2021 Edition

Background

Humans with ancestral links to ethnic Somalis inhabited the northern Somalia Peninsula beginning as early as 5000 BCE and gradually expanded from the coast to occupy all of present day Somalia, Djibouti, the Ogaden region of Ethiopia, and parts of northern Kenya. By 2480 BCE, these humans were engaged in trade with Egypt, and between 800 AD and 1100 AD, immigrant Muslim Arabs and Persians set up coastal trading posts along the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, solidifying Somalia’s close trading relationship with the Arab Peninsula. In the late 19th century, Britain and Italy established colonies in the Somali Peninsula, where they remained until 1960, when British Somaliland gained independence and joined with Somalia Italiana to form the Republic of Somalia. The country functioned as a parliamentary democracy until 1969, when General Mohamed SIAD Barre took control in a coup, beginning a 22-year authoritarian socialist dictatorship. In an effort to centralize power, SIAD called for the eradication of the clan, the key cultural and social organizing principle in Somali society. Resistance to SIAD’s socialist leadership, which was causing a rapid deterioration of the country, prompted allied clan militias to overthrow SIAD in early 1991, resulting in state collapse. Subsequent fighting between rival clans for resources and territory overwhelmed the country, resulting in a manmade famine and prompting international intervention. Beginning in 1993, the United Nations spearheaded a humanitarian mission supported by international forces, but the international community largely withdrew by 1995 following Black Hawk Down - an incident in which two American Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters were shot down in Mogadishu, killing 21 international forces and wounding 82.International peace conferences in the 2000s resulted in a number of transitional governments that operated outside of Somalia. Left largely to themselves, Somalis in the country established alternative governance structures; some areas formed their own administrations, such as Somaliland and Puntland, while others developed localized institutions. Many local populations turned to using sharia courts, an Islamic judicial system that implements religious law. Several of these courts came together in 2006 to form the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The ICU established order in many areas of central and southern Somalia, including Mogadishu, but was forced out when Ethiopia intervened militarily in December 2006 on behalf of the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG). While the TFG settled in the capital, the ICU fled to rural areas or from Somalia altogether, reemerging less than a year later as the Islamic insurgent and terrorist movement al-Shabaab, which is still active today. In January 2007, the African Union (AU) established the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) peacekeeping force, which allowed Ethiopia to withdraw its forces, took over security responsibility for the country, and gave the TFG space to develop Somalia’s new government. By 2012, Somali powerbrokers agreed on a provisional constitution with a loose federal structure and established the central government in Mogadishu. Since then, four interim regional administrations have been established and there have been two presidential elections. However, significant and fundamental governance and security problems remain..

Area

land

627,337 sq km

total

637,657 sq km

water

10,320 sq km

Area - comparative

almost five times the size of Alabama; slightly smaller than Texas

Climate

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

Coastline

3,025 km

Elevation

highest point

Mount Shimbiris 2,460 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

410 m

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

Irrigated land

2,000 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Djibouti 61 km, Ethiopia 1640 km, Kenya 684 km

total

2,385 km

Land use

agricultural land

70.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 68.5% (2018 est.)

forest

10.6% (2018 est.)

other

19.1% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Ogaden-Juba Basin

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

200 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim

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

Population distribution

distribution varies greatly throughout the country; least densely populated areas are in the northeast and central regions, as well as areas along the Kenyan border; most populated areas are in and around the cities of Mogadishu, Marka, Boorama, Hargeysa, and Baidoa as shown on this population distribution map

Terrain

mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

Age structure

0-14 years

42.38% (male 2,488,604/female 2,493,527)

15-24 years

19.81% (male 1,167,807/female 1,161,040)

25-54 years

30.93% (male 1,881,094/female 1,755,166)

55-64 years

4.61% (male 278,132/female 264,325)

65 years and over

2.27% (male 106,187/female 161,242) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

38.25 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

23% (2009)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

6.9% (2018/19)

