| Bosaso Boosaaso بوساسو |
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| — Town — | |
| Bosaso skyline | |
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Bosaso
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Somalia |
| Region | Bari |
| District | Bosaso |
| Population | |
| • Total | 433,471 |
| Time zone | EAT (UTC+3) |
Bosaso (Somali: Boosaaso, Arabic: بوساسو) is a city in northern Somalia, which serves as the nation's main port. Situated on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden, it is the commercial capital of the Bari region (gobolka) in the autonomous Puntland state.
Formerly known as Bandar Qasim, the city's population is estimated at about 433,471 residents.[1] While Bosaso is a melting pot, with residents hailing from all the major clans of Somalia, most of its population is from the Harti confederation of Darod sub-clans. The city is relatively peaceful in comparison to the southern parts of Somalia.[2]
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The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea indicates that ancient Greek merchants sailed to Bosaso, providing notes about the strategic and geographical location of the current Bosaso area, which was known as Mosylon in ancient times.[3]
Bosaso was previously known as Bandar Qasim, a name derived from a Somali trader of the same name who is said to have first settled in the area during the 14th century. It is believed that Qasim's favourite camel was called Boosaas, from which derived the current name of the town. The town was thus first called Bandar Qassim after its founder ("Qasim's town"), then later dubbed Bosaso after its founder's trusted camel. This story is, however, purely speculative. Historically, Bosaso has been a Harti Darod stronghold, and evolved as a coastal outpost of their Sultanates.[4]
In the mid-18th to early 20th centuries, the city was among the areas ruled by the Majeerteen Sultanate. Later forming a part of Italian Somaliland, Bosaso was represented in the parliament of the succeeding Trust Territory of Somalia by the MPs Haji Bashir Ismail Yusuf and Ugaas Yassin Abdirahman.[5][6] The town would eventually be administered through the official Bari region in the post-independence period.
With the start of the Somali Civil War and the subsequent formation of Puntland in the 1990s, Bosaso has become the business capital of the northeastern regions of Somalia. In recent years, it has served as a refueling station for maritime transport between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf ports, and has also become an important commercial point of entry.
Bosaso's total population is estimated at about 433,471 residents.[1] An additional 50,000 registered internally displaced people primarily from conflict-stricken parts of southern Somalia have also sought refuge in camps on the outskirts of the city.[1]
Furthermore, Bosaso is a major port for boats carrying emigrants from within the country as well as adjacent territories across the Gulf of Aden to settle (sometimes illegally) in the Persian Gulf states.[2]
While Bosaso today is a melting pot, with residents hailing from many different parts of Somalia in addition to some neighboring Northeast African countries like Ethiopia, most of the city's population is from the Harti confederation of Darod sub-clans. Bosaso also has a significant number of Meheri Arabs, known as Arab Salah.[7][8]
Bosaso is a city that is experiencing a period of rapid growth. Prior to the Somali civil war, it had a population of under 50,000 inhabitants. Since the conflict, Somalis belonging to the Harti Darod sub-clans began migrating back to their ancestral areas of Puntland.[9] As a consequence of these migrations, Bosaso's population grew tremendously.
Due to the dramatic increase in the city's population, the local housing industry has become increasingly important. Despite the rapid growth, the fishing industry still remains one of Bosaso's main sources of income.
Bosaso is also home to Golis Telecom Somalia, the largest telecommunications operator in northeastern Somalia. Founded in 2002 with the objective of supplying the country with GSM mobile services, fixed line and internet services, it has an extensive network that covers all of the nation's major cities and more than 40 districts in both Puntland and Somaliland.[10] According to The Economist, Golis offers one of the cheapest international calling rates on the planet, at $0.2 USD less than anywhere else in the world.[11]
Bosaso is trans-versed by a 750 km north-south highway, which connects major cities in the northern part of the country, such as Galkacyo and Garowe, with townships in the south.[12]
The city's main port was constructed during the mid-1980s by the Siad Barre administration for annual livestock shipments to the Middle East.
Bosaso has the second busiest port in Somalia along with a major airport, Bender Qassim International Airport. In 2008, the Puntland government signed a multi-million dollar deal with Dubai's Lootah Group, a regional industrial group operating in the Middle East and Africa. According to the agreement, the first phase of the investment is worth Dhs 170m and will see a set of new companies established to operate, manage and build Bosaso's free trade zone and sea and airport facilities. The Bosaso Airport Company is slated to develop the airport complex to meet international standards, including a new 3.4 km runway, main and auxiliary buildings, taxi and apron areas, and security perimeters.[13]
Bosaso currently has more than 30 primary and secondary schools, including Imam Nawawi School (with over 3200 pupils), Boosaaso Public Secondary School (with over 2000 students), Sheikh Hamdan Secondary School (approximately 800 students), Alnajeh and Garisa. East Africa University along with Bosaso College serve higher education needs,[14] as does the Puntland Nursing Institute. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) SIBA and Sunshine also provide post-secondary 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 Bosaso to the northern Somali cities of Berbera and Las Anod.
Bosaso has white sandy beaches and clear sea water with a reef. Popular activities in the city include visiting Internet cafés and coffee shops where allegedly khat is served, although sales are illegal. There are also many hotels, the most famous being the Hotel Huruuse and Juba,[15] the Tropical and the International Village.
In addition, Bosaso has its own television channel and studios (SBC TV and ETN TV), as well as radio stations such as Radio Midnimo.
The outskirts of the city feature mountains, lakes and grasslands with wildlife and trees, while also offering a panoramic view of the city's skyline.
Bosaso is sub-divided into sixteen administrative districts.[16] They include: