Country	Somalia
Capital	Mogadishu
Continent	Africa
Currency	Somali Shilling(SOS)
Languages	Somali & Arabic

Locaion

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia

Geographic Co ordinates

10 00 N, 49 00 E

Land Boundries

Total:2,340 km
Border countries:Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

Geography - note

strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

Population

10,112,453
Country comparison to the world:82
note:this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2010 est.)

Nationality

Noun:Somali(s)
Adjective:Somali

Ethnic groups

Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)

Religions

Sunni Muslim

Languages

Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Country Name

Conventional long form:none
Conventional short form:Somalia
Local long form:Jamhuuriyada Demuqraadiga Soomaaliyeed
Local short form:Soomaaliya
Former:Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

Government Type

no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary federal government

Capital

Name:Mogadishu
Geographic coordinates:2 04 N, 45 22 E
Time difference:UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe (Middle Jubba), Jubbada Hoose (Lower Jubba), Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe (Middle Shabelle), Shabeellaha Hoose (Lower Shabelle), Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

Independence

1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland that became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960 and Italian Somaliland that became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960 to form the Somali Republic)

National Holiday

Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland

Constitution

25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
note: the formation of transitional governing institutions, known as the Transitional Federal Government, is currently ongoing

Legal system

no national system; a mixture of English common law, Italian law, Islamic sharia, and Somali customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Chief of state:Transitional Federal President Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed (since 31 January 2009); note - a transitional governing entity with a five-year mandate, known as the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs), was established in October 2004; the TFIs relocated to Somalia in June 2004; in 2009, the TFI's were given a two-year extension to October 2011
Head of government:Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali SHARMARKE (since 13 February 2009)
Cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by the Transitional Federal Assembly
(For more information visit the World Leaders website)
Elections:Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed elected president by the expanded Transitional Federal Assembly in Djibouti

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly
note:unicameral Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA) (550 seats; 475 members appointed according to the 4.5 clan formula, with the remaining 75 seats reserved for civil society and business persons)

Judicial branch

following the breakdown of the central government, most regions have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, either secular, traditional Somali customary law, or sharia (Islamic) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences

Political Parties and Leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

Other: numerous clan and sub-clan factions exist both in support and in opposition to the transitional government

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US

Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991); note - the Transitional Federal Government is represented in the United States through its Permanent Mission to the United Nations

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; mailing address: Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000; FAX [254] (20) 363-6157

Flag description

Three light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN

Video

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Government - Government - Somalia President - Somalia Ministry Of Education
Newspapers -  Aayaha AllPuntland Banadir Garowe Online - Somalia Hiiraan Online
                              HornAfrik Inside Somalia PuntlandPost Somali Press SomaliNet
                              Somaliweyn Wardheernews Ayaamaha Balcad Goobjoog
                              Radio Banadir Shabelle
Tourism -         Ministry Of Tourism

