Somalia

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Somalia (Somali: Soomaaliya; Arabic: الصومال‎ transliteration: aṣ-Ṣūmāl), officially the Somali Republic (Somali: Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, Arabic: جمهورية الصومال‎ transliteration: Jumhūriyyat aṣ-Ṣūmāl) and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic, is located on the Horn of Africa in East Africa. It is bordered by Djibouti to the north-west, Kenya on its south-west, the Gulf of Aden with Yemen on its north, the Indian Ocean at its east and Ethiopia to the west. The Somali state 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 the United Nations-recognized, interim Transitional Federal Government (TFG), which until recently controlled only Baidoa. Violence has plagued Mogadishu, the capital, since warlords ousted former President Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Colonial period 1.2 World War II 1.3 1960s–1990s 1.4 2000 – Present 1.4.1 Political organization 1.4.2 Natural disasters 1.4.3 2006 Civil War 2 Politics 3 Capital 4 Geography 5 Administrative divisions 6 Health 7 Education 8 Economy 9 Telecommunications 10 Environment 11 Demographics 12 Languages 13 Religion 14 Culture 14.1 Cuisine 14.2 Literature 14.3 Music 15 Gallery of Somalia related pictures 16 See also 16.1 Lists 17 References 18 External links

[edit] History

Main article: History of Somalia

Fakr ad-Din mosque

Somalia has been continuously inhabited by numerous and varied ethnic groups, some of Oromo or other cushitic ancestry, but the majority were Somalis, for the last 2,500 years. From the first century AD numerous ports like ancient Opone and ancient Mosylon-Bandar Gori were trading with Roman and Greek sailors. The northwestern part of Somalia was part of the Kingdom of Aksum from about the 3rd century to the 7th. By the early medieval period (A.D. 700–A.D. 1200), Islam became firmly established especially with the founding of Mogadishu in A.D. 900 The late medieval period (A.D. 1201-A.D. 1500) saw the rise of numerous Somali city-states and kingdoms. In northwestern Somalia, the Sultanate of Adal (a multi-ethnic state comprised of Afars, Somalis and Hararis) with Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi as their leader in the 1520, successfully led a campaign which saw three-quarters of Ethiopia coming under Adal rule before being defeated by a joint Ethiopian-Portuguese force at the Battle of Wayna Daga on February 21, 1543. The Ajuuraan Sultanate flourished in the 14th and 17th centuries. Following the collapse of Adal and Ajuuraan in the early and late 17th century, Somalia saw the growth and gradual rise of many successor city states such as the Sultanates of eastern Sanag, of Bari, and of Hobyo. The modern period began when the clouds of colonial conquest gathered in 1884.

[edit] Colonial period

The year 1884 Abokar ended a long period of comparative peace. At the Berlin Conference of 1884, the Scramble for Africa started the long and bloody process of the imperial partition of Somali lands. The French, British and Italians came to Somalia in the late 19th century.

The British claimed British Somaliland as a protectorate in 1886 after the withdrawal of Egypt and the treaty with Warsangeli clan. Egypt sought to prevent European colonial expansion in Northeast Africa. The southern area, claimed by Italy in 1889, became known as Italian Somaliland. The northernmost stretch became part of the French Territory of Afars and Issas, also known as French Somaliland, until it later achieved independence as Djibouti.

WORLD LARGEST COUNTRY and continent

[edit] World War II

Fascist Italy, under the dictatorship of Benito Mussolini, tried to pursue its colonialist expansion policy and attacked Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) in 1935. The invasion was condemned by the League of Nations, but little was done to stop Italian military and industrial build-up. Abyssinia was occupied, and the government of Emperor Haile Selassie I was exiled to the U.K. In England, the Ethiopian Emperor appealed to the international community. Little was done to liberate occupied Ethiopia. Britain would regret the failure of it and its allies to impose sanctions on Italy.

In August 1940, Italian troops crossed the Ethiopian border and invaded British Somalia to take the colony from the United Kingdom. The invasion was launched on August 3, and concluded with the taking of Berbera on August 14.

The British launched a campaign in January 1942 from Kenya to liberate Italian Somaliland, British Somaliland and Italian-occupied Ethiopia, again with many Somalis being incorporated to fight a war led by foreigners. By February, most of Italian Somaliland was captured. In March, British Somaliland was retaken by a sea invasion.

In 1949 the U.N. gave Somalia as a protectorate to Italy until it achieved independence in 1960. The Ogaden province of Somalia was given to the now repatriated Ethiopian government by the British Empire. Britain kept British Somaliland (now Somaliland or northern Somalia) under its colonial rule. The French too kept Djibouti under colonial administration, and Djibouti would not gain independence until 1977. Though Somalis and other Africans fought hard on the Allied side in World War Two, they were resubjugated soon after the conflict. The bitterness of lost hope strengthened the long struggle against colonialism, and in most parts of Africa, including Somalia, independence movements and liberation struggles occurred.

[edit] 1960s–1990s

The independence of the British Somaliland Protectorate from the United Kingdom was proclaimed on 26 June 1960. On 1 July 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.

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, and General Jama Korshel in the police forces led the coup d'etat after the assassination. Barre became the President in 1969 and Korshel the vice president following a coup d'état. The revolutionary army leaders, headed by Siad 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. In the meantime, Barre assassinated a major figure in his cabinet, Major General Gabiere, and two other officials.

Between 1977 and 1978, Somalia fought with its neighbour Ethiopia in the Ogaden War. The goal of Somali nationalism was to liberate and unite the Somali lands divided and subjugated under colonialism. The Somali state engaged its neighbours Kenya and Ethiopia diplomatically, hoping to win the right of self-determination for ethnic Somalis in those countries. Somalis in Ogaden province in Ethiopia suffered immensely, as have other Ethiopians, under the brutal rule of Haile Selassie and the new Communist regime. However, Somalis were being expelled from Ogaden province, and Somalia, already preparing for war since the failure of diplomacy, supported the Ogaden Peoples Liberation Front (ONLF, then called Western Somalia Liberation Front WSLF). Eventually, Somalia sought to capture Ogaden province, and acted unilaterally without consulting the international community, which was generally opposed to redrawing colonial boundaries. Somalia's communist allies, the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact, refused to help Somalia, and instead, backed Ethiopia. For most of the war, Somalia appeared to be winning, and in fact, retook most of Ogaden province. With Somali forces at the gates of Addis Ababa, Soviet and Cuban forces and weapons came to the aid of Ethiopia. The Somali Army was decimated and, soon, defeated. During the Soviet and Cuban intervention, Somalia sought the help of the United States. The Carter Administration originally expressed interest in helping Somalia and then later declined. American allies in the Middle East and Asia also refused to assist Somalia. The Americans perhaps did not want to engage the Soviets in this period of détente.

In 1978, the moral authority of the Somali government collapsed with many Somalis becoming disillusioned with life under military dictatorship. The regime in the 1980s weakened as the Cold War drew to a close and Somalia's strategic importance was diminished. The government became increasingly totalitarian, and resistance movements, encouraged by Ethiopia for its own strategic interests, sprang up across the country, eventually leading to civil war in 1991.

In 1991, first insurgent forces led by Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, leader of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front, and President Ali Mahdi Mohamed was unrecognised as the interim president by some factions. 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. In the period 1991-1992, a split in the southern United Somali Congress, which led efforts to unseat Barre, caused an escalation in the civil war, especially in the Mogadishu area.

Following the failure of United Nations' Operation Restore Hope and beginning in 1993, a two-year UN effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions. The UN contingent was at times led by American troops, 19 of whom were killed in a raid in Mogadishu where two helicopters (Supers 61&64) were shot down (as portrayed in the film "Black Hawk Down").

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

Finally in June 1996, Mohamed Farrah Aidid was killed in the capital of Mogadishu.

Yet another secession from Somalia took place in the northeastern region. The self-governing state took the name Puntland after declaring autonomous in 1998, with the intention that it would participate in any Somali reconciliation to form a new central government. Puntland considers itself still within the Somali Republic.

[edit] 2000 – Present

[edit] Political organization

In 2002, Southwestern Somalia, comprising Bay, Bakool, Middle Juba, Gedo, Lower Shabelle and Lower Juba provinces of Somalia declared itself autonomous. However, at the time of its declaration, the Rahanweyn Resistance Army, established in 1999, was in full control of Bay and Bakool and parts of Gedo and Middle Juba regions only. This temporary secession was reasserted in 2002, leading to de facto autonomy of Southwestern Somalia. An internal armed conflict between Hasan Muhammad Nur Shatigadud and his two deputies, weakened it militarily. From February 2006, this area and the city of Baidoa became central to the Transitional Federal Government. In 2004, the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) organized and wrote a charter for the governing of the nation. The government wrote the charter in Nairobi.^[1][2] The TFG capital is presently in Baidoa.

In 2006, the Islamic Courts Union rose to predominant control of Somalia. They took over the capital of Mogadishu in the Second Battle of Mogadishu in May–June and began to spread their control through the rest of the country.

Another secession occurred in July 2006 with the declaration of regional autonomy by the state of Jubaland nominally consisting of parts of Gedo, Middle Juba, and the whole of Lower Juba region. Barre Adan Shire Hiiraale, chairman of the Administration of Juba Valley Alliance, who comes from Galgadud region, in central Somalia is the most powerful leader there. This regional government did not want full statehood.

[edit] Natural disasters

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.

In 2006, Somalia was impacted by torrential rains and flooding that struck the entire Horn of Africa affecting 350,000 people.^[3]

[edit] 2006 Civil War

This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.

See also: Second Battle of Mogadishu, Rise of the Islamic Courts Union (2006) , War in Somalia (2006–present), Somalia Diplomatic and Humanitarian Efforts, and 2007 timeline of the War in Somalia

A conflict to unseat warlords broke out in May 2006. The battle was fought between an alliance of Mogadishu warlords known as the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism or "ARPCT" and a militia loyal to Islamic Courts Union or "ICU". The conflict began in mid-February. Several hundred people, mostly civilians, died in the crossfire. Mogadishu residents described it as the worst fighting in more than a decade. The Islamists accused the U.S. of funding the warlords through the Central Intelligence Agency in an effort to prevent the Islamists gaining power. The U.S. State Department, while neither admitting nor denying this, said the U.S. had taken no action that violated the international arms embargo of Somalia. A few e-mails describing covert illegal operations by private military companies in breach of UN regulations have been reported^[4] by the UK Sunday newspaper The Observer. The U.N. maintains an arms embargo on Somalia, and some have alleged that the U.S. broke international law by supplying the Mogadishu warlords.

On June 5, 2006 the Islamic Militia said it had taken control of the whole of Mogadishu following the Second Battle of Mogadishu. On 14 June 2006 the last ARPCT stronghold in southern Somalia, the town of Jowhar, fell with little resistance to the ICU. The remaining ARPCT forces fled to the east or across the border into Ethiopia. The warlords' alliance effectively collapsed.

The transitional government called for intervention by a regional East African peacekeeping force. ICU leaders opposed this, and lobbied African Union (AU) member states at an AU ceremony in Libya on September 9, 2006 to abandon plans to send peacekeepers to Somalia. The Islamists were fiercely opposed to foreign troops — particularly Ethiopians — in Somalia.^[5]

Somalia and Ethiopia fought a bitter war in 1977–78 over the Somali province of Ogaden, which has been ruled by the Ethiopians since the partition of Somali lands in the first half of the 20th century by the British Empire. In addition, the ICU claimed that Ethiopia, with its long history as an imperial power, seeks to occupy Somalia, or rule it by proxy.

Steadily the Islamist militia backing the ICU took control of much of the southern half of Somalia, normally through negotiation with local clan chiefs rather than by the use of force. The Islamists stayed clear of the government headquarters town of Baidoa, which Ethiopia said it would protect if threatened. But on September 25, 2006, the ICU moved into the southern port of Kismayo, the last remaining port held by the transitional government.^[6]

Many Somali refugees, as well as the UN recognised transitional government of Somalia, then lived close to the border of Ethiopia, protected by Ethiopian troops. The Islamist Militia issued a war declaration against Ethiopia on October 9, 2006.^[7]

On Wednesday, November 1, 2006, peace talks between the UN-recognized interim government in the North and the Islamists of the south broke down. The international community feared an all-out civil war, with Ethiopian and rival Eritrean forces backing opposing sides in the power-struggle and political deadlock between the appointed transitional government and the ICU.^[8]

War erupted on Thursday, December 21, 2006 when the leader of ICU, Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys said: "Somalia is in a state of war, and all Somalis should take part in this struggle against Ethiopia", after which heavy fighting broke out between the Islamist militia on one side and the allied Somali government and Ethiopian forces on the other side.^[9]

