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

Age structure
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,860,451; female 1,849,484)
15-64 years: 52.7% (male 2,197,572; female 2,176,762)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 94,905; female 125,427) (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products
cattle, sheep, goats; bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish

Airports
60 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 4
2438 to 3047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 54
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.)

Area
total: 637,657 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km
land: 627,337 sq km

Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Texas

Background
The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy have followed for thirteen years. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered civil strife in 2002. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG), created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expired in August 2003. Discussions regarding the establishment of a new government are ongoing in Kenya. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control of Mogadishu and the other southern regions. Suspicion of Somali links with global terrorism further complicates the picture.

Birth rate
46.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Budget
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Capital
Mogadishu

Climate
principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons

Coastline
3,025 km

Constitution
25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 had a three-year mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections, this goal was not achieved but the process is ongoing

Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Somalia
former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

Currency
Somali shilling (SOS)

Currency code
SOS

Death rate
17.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Debt - external
$2.6 billion (2000 est.)

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 Mombasa Road; mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 537800; FAX [254] (2) 537810

Diplomatic representation in the US
Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have representatives in Washington and at the United Nations

Disputes - international
"Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities to land-locked Ethiopia and establish commercial ties with regional states; "Puntland" secessionists clash with "Somaliland" secessionists to establish territorial limits and clan loyalties, each seeking support from neighboring states; Ethiopia maintains only an administrative line with the Oromo region of southern Somalia and maintains alliances with local Somali clans opposed to the unrecognized Transitional National Government in Mogadishu

Economic aid - recipient
$60 million (1999 est.)

Economy - overview
Somalia's economic fortunes are being driven by its deep political divisions. The northern area has declared its independence as "Somaliland"; the central area, Puntland, is a self-declared autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is riddled with the struggles of rival factions. Economic life continues, in part because much activity is local and relatively easily protected. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings, but Saudi Arabia's recent ban on Somali livestock, because of Rift Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the sector. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $200 million and $500 million in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate, and militias provide security. The ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have interfered with any broad-based economic development and international aid arrangements. In 2002 Somalia's overdue financial obligations to the IMF continued to grow. Statistics on Somalia's GDP, growth, per capita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically.

Electricity - consumption
227.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production
245.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

Environment - current issues
famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements
party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

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

Exchange rates
Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000), 2,620 (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995)
note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling

Executive branch
chief of state: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan (since 26 August 2000); note - as of December 2002, there was no executive branch in southern Somalia; Interim President ABDIKASSIM was chosen for a three-year term by a 245-member National Assembly serving as a transitional government but has little power; the political situation, particularly in the south, with interclan fighting and random banditry, remains fluid
election results: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan was elected president of an interim government at the Djibouti-sponsored Arta Peace Conference on 26 August 2000 by a broad representation of Somali clans that comprised a transitional National Assembly
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Abdi YUSUF (since 8 December 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and sworn in on 20 October 2000; as of 1 January 2002, the Cabinet was in caretaker status following a no-confidence vote in October 2001 that ousted HASSAN's predecessor

Exports
$79 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities
livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal

Exports - partners
UAE 38.9%, Yemen 23.2%, Oman 10.5%, China 6.3%, Kuwait 4.2% (2003 est.)

Fiscal year
NA

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

GDP
purchasing power parity - $4.361 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 65%
industry: 10%
services: 25% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $500 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate
2.1% (2003 est.)

Geographic coordinates
10 00 N, 49 00 E

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

Government - note
although an interim government was created in 2000 other governing bodies continue to exist and control various cities and regions of the country, including Somaliland, Puntland, and traditional clan and faction strongholds

Government type
no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary national government

Highways
total: 22,100 km
paved: 2,608 km
unpaved: 19,492 km (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
43,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage shar
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Imports
$344 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities
manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, qat

Imports - partners
Djibouti 32.5%, Kenya 14.8%, Brazil 10.7%, UAE 4.9%, Thailand 4.1% (2003 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate
NA

Industries
a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down), wireless communication

Infant mortality rate
total: 118.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 108.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 127.95 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)
note - businesses print their own money, so inflation rates cannot be sensibly determined (2003 est.)

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 (observer), ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Internet country code
.so

Internet hosts
4 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa, and Mogadishu) (2000)

Internet users
89,000 (2002)

Irrigated land
2,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch
following the breakdown of national government, most regions have reverted to either Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences, or traditional clan-based arbitration

Labor force
3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)

Labor force - by occupation
agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29%

Land boundaries
total: 2,340 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

Land use
arable land: 1.67%
other: 98.29% (2001)
permanent crops: 0.04%

Languages
Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Legal system
no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some localities

Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly
note: fledgling parliament; a transitional 245-member National Assembly began to meet on 13 August 2000 in the town of Arta, Djibouti and is now based in Mogadishu

Life expectancy at birth
total population: 47.71 years
male: 46.02 years
female: 49.46 years (2004 est.)

Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8%
male: 49.7%
female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

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

Map references
Africa

Maritime claims
territorial sea: 200 nm

Median age
total: 17.6 years
male: 17.5 years
female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)

Merchant marine
none

Military branches
A Somali National Army was attempted under the interim government; numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and the Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their own security and police forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure
$18.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP
0.9% (2003)

Military manpower - availability
males age 15-49: 2,010,152 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service
males age 15-49: 1,109,405 (2004 est.)

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

Nationality
noun: Somali(s)
adjective: Somali

Natural gas - proved reserves
2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Natural hazards
recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season

Natural resources
uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

Net migration rate
5.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption
4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports
NA (2001)

Oil - imports
NA (2001)

Oil - production
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Pipelines
crude oil 15 km

Political parties and leaders
none

Political pressure groups and leaders
numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power

Population
8,304,601
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 2004 est.)

Population below poverty line
NA

Population growth rate
3.41% (2004 est.)

Ports and harbors
Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu

Radio broadcast stations
AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1 FM in Somaliland (2001)

Radios
470,000 (1997)

Religions
Sunni Muslim

Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Suffrage
18 years of age; universal

Telephone system
general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and charge the lowest international rates on the continent
domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers
international: country code - 252; international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite

Telephones - main lines in use
100,000 est (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular
35,000 (2002)

Television broadcast stations
4
note: two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)

Televisions
135,000 (1997)

Terrain
mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

Total fertility rate
6.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate
NA