Galdogob
| Galdogob Galdogob جلدغب | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
|
Aerial view of Galdogob. | |
  Galdogob Location in Somalia. | |
| Coordinates: 7°1′52″N 47°1′14.5″E / 7.03111°N 47.020694°ECoordinates: 7°1′52″N 47°1′14.5″E / 7.03111°N 47.020694°E | |
| Country | |
| Region | Mudug |
| District | Galdogob |
| Elevation | 373 m (1,224 ft) |
| Time zone | EAT (UTC+3) |
Galdogob (Somali: Galdogob, Arabic: جلدغب), also spelled Goldogob, is a town located in the north-central Mudug province of Somalia.[1] Situated in the autonomous Puntland region, it lies approximately six kilometers southeast of the border with Ethiopia. It is the capital of the Galdogob District.
Overview
Galdogob is strategically located on one of the oldest roads going into Ethiopia's portion of the Somali-majority Ogaden. It is a spot to rest for Somali travelers heading to and from Addis Ababa, Werder, Djibouti, Jijiga, Dire Dawa, and Geladi. Over 100 buses and heavy trucks pass through the city daily.
Galdogob is a rapidly growing town. It has a very reliable electricity and telecommunications sector. The district's fresh water is provided by the Galdogob Water System (GWS), which was founded by a group of local businessmen.
All this has helped Galdogob develop into a relatively large urban area. Visitors to Galdogob will find high-speed internet cafés, hotels, taxis, and other amenities. Education plays a vital role in the lives of the people, and private schools teach computer skills, English, mathematics, science, and Islamic studies.
Galdogob also has a thriving livestock industry: hundreds of thousands of camels, sheep, goats and cattle are purchased here and shipped through the busy port of Bosaso every year. The city's livestock trade is at its most brisk during the hajj period, when over a hundred thousand heads of livestock are sold and shipped to the Gulf states again through Bosaso. Galdogob has recently also seen the arrival of migrants from the more southernly areas of Somalia seeking work and a safer place to live.
In October 2014, the firm Tawakal Money Express (Tawakal) also began construction of the four-storey Tawakal Plaza Galdogob. The new high rise is slated to be completed by the end of 2015, and will feature a Tawakal Global Bank customer and financial services center, conference and event halls, restaurant and coffee shop facilities, and a luxury hotel.[2]
Demographics
As of 2005, the broader Galdogob District had a total population of 40,433 residents. 33,366 of inhabitants were non-urban and 7,067 were urban.[3]
Education
Galdogob has a number of academic institutions. According to the Puntland Ministry of Education, there are 11 primary schools in the Galdogob District. Among these are Ciro, Al-Nur Galdogob, Kulmiye Galdogob and Qansaxle.[4] Secondary schools in the area include Ain Shams and Galdogob Secondary.[5]
Higher learning is provided by East Africa University (EAU), which has one of its six branches in the city.[6]
Notable residents
- Abdiqasim Salad Hassan – former President of Somalia
Notes
- ↑ AF press clips, p.21.
- ↑ "SOMALIA: Tawakal Money Express announce building projects to house upcoming Tawakal Global Bank in Somalia". Raxanreeb. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
- ↑ "Regions, districts, and their populations: Somalia 2005 (draft)" (PDF). UNDP. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
- ↑ "Puntland - Primary schools". Ministry of Education of Puntland. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
- ↑ "Puntland - Secondary schools". Ministry of Education of Puntland. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
- ↑ "A programme for improving governance, leadership and management capacity of the three health authorities in Somalia". Mannion Daniels Limited. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
References
- AF press clips, Volume 17. Bureau of African Affairs, Dept. of State, U.S.A. 1982.