On Sunday, December 24, 2006, Ethiopian forces launched unilateral airstrikes against Islamist troops and strongpoints across Somalia. Ethiopian Information Minister Berhan Hailu stated that targets included the town of Buur Hakaba, near the administration's base in Baidoa. This was the first use of airstrikes by Ethiopia and also its first public admission of involvement in Somalia.^[10]

That same day, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi announced that his country was waging war against the Islamists to protect his country's sovereignty. "Ethiopian defense forces were forced to enter into war to the protect the sovereignty of the nation and to blunt repeated attacks by Islamic courts terrorists and anti-Ethiopian elements they are supporting," he said.^[11]

On Monday, December 25, 2006 Ethiopia declared war on the Islamic Courts, and one Ethiopian jet fighter strafed the international airport in Mogadishu, without apparently causing serious damage but prompting the airport to be shut down. Other Ethiopian jet fighters attacked a military airport west of Mogadishu.^[12][13]

Days of heavy fighting followed as Ethiopian and government troops backed by tanks and jets pushed against Islamist forces between Baidoa and Mogadishu. Both sides claimed to have inflicted hundreds of casualties, but the Islamist infantry and vehicle artillery were badly beaten and forced to retreat toward Mogadishu. On 28 December 2006, the allies entered Mogadishu after Islamist fighters fled the city.

The Islamists retreated south, towards their stronghold in Kismayo, fighting rearguard actions in several towns. They abandoned Kismayo, too, without a fight, claiming that their flight was a strategic withdrawal to avoid civilian casualties. They entrenched around the small town of Ras Komboni, at the southernmost tip of Somalia and on the border with Kenya. In early January, the Ethiopians and the Somali government attacked, capturing the Islamist positions and driving the surviving fighters into the hills and forests after several days of combat. On Tuesday, January 9, 2007, the United States openly intervened in Somalia by sending AC-130 gunships to attack Islamist positions in Ras Kamboni. Dozens were killed. See The Battle of Ras Kamboni.

[edit] Politics

Main article: Politics of Somalia

Somalia has had no effective national government since 1991, though there is an internationally recognized government in Mogadishu and Baidoa. This government, called the Transitional Federal Government, controls only Southern Somalia and is not recognized by most Somalis to be legitimate with popular resistance movements of the Islamic Courts Union fighting the Ethiopian troops helping the government. The Transitional Government was appointed abroad, by forces historically opposed to Somali interests such as Ethiopia and various African countries seeking to limit the extent and scope of Somali development and eventual encroachment on occupied Somali lands. In the northwest, there is the breakaway republic of Somaliland, which declared its independence in 1991. This governing zone is not internationally recognized although it has remained more stable and certainly more peaceful than the south and northeast. Puntland in the northeast declared itself autonomous in 1998 and has not joined the Transitional Government, though the former president of Puntland is now the president of the Baidoa government and Puntland has stated its desire to join a future federated state. In the southeastern interior, Jubaland and Southwestern Somalia have both joined the Baidoa government, and its leaders are part of the Baidoa parliament.

The other half of the country, with the bulk of the population, was controlled until the end of December 2006 by the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), which controlled the critically important cities of Mogadishu and, since September 24, 2006, Kismayo. As of January 2007, the situation is unstable. The Islamic Courts seek to institute Sharia law in Somalia. Social law changes, such as the forbidding of chewing khat,^[14] and even the prohibition against watching movies and soccer in public,^[15] have become recent movements by the ICU to change behaviors and impose strict social morals.

The Council is led by Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. When asked if the ICU plans to extend its control to the rest of Somalia, Sheikh Ahmed responded in an interview:

"Land is not our priority. Our priority is the people's peace, dignity and that they could live in liberty, that they could decide their own fate. That is our priority. Our priority is not land; the people are important to us."

On October 14, 2004, Somali members of parliament elected 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.

