Somalia is located on the east coast of Africa on and north of the Equator between the Gulf of Aden on the north and Indian Ocean on the east. Together with Ethiopia and Djibouti it is often referred to as the Horn of Africa. It borders Djibouti on the northwest, Ethiopia on the west, and Kenya on southwest. Somalia comprises Italy's former Trust Territory of Somalia and the former British Protectorate of Somaliland (now seeking recognition as an independent state). The coastline extends 3,025 kilometres (1,880 mi) -- the longest coastline in Africa.

The northern part of the country is hilly, and in many places the altitude ranges between 900 and 2,100 metres (3,000 ft.-7,000 ft) above sea level. The central and southern areas are flat, with an average altitude of less than 180 metres (600 ft). The Juba and the Shebelle Rivers rise in Ethiopia and flow south across the country towards the Indian Ocean. The Shebelle, however, does not reach the sea except during seasons of high rain.

Major climatic factors are a year-round hot climate, seasonal monsoon winds, and irregular rainfall with recurring droughts. Mean daily maximum temperatures range from 30°C to 40°C (85°F-105°F), except at higher elevations and along the east coast. Mean daily minimums usually vary from about 15°C to 30°C (60°F-85°F). The southwest monsoon, a sea breeze, makes the period from about May to October the mildest season at Mogadishu. The December-February period of the northeast monsoon is also relatively mild, although prevailing climatic conditions in Mogadishu are rarely pleasant. The "tangambili" periods that intervene between the two monsoons (October-November and March-May) are hot and humid.

Clans

Some of the major clans of Somalia are:

and the occupational clans:

Tumaal, Midgaan, Yibir, Eyle, Jaji and Yahar

Administrative divisions

Main articles: Regions of Somalia, Districts of Somalia

Somalia is divided into 18 regions (sing. gobolka, pl. gobollada), and subdivided into districts.

The regions are:

Districts: see Districts of Somalia

Economy

Since the collapse of the state, Somalia has transformed from what Mohamed Siad Barre referred to as "scientific socialism" to a free market economy. It has long been one of the world's poorest and least developed countries and has relatively few natural resources. Somalia's poverty was even further aggravated by the hostilities of the civil war started in 1991. 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. After livestock, bananas are the principal export; sugar, sorghum, maize, and fish are products for the domestic market. The small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, accounts for 10% of GDP. Somalia continues to have one of the highest child mortality rates in the world, with 10% of children dying at birth and 25% of those surviving birth dying before age five. The international aid group, Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) has further stated that the level of daily violence due to the lack of government is "catastrophic." According to a report in the APC-EC Courier, published in 1997 by the Commission of the European Communities in Brussels, "The outside world’s picture of Somalia has been distorted by the natural tendency of the foreign media to focus on bad news” and that "[p]eace reigns in most of the country " and "as a result regional and local governments have been able to resume working in many areas." The article quotes former Somalia ambassador to Washington, Omar Mohalim Mohamoud as "Somalis consider themselves born free. To them, the State equals registration, regulation and restriction" and attributes this prejudice against a new central government to the nomadic culture and the bad experiences of the Barre regime. The article concludes by stating that "Somalia can only deal with its massive material and social problems once the pieces of the jigsaw have been fitted back together."^[3]

File:SomaliaElectric.jpg

Electricity in Mogadishu. Electricity is furnished by entrepreneurs, who have purchased generators and divided cities into manageable sectors.

There are signs of growth in Somalia. The CIA Factbook says: "Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and grow. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate, and militias provide security." Infrastructure, such as roads are as numerous as those in neighboring countries but of much lower quality. A World Bank report states that the private sector has found it too hard to build roads due to high transaction costs and the fact that those who pay road fees are not the only ones using the road (see free rider problem), presenting a problem with recuperation of investment. The thriving telecommunications industry is private, offering wireless service and internet cafés. Competing phone companies have agreed on interconnection standards, which were brokered by the United Nations funded Somali Telecom Association. Electricity is furnished by entrepreneurs, who have purchased generators and divided cities into manageable sectors. In 1989, before the collapse of the government, the national airline had only one airplane. Now there are approximately 15 airlines, over 60 aircraft, 6 international destinations, and more domestic routes. According to a World Bank report, the "private airline business in Somalia is now thriving with more than five carriers and price wars between the companies." The owner of Daallo Airlines says, "Sometimes it's difficult without a government and sometimes it's a plus," but "Corruption is not a problem, because there is no government."^[4]