Current Health Expenditure

NA

Death rate

11.82 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Somalia scores very low for most humanitarian indicators, suffering from poor governance, protracted internal conflict, underdevelopment, economic decline, poverty, social and gender inequality, and environmental degradation. Despite civil war and famine raising its mortality rate, Somalia’s high fertility rate and large proportion of people of reproductive age maintain rapid population growth, with each generation being larger than the prior one. More than 60% of Somalia’s population is younger than 25, and the fertility rate is among the world’s highest at almost 6 children per woman – a rate that has decreased little since the 1970s.A lack of educational and job opportunities is a major source of tension for Somalia’s large youth cohort, making them vulnerable to recruitment by extremist and pirate groups. Somalia has one of the world’s lowest primary school enrollment rates – just over 40% of children are in school – and one of world’s highest youth unemployment rates. Life expectancy is low as a result of high infant and maternal mortality rates, the spread of preventable diseases, poor sanitation, chronic malnutrition, and inadequate health services.During the two decades of conflict that followed the fall of the SIAD regime in 1991, hundreds of thousands of Somalis fled their homes. Today Somalia is the world’s third highest source country for refugees, after Syria and Afghanistan. Insecurity, drought, floods, food shortages, and a lack of economic opportunities are the driving factors.As of 2016, more than 1.1 million Somali refugees were hosted in the region, mainly in Kenya, Yemen, Egypt, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Uganda, while more than 1.1 million Somalis were internally displaced. Since the implementation of a tripartite voluntary repatriation agreement among Kenya, Somalia, and the UNHCR in 2013, nearly 40,000 Somali refugees have returned home from Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp – still houses to approximately 260,000 Somalis. The flow sped up rapidly after the Kenyan Government in May 2016 announced its intention to close the camp, worsening security and humanitarian conditions in receiving communities in south-central Somalia. Despite the conflict in Yemen, thousands of Somalis and other refugees and asylum seekers from the Horn of Africa risk their lives crossing the Gulf of Aden to reach Yemen and beyond (often Saudi Arabia). Bossaso in Puntland overtook Obock, Djibouti, as the primary departure point in mid-2014.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.7

potential support ratio

17.6 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

96.3

youth dependency ratio

90.6

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 72.5% of population

improved: total

total: 83.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.1% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 27.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 16.2% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.9% of population

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

8,700 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

78.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

97.71 deaths/1,000 live births

total

88.03 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

Somali (official, according to the 2012 Transitional Federal Charter), Arabic (official, according to the 2012 Transitional Federal Charter), Italian, English

major-language sample(s)

Buugga Xaqiiqda Aduunka, waa laga maarmaanka macluumaadka assasiga. (Somali)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

57.7 years (2021 est.)

male

53.02 years

total population

55.32 years

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever, malaria, and Rift Valley fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

2.388 million MOGADISHU (capital), 1.033 million Hargeysa (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

829 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

18.3 years (2020 est.)

male

18.7 years

total

18.5 years

Nationality

adjective

Somali

noun

Somali(s)

Net migration rate

-2.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.3% (2016)

Physicians density

0.02 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

12,094,640 (July 2021 est.)

note

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

Population distribution

distribution varies greatly throughout the country; least densely populated areas are in the northeast and central regions, as well as areas along the Kenyan border; most populated areas are in and around the cities of Mogadishu, Marka, Boorama, Hargeysa, and Baidoa as shown on this population distribution map

Population growth rate

2.35% (2021 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim (Islam) (official, according to the 2012 Transitional Federal Charter)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 27.1% of population

improved: total

total: 53.3% of population

improved: urban

urban: 86.2% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 72.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 46.7% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 13.8% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.01 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.07 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.66 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.41 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

46.7% of total population (2021)

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 Shabeelle), Shabeellaha Hoose (Lower Shabeelle), Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

Capital

etymology

several theories attempt to explain the city's name; one of the more plausible is that it derives from "maq'ad-i-shah" meaning "the seat of the shah," reflecting the city's links with Persia

geographic coordinates

2 04 N, 45 20 E

name

Mogadishu

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Somalia

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

7 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the federal government, by members of the state governments, the Federal Parliament, or by public petition; proposals require review by a joint committee of Parliament with inclusion of public comments and state legislatures’ comments; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in both houses of Parliament and approval by a majority of votes cast in a referendum; constitutional clauses on Islamic principles, the federal system, human rights and freedoms, powers and authorities of the government branches, and inclusion of women in national institutions cannot be amended; note - in late December 2020, the president signed a decree blocking the approval of amendments (2021)

history

previous 1961, 1979; latest drafted 12 June 2012, adopted 1 August 2012 (provisional)