Many other small political organizations exist, some clan-based, others seeking a Somalia free from clan-based politics. Many of them have come into existence since the civil war. In late 2006, the Transitional Federal Government of the Somali Republic controlled only a relatively small portion of the country; by some accounts its control barely extended beyond the limits of its capital city of Baidoa. The political situation remains unstable; for example, on September 18, 2006, Abdullah Yusuf barely survived a suicide attack on his convoy in Baidoa, although twelve other people were killed.^[16] Over the course of late December 2006, The Transitional Government, with the aid of Ethiopian troops, extended its control over much of the country, and the Islamists retreated. In January 2007 they were attacked in the remote stronghold of Ras Kamboni in the extreme southern tip of the country.

See also: List of notable Somali leaders

[edit] Capital

Mogadishu is the capital of Somalia. In 2006, Mogadishu became part of the territory controlled by the Islamic Courts Union. While the Transitional Federal Government had its seat in Baidoa it was also considered a capital.

On December 28, 2006, troops of the U.N.-backed interim government rolled into Mogadishu unopposed, putting an end to six months of domination of the capital by a radical Islamic movement. Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi declared that Mogadishu had been secured, after meeting with local clan leaders to discuss the peaceful hand-over of the city.^[17]

[edit] Geography

Main article: Geography of Somalia

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, Eritrea, and Djibouti it is often referred to as the Horn of Africa. It borders Djibouti on the northwest, Ethiopia on the west, and Kenya to the southwest. Somalia has the longest coastline in Africa.^[18]

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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 (85–105°F), except at higher elevations and along the east coast. Mean daily minimums usually vary from about 15°C to 30°C (60–85°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.

[edit] Administrative divisions

Main articles: Regions of Somalia and Districts of Somalia

Somalia is divided into eighteen regions (gobollada, sing. gobol), which in turn are subdivided into districts. The regions are:

1 Awdal 2 Bakool 3 Banaadir 4 Bari 5 Bay 6 Galguduud

7 Gedo   8 Hiiraan   9 Jubbada Hoose 10 Shabeellaha Hoose 11 Mudug 12 Jubbada Dhexe

13 Shabeellaha Dhexe 14 Nugaal 15 Sanaag 16 Sool 17 Togdheer 18 Woqooyi Galbeed

[edit] Health

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. But on the other hand Somalia also has one of the lowest HIV infection rates in Africa.

The breadth of the AIDS pandemic has led to the idea in the West that the entire continent is ravaged by the disease. But Somalia — isolated for 14 years since the civil war began and populated by devout Muslims — has an infection rate of perhaps only 1.5 or 2 per cent of the adult population.

– Stephanie Nolan^[19]

[edit] Education

With the collapse of the central government in 1991, the education system is now private. primary schools have risen from 600 before the civil war to 1172 schools today, with an increase of 28% in primary school enrollment over the last 3 years.^[20] In 2006, Puntland, an autonomous state, was the second in Somalia (after Somaliland) to introduce free primary schools with teachers now receiving their salaries from the Puntland administration.^[21] In Mogadishu, the Benadir University, the Al-Neelain University, and the Mogadishu University are three of the eight universities that teach Higher education in Southern Somalia. In Puntland, higher education is provided by the Puntland State University and East Africa University. In Somaliland, it's provided by Amoud University, Hargeisa University and Burao University. Three Somali Universities are currently ranked in the top 100 of Africa. Quranic schools also known as duqsi's remain the basic system of instruction for religion in Somalia. They provide Islamic education for children, thereby filling a clear religious and social role in the country. Known as the most stable, local, and non-formal education providing basic religious and moral instruction, their strength rests on community support and their use of locally made and widely available teaching materials. The Qu'ranic system, which teaches the greatest number of students relative to the other education sub-sectors, is the only system accessible to nomadic Somalis compared to the urban Somalis who have easier access to education. In 1993, a survey by UNICEF was conducted in which it found, among other things, that about 40% of pupils in Qu'ranic schools were girls[1] This is quite amazing compared to secular education where gender disparity is much greater.

[edit] Economy

Main article: Economy of Somalia

Since the collapse of the state, Somalia has transformed from what Mohamed Siad Barre referred to as "scientific socialism" to a free market economy.

Due to the lack of government oversight or statistics, and the recent war, it is difficult to calculate the size or growth of the economy. For 1994, the CIA estimated GDP at $3.3 billion^[22] In 2001, it was estimated to be $4.1 billion.^[23] In 2005, the CIA estimated GDP to be $4.809 billion.^[24] Real growth in 2005 was projected at 2.4%.

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.

[edit] Telecommunications

Somalia's public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled. However, private wireless companies thrive in most major cities and actually provide better services than in neighbouring countries. Wireless service and Internet cafés are provided. Somalia was the last African country to access the Internet in August 2000, with only 57 Web sites known as of 2003.^[25] Internet usage in Somalia grew 44,900% in the last five years, registering the highest in Africa.[2] Somalia has the cheapest cellular calling rates in Africa, with some companies charging less than a cent a minute.^[26] Competing phone companies have agreed on interconnection standards, which were brokered by the United Nations funded Somali Telecom Association.

Companies providing telecommunication services are:

Golis Telecom SOMTEL Galkom Global Internet Company Hormuud

Telcom NationLink Telecom Netco STG Somafone

[edit] Environment

Somalia is an semi-arid country with about 2% arable land. The civil war had a huge impact on the country’s tropical forest by facilitating the production of charcoal with ever present recurring, but damaging draughts. Somali environmentalist, Fatima Jibrell, became the first Somali to step in and do a much-needed effort to save the rest of the environment through local initiatives that organized local communities to protect the rural and coastal habitat. Jibrell trained a team of young people to organize awareness campaigns about the irreversible damage of unrestricted charcoal production. Jibrell also joined the Buran rural institute that formed and organized the Camel Caravan program in which young people loaded tents and equipment on camels to walk for three weeks through a nomadic locale and educate the people about the careful use of fragile resources, healthcare, livestock management and peace. She has consistently fought against the burning of charcoal, logging and other man-induced environmental degradation. Her efforts have born fruits to the local communities across Somalia and international recognition when she won the prestigious Environmental Goldman award from San Francisco. Jibrell is also the executive director of Horn Relief and Development Organization . ^[27]

[edit] Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Somalia

Somalia has a population of around 10,700,000 according to UN estimations in 2003, 85% of which constitute ethnic Somalis.

There is little reliable statistical information on urbanisation in Somalia. However, rough estimates have been made indicating an Urbanisation of 5% and 8% per annum with many towns rapidly growing into cities. Currently, 34% of the Somali population lives in towns and cities with the percentage rapidly increasing. [3]

Because of the civil war, the country has a large diaspora community, one of the largest of the whole continent. There are over a million Somalis outside of Africa, and this excludes those who have inhabited Ogaden province, northeastern Kenya, and Djibouti.

[edit] Languages

Main article: Languages of Somalia

Somalia is unique in Africa because all inhabitants speak a native language. Somali is the main language. Somali is used virtually everywhere and nearly every Somali citizen speaks it. Minority languages do exist such as Af-Maay which is spoken in areas in South-Central Somalia by Rahanweyn tribes and variants of Swahili (Barawe) is spoken along the coast by Arabs.

A considerable amount of Somalis speak Arabic due to religious reasons and ties with the Arab world and media. English is also widely used and taught, Italian used to be a major language but due to the civil war and lack of education only the older generation speaks it.

[edit] Religion

Main article: Islam in Somalia

The Somalis are almost entirely Sunni Muslims. Christianity's influence was abolished in the 1970s when church-run schools were closed and missionaries sent home. There has been no Archbishop of the Catholic cathedral in the country since 1989; the cathedral in Mogadishu was severely damaged in the civil war of Jan.-Feb. 1992. The Somali constitution discourages the promotion and propagation of any religion other than Islam. Loyalty to Islam is what reinforces distinctions that set Somalis apart from their immediate African neighbours, many of whom are either Christians (particularly the Amhara and others of Ethiopia and Kenya) or adherents of indigenous African faiths.

[edit] Culture

Main article: Culture of Somalia

[edit] Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Somalia

Main article: Cuisine of Somaliland

Cuisine of Somalia varies from region to region and it encompasses different styles of cooking. One thing that unites the Somali food is it's being Halal. Therefore, there are no Pork dishes, alcohol is not served, nothing that died on its own is eaten and no blood is incorporated. Somali people serve dinner as late as 9 pm. During Ramadan, it is often eaten after Tarawih prayers -- sometimes as late as 11 pm. Cambuulo is one of the most dishes that is liked throughout the country as a dinner. The dish is made out of well-cooked azuki beans, mixed with butter and sugar. The beans, which by itself is called digir, are often left on the stove for as many as five hours, on low heat to reach the most desired taste

[edit] Literature

Main article: Somali literature

Somalia produced a large amount of literature through Islamic poetry and Hadith from Somali Scholars of the last centuries. With the adoption of the latin script in 1973 Numerous Somali authors have released books over the years which received widespread success. Nuruddin Farah being one of them. Novels like A crooked rib and Links are considered important literary achievements which earned him the 1998 Neustadt International Prize for Literature award.

• List of writers from Somalia

[edit] Music

Main article: Music of Somalia

Somalia has the distinction of being one of only a handful of African countries that are composed almost entirely of one ethnic group, the Somalis. Traditional bands like Waaberi Horseed have gained a small following outside the country. Others, like Maryam Mursal, have fused Somali traditional music with rock, bossa nova, hip hop, and jazz, influences. Most Somali music is love orientated, but some recall how life was in Somalia before the Somali Civil War and some talk about how Somalis should come together to unite and restore the country to its former glory.

Toronto where a sizable Somali community exists replaced Mogadishu (because of the instability) as the center of the Somali Music Industry, it's also present in London, Minneapolis, and Columbus. One popular musician from the Somali diaspora is K'Naan, a young rapper from Toronto, whose songs talk about the struggles of life in Somalia during the outbreak of the Civil War.

[edit] Gallery of Somalia related pictures

The Laas Geel cave paintings outside Hargeisa.

Ahmed Gurey.

Hawo Tako.

Dhagaxtuur Monument

[edit] See also

• Anarchy in Somalia
• Battle of Mogadishu
• Second Battle of Mogadishu
• Communications in Somalia
• Foreign relations of Somalia
• Kritarchy
• Military of Somalia
• Scouting in Somalia
• Transportation in Somalia
• Somali diaspora

[edit] Lists

• Presidents of Somalia
• Prime Ministers of Somalia
• Transitional Federal Government
• List of Somalians
• List of Somali companies
• List of Somalia-related topics
• Somali diaspora

[edit] References

• Lewis. I.M. "Pastoral Democracy: A study on Pastoralism and Politics among the Northern Somali clans." Ohio: Ohio University Press, 1958.

[edit] External links

Find more information on Somalia by searching Wikipedia's sister projects
	Dictionary definitions from Wiktionary
	Textbooks from Wikibooks
	Quotations from Wikiquote
	Source texts from Wikisource
	Images and media from Commons
	News stories from Wikinews
	Learning resources from Wikiversity

• Condemn US-Ethiopian aggression against Somalia Lalkar January 2007
• Somalia Operations: Lessons Learned by Kenneth Allard (CCRP, 1995)
• From Nation-State to Stateless Nation: The Somali Experience by Michael van Notten (Amsterdam, 2000)

Government

• Official Website of the Federal Government of Somalia

News

• Somalia - War situation since 1991 on France 24 – Special Report about Somalia on France 24 International News Channel
• Somalia news headlines
• Somalia's Struggle for Stability, Online NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
• HRW claims US involved in secret detention of Somalis,Breaking Legal News 2007/04/01

Economy

• Anarchy and Invention: How Does Somalia's Private Sector Cope without Government?
• Breaking Legal News 2007/04/01

General information

• Open Directory Project - Somalia
• CBC Digital Archives - The Somalia Affair
• News and Discussions
• Nolosha Cusub

UNESCO

• UNESCO Nairobi office on education in Somalia
• UNESCO Nairobi Office - Fact Book on Education For All, Somalia 2006