The private sector also supplies water. However, a statistic from 2000 indicated that only 21% of the population had access to safe drinking water at that time. With the collapse of the central government, the education system is now private. A World Bank study reports "modest gains in education." As last measured in 2001, primary school enrollment, which stood at 17%, was nearly at pre-war levels, and secondary school enrollment had been increasing since 1998. However, "adult literacy is estimated to have declined from the already low level of 24% in 1989 to 17.1% in 2001." [1] A more recent 2003 study reported that the literacy rate had risen to 19%. [2] In comparison, literacy is at 49% in wealthier West Africa and 35% among its neighbours. Higher education ended completely in the civil war of 1991, but Mogadishu University reopened in 1998 and its first class graduated in 2001. Other universities have opened in other cities. In addition to customer fees, much of the funding for the education system comes from international Islamic charities such as Al-Islah.[3]

Some signs of investment. The Coca-Cola bottling plant opened a new coke company in Mogadishu in 2003.

The main problem affecting economic growth is the lack of stability, or the perception of it. For businesses to operate, it is necessary to provide some level of security and internationally recognized governments are widely perceived as being more reliable in this than the traditional tribal leadership that currently holds sway in Somalia. However, investors are feeling more comfortable lately; for example, a Coca-Cola bottling plant opened in Mogadishu in 2004.^[5] Remittance services has become a large industry in Somalia. Successful people from the world-wide diaspora who fled because of the war contribute to the economy around $2 billion annually. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $500 million and $1 billion in remittances annually. Wireless communications has also become a giant economic force in Somalia. Because of the war, nobody really knows the size of the economy or how much it is growing.

References:

Anarchy and Invention: How Does Somalia's Private Sector Cope without Government?

Demographics

Somalia has a population of around 8,591,000. However, estimates are very difficult because of the political situation and the mostly nomadic nature of the Somalis. The last census was in 1975. Most outside analysts use this estimate but Somalia is one of the fastest growing countries in Africa and the world. Some estimates range between 6 and 15 million.

Today, about 60% of all Somalis are nomadic or semi-nomadic pastoralists who raise cattle, camels, sheep, and goats. About 25% of the population are settled farmers who live mainly in the fertile agricultural region between the Juba and Shebelle rivers in southern Somalia. The remainder of the population (15%-20%) is urban.

Because of the war, Somalia has a large diaspora community, one of the largest of the whole continent. There are over a million Somalis (including the minorities) outside Africa.

By far the largest ethnic group within Somalia is the Somali people. The clan structure is extremely important to their identity and way of life. (see also: clans of Somalia

Other ethnic groups in the country include:

Bajuni people who live in the coastal settlements and islands south of Kismayo and are of East African Swahili origin
Bravanese who live in Brawa and are believed to be of mixed Arab, Portuguese and other descent
Benadiri (Reer Hamar), an urban people of East African Swahili origin who live in cities in the Benadir coastal region
Bantu agricultural workers who live along the Juba River
several thousand Arabs
some hundreds of Indians and Pakistanis

A population of Italian descent, which dated back to Somalia's colonial era, began to emigrate following independence and by the outbreak of war most Italian Somalis had left the country.

Languages

100% of Somali people speak the Somali language. Most Somalis recognize or understand Arabic mainly to due to the religious ties in the country due to Islam. The Somali language consists many Arabic vocabularies e.g The name of 7 days of week are similar to those in Arabic. See also: Somali language

Culture

Main article: Culture of Somalia

Telecommunications

File:SomaliaInternet.jpg

An internet service provider in Mogadishu

Somalia's public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled; however, private wireless companies exist in most major cities and actually provide better services than in neighbouring countries, despite (or perhaps due to) Somalia's lack of government. Somalia has the cheapest cellular calling rates in Africa, with some companies charging less than a cent a minute. (Telecoms thriving in lawless Somalia) Companies providing telecommunication services are:

References

^ Islamists claim Mogadishu victory, BBC, June 5, 2006
^ Somali Islamists win city battle, BBC, July 11, 2006
^ Horner, Simon. Somalia: Can The Jigsaw be Pieced Together, Africa, Caribbean, Pacific Courier, Commission of the European Communities in Brussels, No. 162, pp. 46 - 66.
^ Africa Open for Business, World Bank, March 18, 2005
^ BBC News, Coca-Cola Makes Somalia Return by Grant Ferrett

External links

News

General Information

[1] Islamists claim Mogadishu victory, BBC, June 5, 2006

[2] Somali Islamists win city battle, BBC, July 11, 2006

[3] Horner, Simon. Somalia: Can The Jigsaw be Pieced Together, Africa, Caribbean, Pacific Courier, Commission of the European Communities in Brussels, No. 162, pp. 46 - 66.

[4] Africa Open for Business, World Bank, March 18, 2005

[5] BBC News, Coca-Cola Makes Somalia Return by Grant Ferrett

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