Country name

conventional long form

Federal Republic of Somalia

conventional short form

Somalia

etymology

"Land of the Somali" (ethnic group)

former

Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

local long form

Jamhuuriyadda Federaalkaa Soomaaliya

local short form

Soomaaliya

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Colleen CRENWELGE (since July 2021)

email address and website

Kenya_ACS@state.govhttps://so.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Mogadishu, (reopened October 2019 on the grounds of the Mogadishu Airport)

mailing address

P.O. Box 606 Village Market00621 Nairobi, Kenya

telephone

[254] 20 363-6451

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1609 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Ali Sharif AHMED (since 16 September 2019)

email address and website

info@somaliembassydc.nethttps://somaliembassydc.net/

telephone

[1] (202) 853-9164

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by the House of the People

chief of state

President Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" (since 8 February 2017)

election results

Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" elected president in second round; Federal Parliament second round vote - Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" (TPP) 184, HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (PDP) 97, Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed (ARS) 46

elections/appointments

president indirectly elected by the Federal Parliament by two-thirds majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term; election last held on 8 February 2017; prime minister appointed by the president, approved by the House of the People; note - elections were scheduled for 10 October 2021 but did not take place; clan elders are scheduled to pick members of a lower house of parliament in November 2021; the parliament will then select a new president at an undetermined future date

head of government

Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein ROBLE (since 27 September 2020)

Flag description

light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; the blue field was originally influenced by the flag of the UN but today is said to denote the sky and the neighboring Indian Ocean; the five points of the star represent the five regions in the horn of Africa that are inhabited by Somali people: the former British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland (which together make up Somalia), Djibouti, Ogaden (Ethiopia), and the North East Province (Kenya)

Government - note

regional and local governing bodies continue to exist and control various areas of the country, including the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia

Government type

federal parliamentary republic

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)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest courts

the provisional constitution stipulates the establishment of the Constitutional Court (consists of 5 judges, including the chief judge and deputy chief judge); note - under the terms of the 2004 Transitional National Charter, a Supreme Court based in Mogadishu and the Appeal Court were established; yet most regions have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, either secular, traditional Somali customary law, or Islamic law

judge selection and term of office

judges appointed by the president upon proposal of the Judicial Service Commission, a 9-member judicial and administrative body; judge tenure NA

subordinate courts

federal courts; federal member state-level courts; military courts; sharia courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil law, Islamic (sharia) law, and customary law (referred to as Xeer)

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Federal Parliament to consist of:Upper House (54 seats; senators indirectly elected by state assemblies to serve 4-year terms)House of the People (275 seats; members indirectly elected by electoral colleges, each consisting of 51 delegates selected by the 136 Traditional Elders in consultation with sub-clan elders; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

Upper House - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 41, women 13, percent of women 24.1%House of the People - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 208, women 67, percent of women 24.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women 24.3%

elections

Upper House - first held on 10 October 2016 (next to be held in November 2020)House of the People - first held 23 October - 10 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020)

note

note: the inaugural House of the People was appointed in September 2012 by clan elders; in 2016 and 2017, the Federal Parliament became bicameral with elections scheduled for 10 October 2016 for the Upper House and 23 October to 10 November 2016 for the House of the People; while the elections were delayed, they were eventually held in most regions despite voting irregularities; on 27 December 2016, 41 Upper House senators and 242 House of the People members were sworn in

National anthem

lyrics/music

lyrics/music: Abdullahi QARSHE

name

"Qolobaa Calankeed" (Every Nation Has its own Flag)

note

note: adopted 2012; written in 1959

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

leopard; national colors: blue, white

Political parties and leaders

Cosmopolitan Democratic Party [Yarow Sharef ADEN]Daljir Party or DP [Hassan MOALIM]Democratic Green Party of Somalia or DGPS [Abdullahi Y. MAHAMOUD]Democratic Party of Somalia or DPS [Maslah Mohamed SIAD]Green Leaf for Democracy or GLEDHiil QaranJustice and Communist Party [Mohamed NUR]Justice and Development of Democracy and Self-Respectfulness Party or CAHDI [Abdirahman Abdigani IBRAHIM Bile]Justice Party [SAKARIYE Haji]Liberal Party of SomaliaNational Democratic Party [Abdirashid ALI]National Unity Party (Xisbiga MIdnimo-Quaran) [Abdurahman BAADIYOW]Peace and Development Party or PDPSomali Green Party (local chapter of Federation of Green Parties of Africa)Somali National Party or SNP [Mohammed Ameen Saeed AHMED]Somali People's Party [Salad JEELE]Somali Society Unity Party [Yasin MAALIM]Tayo or TPP [Mohamed Abdullahi MOHAMED]Tiir Party [Fadhil Sheik MOHAMUD]Union for Peace and Development or UPD [HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud]United and Democratic Party [FAUZIA Haji]United Somali ParliamentariansUnited Somali Republican Party [Ali TIMA-JLIC]inactive: Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia; reportedly inactive since 2009

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

camel milk, milk, sheep milk, goat milk, sugar cane, fruit, sorghum, cassava, vegetables, maize

