Berbera

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This is the countryside between Berbera and Sheikh
This is the countryside between Berbera and Sheikh

Berbera (Somali Berbera) is a city in northwestern Somalia and part of the newly established Saaxil region of Somaliland. Berbera was before the self-declaration of the establishment of Somaliland, and once part of the Woqooyi Galbeed. Berbera is a seaport , with the only sheltered harbour on the south side of the Gulf of Aden; its population in 2000 was approximately 200,000. The weather of Berbera is very dry and hot. Temperatures in the summertime can be upwards of 50ºC.

Located strategically on the oil route, Berbera has a deep-sea port, completed in 1969. The port was the capital city of British Somaliland from 1870 to 1941 when it was moved to Hargeisa. Berbera is the terminus of roads from Hargeisa and Burco, and an airport now adds to its accessibility. Berbera exports sheep, gum arabic, frankincense, and myrrh. Its seaborne trade is chiefly with Aden in Yemen 240 km/150 mi to the north.

Prior to the Somali civil war, Berbera was home to a small naval port that was built by the Soviets, then later used by the Americans. This is now part of the commercial port.

Since the Eritrean-Ethiopian War, it has grown as a major export port for Ethiopia, and is now the main source of foreign currency for Somaliland. The city is also home to a runway, built as an emergency landing strip for the U.S. Space Shuttle which is known to be the longest runway in Africa.

Coordinates: 10°26′N 45°01′E