The Country Recovering from Three Decades of Civil War
Somalia has been in civil war since 1991 — when Siad Barre’s government fell, the country descended into clan-based warfare, famine (the 1992 famine killed hundreds of thousands), and the emergence of the Al-Shabaab Islamist insurgency. Somaliland — the northwestern region — declared independence in 1991 and functions as a de facto country but is not internationally recognised.
The Federal Government of Somalia (re-established 2012) has steadily expanded control from Mogadishu, backed by African Union peacekeepers (AMISOM/ATMIS). Al-Shabaab still controls significant rural territory and mounts periodic urban attacks.
Somalia has the longest coastline in mainland Africa — 3,025 km along the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden — which historically made the country a major trading centre.
A Brief History
Multiple medieval Somali sultanates traded across the Indian Ocean. Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland were unified at independence in 1960. Siad Barre seized power in 1969 and was overthrown in 1991, beginning the civil war era.
Geography and Climate
Somalia covers 637,657 km² with Africa’s longest mainland coast (3,025 km). Climate: hot, arid.
Culture, Language and Religion
Somali and Arabic are official. Religion: approximately 99% Muslim (Sunni).
The Economy
Somalia has a low-income economy (~$8 billion GDP). Livestock exports (especially to Gulf states) and telecoms (among Africa’s most advanced mobile money) are important sectors.
Travel Guide
Strongly discouraged by all Western governments.
Surprising Facts
- Somalia has the longest coastline in mainland Africa — 3,025 km.
- Somaliland — the northwestern region — has functioned as a de facto independent country since 1991 but is not internationally recognised.
- Somalia had no effective central government from 1991 to 2012.
- Somali piracy — in the Gulf of Aden 2008-2012 — disrupted global shipping; international naval operations largely ended it.
- The Somali diaspora is huge — roughly 2+ million Somalis live abroad, particularly in Kenya, Ethiopia, Yemen, UAE, UK, USA, and Scandinavian countries.
- Somalia has no central bank currency in wide circulation — the banking system collapsed with the state in 1991, and mobile money has become the dominant payment method.
Sources and References
See the frontmatter for cited sources.