Geographic locale

States of Somalia Galmudug | Puntland | Somaliland | Southwestern Somalia v • d • e Countries of East Africa Djibouti · Eritrea · Ethiopia · Kenya · Somalia · Tanzania · Uganda v • d • e Countries of Africa Sovereign states Algeria · Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cameroon · Cape Verde · Central African Republic · Chad · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Republic of the Congo · Comoros · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Egypt1 · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Ethiopia · Gabon · The Gambia · Ghana · Guinea-Bissau · Guinea · Kenya · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Morocco · Mozambique · Namibia · Niger · Nigeria · Rwanda · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Somalia · South Africa · Spain2 · Sudan · Swaziland · São Tomé and Príncipe · Tanzania · Togo · Tunisia · Uganda · Zambia · Zimbabwe Dependencies  |  Unrecognized British Indian Ocean Territory (UK) · French Southern and Antarctic Lands (France) · Mayotte (France) · Réunion (France) · St. Helena3 (UK)  |  Puntland · Somaliland · Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic 1 Partly in Asia.  2 Mostly in Europe.  3 Includes the dependencies of Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha. v • d • e Countries on the Arabian Sea  India •  Iran •  Maldives •  Oman •  Pakistan •  Somalia •  Sri Lanka •  Yemen v • d • e Countries on the Red Sea  Djibouti •  Egypt •  Eritrea •  Israel •  Jordan •  Saudi Arabia •  Somalia •  Sudan •  Yemen v • d • e Countries and territories on the Indian Ocean Eurasia: Bahrain • Bangladesh • Christmas Island • Cocos (Keeling) Islands • India • Indonesia • Iran • Iraq • Kuwait • Malaysia • Maldives • Myanmar • Oman • Pakistan • Qatar • Saudi Arabia • Sri Lanka • Thailand • United Arab Emirates • Yemen Africa: Comoros • Djibouti • Eritrea • Kenya • Madagascar • Mauritius • Mayotte • Mozambique • Seychelles • Somalia • Somaliland • South Africa • Sudan • Tanzania Oceania: Australia • Christmas Island • Cocos (Keeling) Islands Islands: Bahrain • British Indian Ocean Territory • Christmas Island • Cocos (Keeling) Islands • Madagascar • Maldives • Mauritius • Mayotte • Seychelles • Sri Lanka

International membership

v • d • e Member states of the African Union Algeria · Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cameroon · Cape Verde · Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Republic of the Congo · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Egypt · Eritrea · Ethiopia · Equatorial Guinea · Gabon · The Gambia · Ghana · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Kenya · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mozambique · Namibia · Niger · Nigeria · Rwanda · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Somalia · South Africa · Sudan · Swaziland · Tanzania · Togo · Tunisia · Uganda · Western Sahara (SADR) · Zambia · Zimbabwe v • d • e Member states of the Arab League Algeria · Bahrain · Comoros · Djibouti · Egypt · Iraq · Jordan · Kuwait · Lebanon · Libya · Mauritania · Morocco · Oman · State of Palestine · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Somalia · Sudan · Syria · Tunisia · United Arab Emirates · Yemen v • d • e Members and observers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Members Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · Azerbaijan · Bahrain · Bangladesh · Benin · Burkina Faso · Brunei · Cameroon · Chad · Comoros · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Egypt · Gabon · Gambia · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Jordan · Kuwait · Kazakhstan · Kyrgyzstan · Lebanon · Libya · Maldives · Malaysia · Mali · Mauritania · Morocco · Mozambique · Niger · Nigeria · Oman · Pakistan · Palestine · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Senegal · Sierra Leone · Somalia · Sudan · Suriname · Syria · Tajikistan · Turkey · Tunisia · Togo · Turkmenistan · Uganda · Uzbekistan · United Arab Emirates · Yemen Observers Countries Bosnia and Herzegovina · Central African Republic · Russia · Thailand · Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Muslim communities Moro National Liberation Front International organizations Economic Cooperation Organization · African Union · League of Arab States · Non-Aligned Movement · United Nations v • d • e Afro-Asiatic-speaking nations v • d • e Berber  Algeria  Egypt  Libya  Mali  Mauritania  Morocco  Niger  Tunisia v • d • e Chadic  Cameroon  Central African Republic  Chad  Niger  Nigeria v • d • e Cushitic Cushitic  Djibouti  Eritrea  Ethiopia  Kenya  Somalia Beja  Egypt  Eritrea  Sudan v • d • e Egyptian  |  Omotic        Egypt    |     Ethiopia v • d • e Semitic Arabic / Maltese  Algeria  Bahrain  Egypt  Iraq  Israel  Jordan  Kuwait  Lebanon  Libya  Malta  Mauritania  Morocco  Oman  Palestine  Qatar  Saudi Arabia  Sudan1  Syria  Tunisia  United Arab Emirates  Western Sahara  Yemen Northwest Semitic2  Iraq  Israel  Syria South Semitic  Eritrea  Ethiopia  Oman  Yemen 1 excluding Southern Sudan.    2 Aramaic and Hebrew.