Budget

expenditures

151.1 million (2014 est.)

revenues

145.3 million (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.1% (of GDP) (2014 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$427 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$464 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2014

$5.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Economic overview

Despite the lack of effective national governance, Somalia maintains an informal economy largely based on livestock, remittance/money transfer companies, and telecommunications. Somalia's government lacks the ability to collect domestic revenue and external debt – mostly in arrears – was estimated at about 77% of GDP in 2017.Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and more than 50% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-pastoralists, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Economic activity is estimated to have increased by 2.4% in 2017 because of growth in the agriculture, construction and telecommunications sector. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and the machinery sold as scrap metal.In recent years, Somalia's capital city, Mogadishu, has witnessed the development of the city's first gas stations, supermarkets, and airline flights to Turkey since the collapse of central authority in 1991. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate and are supported with private-security militias. Formalized economic growth has yet to expand outside of Mogadishu and a few regional capitals, and within the city, security concerns dominate business. 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 transfer/remittance services have sprouted throughout the country, handling up to $1.6 billion in remittances annually, although international concerns over the money transfers into Somalia continues to threaten these services’ ability to operate in Western nations. In 2017, Somalia elected a new president and collected a record amount of foreign aid and investment, a positive sign for economic recovery.

Exchange rates

currency

Somali shillings (SOS) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2016

23,960 (2016 est.)

Exports

Exports 2013

$779 million (2013 est.)

Exports 2014

$819 million (2014 est.)

Exports - commodities

gold, sheep, goats, sesame seeds, insect resins, cattle (2019)

Exports - partners

United Arab Emirates 47%, Saudi Arabia 19%, India 5%, Japan 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

NA

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

0.3% (2015 est.)

government consumption

8.7% (2015 est.)

household consumption

72.6% (2015 est.)

imports of goods and services

-1.6% (2015 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20% (2015 est.)

investment in inventories

0.8% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

60.2% (2013 est.)

industry

7.4% (2013 est.)

services

32.5% (2013 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$7.052 billion (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2017

$80.07 billion (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$94.43 billion (2018 est.)

Imports - commodities

cigarettes, raw sugar, rice, broadcasting equipment, textiles (2019)

Imports - partners

United Arab Emirates 32%, China 20%, India 17%, Turkey 7% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

3.5% (2014 est.)

Industries

light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, wireless communication

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

-71.1% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

1.5% (2017 est.)

Labor force

4.154 million (2016 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

71%

industry

29%

industry and services

29% (1975)

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

Public debt 2014

93% of GDP (2014 est.)

Public debt 2017

76.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2016 US dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$13.01 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$13.39 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$13.19 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

3.9% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

4.4% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

2.3% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2018

$900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2014

$30.45 million (2014 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

2.1% (of GDP) (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

315.3 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

93% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

85,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

339 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

4% (2019)

electrification - total population

18% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

34% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

5,600 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

5,590 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2019 est.)

total

98,000 (2017 est.)

Broadcast media

2 private TV stations rebroadcast Al-Jazeera and CNN; Somaliland has 1 government-operated TV station and Puntland has 1 private TV station; the transitional government operates Radio Mogadishu; 1 SW and roughly 10 private FM radio stations broadcast in Mogadishu; several radio stations operate in central and southern regions; Somaliland has 1 government-operated radio station; Puntland has roughly a half-dozen private radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2019)

Internet country code

.so

Internet users

percent of population

2% (2019 est.)

total

1.95 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

seven networks compete for customers in the mobile sector; some of these mobile-service providers offer fixed-lines and Internet services; fixed-line less than 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular 49 per 100 (2019)

general assessment

the public telecom system was almost completely destroyed during years of civil war; private companies offer limited local fixed-line and wireless service in most major cities; early 2020 landing of DARE 1 submarine cables in Mogadishu and Bossaso eased dependence on expensive satellite dependency for Internet access; in 2019, Al Shabaab Islamic militant group forced closure of Internet services in some parts of the country; new telecom regulatory sector in place (2020)

international

country code - 252; landing points for the G2A, DARE1, PEACE, and EASSy fiber-optic submarine cable system linking East Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

0 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

74,800 (2018)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

50.99 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

7,653,040 (2018)

Airports

total

52 (2020)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

2 (2020)

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

over 3,047 m

5

total

8

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

16

2,438 to 3,047 m

5

914 to 1,523 m

22

total

44

under 914 m

1 (2020)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

6O

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 1, other 3 (2021)

total

4

National air transport system

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

4,486 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

7

number of registered air carriers

6 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Berbera, Kismaayo

Roadways

total

15,000 km (2018)