Google News

Uganda deploys new force in SomaliaPublish Date: Apr 17, 2014 - New Vision New Vision Uganda deploys new force in SomaliaPublish Date: Apr 17, 2014 New Vision A new force constituted by Uganda to protect UN personnel and installations in Somalia will start arriving in Mogadishu on Thursday. The force, dubbed the UN Guard Unit, was flagged off by the deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Lt. Gen. Charles Angina, at ... Somalia: why orthodox aid policy must give way to battlefield realitySomalilandPress SOMALIA: More Ugandan soldiers d…Raxanreeb Online SOMALIA: UN-led troops to travel to SomaliaMidnimo Information Center Firstpost all 114 news articles » 91 more illegal immigrants deported to Somalia - The Standard Digital News Geeska Afrika 91 more illegal immigrants deported to Somalia The Standard Digital News Kenya: Ninety-one more illegal aliens were Thursday deported to Somalia after they were found to be in Kenya illegally in the ongoing security operation. They are part of the 225 illegal aliens slated for deportation. Officials said the 91 were ... Tears of Defiance, Resilience and Courage: Through It All, Somalia Will RiseHuffington Post SOMALIA: Massive displacements in SomaliaMidnimo Information Center Kenyan Security forces targeting Ethnic Somali Refugees for DeportationGeeska Afrika ABC News all 78 news articles » The best books on Somalia: start your reading here - The Guardian The Guardian The best books on Somalia: start your reading here The Guardian Set in Somalia around the 2006 US-backed Ethiopian invasion, the final volume in Farah's Past Imperfect trilogy can be read as a standalone novel. This absorbing story puts a human face to the tragedy of a failed state. Three members of a Somali ... SOMALIA: Somaliland forces withd… - Raxanreeb Online Mareeg Media SOMALIA: Somaliland forces withd… Raxanreeb Online “After the invasion of Somaliland against Puntland territories in Sool and Sanag, the cabinet had an extraordinary meeting today and issued a red warning towards the new invasion,” he said according to Somalia's RBC Radio. “We want to inform the ... Somaliland Forces Briefly Seize Disputed Taleh DistrictAllAfrica.com US Special Representative for Somalia Calls for Calm in Soolsomalicurrent Somaliland Forces Withdraw From Historic Town of TalehGarowe Online Shanghai Daily (subscription) -Mareeg Media -Midnimo Information Center all 33 news articles » SOMALIA: US calls Somaliland and Puntland to refrain from armed conflict in ... - Raxanreeb Online SOMALIA: US calls Somaliland and Puntland to refrain from armed conflict in ... Raxanreeb Online Nairobi (RBC) The U.S Special Representative for Somalia called today both Somaliland and Puntland for Calm and refrain from armed conflict in Sool region following Somaliland's invasion to Taleh town, RBC Radio reports. According to a press statement ... Rahoto: Syria da Somalia mafi hadari ga 'Yan Jarida - RFI RFI Rahoto: Syria da Somalia mafi hadari ga 'Yan Jarida RFI Hukumar kula da kare hakkin 'Yan Jaridu a Amurka tace Syria ce kasa mafi hadari ga aikin Jarida a cikin rahoton hukumar na Shekara. An bayyana kasar Iraqi a sahun gaba da Somalia a matsayin ta biyu a jerin kasashen da rayuwar 'Yan jarida ke fuskantar ... SOMALIA: Somali Prime Minister meets with the traditiona?l elders and women's ... - Raxanreeb Online SOMALIA: Somali Prime Minister meets with the traditiona?l elders and women's ... Raxanreeb Online Mogadishu, Wednesday, 16 April 2014 – The Prime Minister of Somalia His Excellency Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed and a delegation he is leading have been in Kismayo, the capital of the Interim Jubba Administration, on an official visit since Saturday, April ... SOMALIA: Somali Prime Minister meets with the traditional elders and women's ...Midnimo Information Center Somali PM addresses soldiers at military training camp in KismayoWaagacusub Media all 5 news articles » Barclays and Remittance Group Reach Deal On Somalia Services - AllAfrica.com Geeska Afrika Barclays and Remittance Group Reach Deal On Somalia Services AllAfrica.com Barclays has diffused a legal row with Africa's biggest remittances provider by agreeing to keep its account open for a period of time that allows the company to find a replacement bank. Dahabshiil, which remits hundreds of millions of dollars back to ... Somalia: The attack on Villa Somalia a wake-up call for new security strategyGeeska Afrika Somaliland: Barclays Bank Retains Dahabshil AccountSomaliland Sun Dahabshiil resolves dispute with Barclays BankZegabi all 9 news articles » SOMALIA: War-torn Somalia's first florist lets romance blossom again - Midnimo Information Center SOMALIA: War-torn Somalia's first florist lets romance blossom again Midnimo Information Center Somalia's first florist, Mohamed Mohamoud Sheik, shows a display of flowers in the pattern of the Somali flag. Photograph: David Smith for the Guardian. If there were any place in the world where it could be said romance is dead, Mogadishu might be it. British Firm to Explore Somalia Billions of Oil Barrels - Raxanreeb Online Raxanreeb Online British Firm to Explore Somalia Billions of Oil Barrels Raxanreeb Online British oil giant British Petroleum signed concessions with the Petrol Department for the Somali Federal Republic to explore oil and gas in the war raven East African nation. Intelligence reports existence of significantly large oil deposits in Somalia ... Somalia: The Africa's next AngolaGeeska Afrika British Petroleum signs exploration agreement with SomaliaZegabi all 10 news articles »