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Somalia
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Somalia (Somali:
Soomaaliya; Arabic: الصومال, As-Suumaal), formerly known as
the Somali Democratic Republic, is a coastal nation in East
Africa. Continentally, it is entirely surrounded by Ethiopia
and Djibouti on the north and mid-west, and Kenya on its
south-west; with the Gulf of Aden on its east. It currently
exists solely in a de jure capacity. Somalia has no
recognized central government authority nor any other
feature associated with an established nation state. De
facto authority resides in the hands of the governments for
the unrecognized entities of Somaliland, Puntland, and other
rival warlords.
History
Main article: History of Somalia
The independence of Somaliland from the United Kingdom was
proclaimed on June 26, 1960, and on July 1, 1960,
unification of the British and ex-Italian Somali
protectorates took place. The government formed with
Abdullahi Isse, Aden Abdullah Osman Daar was appointed
President and Abdirashid Ali Shermarke as Prime Minister.
Later, during 1967, Mohammed Ibrahim Egal became Prime
Minister in Aden Abdullahi Osman (nicknamed Aden Adde)'s
government. Egal was later chosen as President of a
self-declared 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 who was an ally of and helped
protect Aden Abullahi Osman's government, became the
President in 1969 following a coup d'état. The revolutionary
army leaders, headed by Barre, established large-scale
public works programmes. They also successfully implemented
an urban and rural literacy campaign, in which they helped
to dramatically increase the literacy rate from a mere 5% to
55% by the mid-1980s.
Canadian Military in Somalia 1992Intermittent civil war has
been a fact of life in Somalia since 1977. In 1991,
insurgent forces led by Mohammed Farah Aidid, leader of the
United Somali Congress (USC), 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.
Mogadishu, 1993Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN effort
(primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine
conditions. The UN withdrew in Operation United Shield by
March 3, 1995, having suffered significant casualties, and
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, along the lines
of the heat or desert Puntland. 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 devastated by the
tsunami which struck the Indian Ocean coast following the
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, destroying entire villages and
killing an estimated 300 people.
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Background:
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The
SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991;
turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy have
followed for eleven 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 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 legitimate,
representative government. Puntland also claims Sool
and eastern 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. A
Transitional National Government (TNG) was created
in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti which was attended
by a broad representation of Somali clans. The TNG
has a three-year mandate to create a permanent
national Somali government. The TNG does not
recognize Somaliland as an independent republic but
so far has been unable to reunite either Somaliland
or Puntland with the unstable regions in the south.
Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting
for control of Mogadishu and the other southern
regions. Suspicion of Somali links with global
terrorism complicate 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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Geographic coordinates:
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10 00
N, 49 00 E
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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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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 200 NM |
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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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Nationality:
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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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Currency:
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Somali shilling (SOS)
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Currency code:
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SOS
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Exchange rates:
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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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