Bosaso
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| Bosaso | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Regions of Somalia | Bari |
| Population (2007) | |
| - City | 450,000 |
| - Metro | 500,000 |
Bosaso (Somali: Boosaaso) is the third largest city in Somalia (after Mogadishu and Hargeisa ) and the main port of Somalia (since the start of the Somali Civil War in 1991). Situated on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden ( ) at the estuary of Baalade Wadi, it is the de facto capital of the Bari region (gobolka) in the autonomous republic of Puntland.
Formerly known as Bender Qassim, Boosaaso governs seven districts: Qandala, Caluula, Iskushuban, Bandar Bayla, Carmo. Baargaal, and Qardho. The population in August 2006 was estimated at about 80,000 (up from about 30,000 in the 1990s). Boosaaso is a melting pot, with citizens representing all the major clans in Somalia, but most of its population is from the Harti subclan of the Darood. It also has a significant number of Mehri Arabs, also known as Arab (Maxamuud) Saalax.
Boosaaso currently has more than 30 primary and secondary schools, including Boosaaso Public Secondary School (with over 2000 students), Sheikh Hamdan Secondary School (approximately 800 students), Imam-Alnawawi, Alnajeh, and Garisa. East Africa University, the main university of Puntland, is also located in Boosaaso, as is the Puntland Nursing Institute. UNCTAD, SIBA and Sunshine also provide modern education. The Sam Greathouse School of Modern Technology (SG-SMT) has been working with local governments to construct a large scale dial-up network linking Boosaaso to the cities of Berbera and Las Anod.
A highway connects Boosaaso to Garoowe (the capital of Puntland State), Las Anod, Galkacyo and, from there, to Mogadishu and Berbera. Boosaaso has the busiest port in Somalia, along with a major airport ( Bender Qassim International Airport.
Relatively stable in comparison to the southern parts of Somalia, Boosaaso is a rapidly growing city. As with Hargeisa and Berbera, the rapid construction it has enjoyed of late has largely been financed by Somalis from the diaspora. Boosaaso has grown exponentially since the civil war, as it has attracted people from all over Somalia. Economically, it is actually doing better now than it was prior to the war.
Boosaaso is also a major port for boats carrying Somali emigrants across the Gulf of Aden to settle (sometimes illegally) in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the other Persian Gulf states. Khat is also shipped from the port.
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[edit] History of Boosaaso
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This section does not cite any references or sources. (June 2007) Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea indicates that ancient Greek merchants sailed to Boosaaso, providing notes about the strategic and geographical location of the current Boosaaso area which was called Mosylon in ancient times.
Boosaaso is the former settlement of Bender Qassim, and was first settled in the 14th century by a Yemeni trader known as Qassim, who is believed to be of Mehri origin (Arab Maxamuud Salaax) and had a camel called Bosa or Boosaas. So the town was first called Bender Qassim ("Qassim's town") then later Boosaaso, derived from his camel's name. This story is, however, purely speculative. Members from various Majerteen subclans (and other Harti subclans) also claim to have been the city's first settlers.
With the collapse of the central government and the formation of Puntland, Boosaaso has become the capital of the Northeastern regions of Somalia. In recent years, it has evolved into a refueling station for maritime transport between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf ports. It has also become an important commercial point of entry. The Siad Barre regime constructed the main port of this region in the mid-1980s, along with a two-lane highway for the annual livestock shipments to the Middle East.
[edit] Business in Bosaso
Boosaaso is a city that is booming and is experiencing a period of rapid growth. It used to be a small town with a population of less than 50,000, but when the Somali civil war broke out, Majerteen and other Harti clan Somalis started migrating back to their ancestral areas of Puntland. Consequently, Boosaaso blossomed from a town of only 50,000 to a city of about 500,000.[citation needed]
The fishing industry still remains one of Boosaaso's main sources of income. Real estate is also on the rise with many Somalis in the diaspora immigrating back to Puntland and buying real estate there[1].
The average wage in Boosaaso is the highest in Somalia (equivalent to $1200 USD ) and it's increasing annually (the average wage in the rest of Somalia is less than $600) [2].
[edit] Entertainment in Bosaso
Boosaaso has white, sandy, beaches and crystal clear sea water with a nice reef in the sea. Popular activities in the city include visiting coffee shops where Khat is consumed and Internet cafés. There are also many hotels, the most famous being Hotel Juba[3].
Boosaaso also has its own TV channel and studio named SBC TV, and Radio and ETN TV.
The best time to fly in is between September and May during the rainy season. The weather during the summer months is usually too unbearable for those not accustomed to the heat. In the outskirts of the city, one can find mountains, lakes, grasslands with unique wildlife and trees, and a panoramic view of the city.
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