Maritime threats

the International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) Piracy Reporting Center (PRC) received zero incidents of piracy and armed robbery in 2020 for the Horn of Africa; while there were no recorded incidents, the IMB PRC warns that Somalia pirates continue to possess the capacity to carry out attacks in the Somali basin and wider Indian Ocean; in particular, the report warns that, "Masters and crew must remain vigilant and cautious when transiting these waters."; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators, including the use of on-board armed security teams, contributed to the drop in incidents; the EU naval mission, Operation ATALANTA, continues its operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean through 2022; naval units from China, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, the US, and other countries also operate in conjunction with EU forces; China has established a logistical base in Djibouti to support its deployed naval units in the Horn of Africa

Military - note

as of late 2021, a significant portion of the country remained outside government control and under the control of the insurgent Islamist group al-Shabaab; al-Shabaab contested government control in some other areas (see Appendix T)as of 2021, a significant portion of the SNA was comprised of militia forces that lacked the discipline, structure, weapons, and overall capabilities for effective military operations; of the SNA’s approximately 13 brigades, the most effective were assessed to be the US-trained Danab ("Lightning") Advanced Infantry Brigade and those of the Turkish-trained Gorgor ("Eagle") Special Division; in 2020, the Danab Brigade conducted most of the SNA’s offensive operations in Somalia and nearly all counterterrorism operations against the al-Shabaab terrorist group; as of early 2021, it numbered about 1,000 troops with an eventual projected strength of 3,000, while the Gorgor Division was estimated to have 4,500-5,000 trained troops AMISOM has operated in the country with the approval of the United Nations (UN) since 2007; AMISOM's peacekeeping mission includes assisting Somali forces in providing security for a stable political process, enabling the gradual handing over of security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali security forces, and reducing the threat posed by Al-Shabaab and other armed opposition groups; as of 2021, AMISOM had about 20,000 military troops from six African countries deployed in Somalia; in February 2021, the UN Security Council AMISOM renewed AMISOM's mandate until December 2021 (note - in 2017, the Somali Government drafted a Somalia Transition Plan that called for the gradual transfer of security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali security forces by 2021)UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) is mandated by the Security Council to work with the Federal Government of Somalia to support national reconciliation, provide advice on peace-building and state-building, monitor the human rights situation, and help coordinate the efforts of the international communitythe UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) is responsible for providing logistical field support to AMISOM, UNSOM, the Somali National Army, and the Somali Police Force on joint operations with AMISOMthe European Union Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM-S) has operated in the country since 2010; the EUTM provides advice and training to the Somali military; the US and Turkey maintain separate unilateral military training missions in Somalia

Military and security forces

Ministry of Defense: Somali National Army (SNA); Ministry of Internal Security: Somali National Police (SNP, includes a maritime unit and a Turkish-trained commando unit known as Harmacad, or Cheetah) (2021)

note

note - Somalia has numerous militia and regional forces operating throughout the country; these forces include ones that are clan- and warlord-based, semi-official paramilitary and special police forces (aka darwish), and externally-sponsored militias; the SNA is attempting to incorporate some of these militia units

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimates for the size of the Somali National Army (SNA) vary widely, from a low of about 10,000 to a high of some 25,000 due to inconsistent internal reporting and the ongoing attempts to integrate various militias (2021)

note

note(s) - in 2017, the Somali Government announced a plan for the SNA to eventually number about 18,000 troops; the same plan called for 32,000 federal and regional police; estimates for the number of militia forces operating in the country run as high as 50,000

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the SNA is lightly armed with an inventory that includes a variety of older, second-hand equipment largely from Italy, Russia, South Africa, and the UK; since 2015, it has received small quantities of second-hand equipment from up to 10 different countries, usually as aid/donations (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2013

1.1% of GDP (2013 est.)

Military Expenditures 2014

1.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Military Expenditures 2015

1.3% of GDP (2015 est.)

Military Expenditures 2016

1.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Military Expenditures 2017

1.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

note

no figures available after 2017

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2021)

Disputes - international

Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera to landlocked Ethiopia and have established commercial ties with other regional states; "Puntland" and "Somaliland" "governments" seek international support in their secessionist aspirations and overlapping border claims; the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading south across the border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

2.968 million (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition for resources; 2011 famine; insecurity because of fighting between al-Shabaab and the Transitional Federal Government's allied forces) (2020)

refugees (country of origin)

6,371 (Yemen) (2020)

Terrorist group(s)

al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Somalia

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.65 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

20.13 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

29.51 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

water scarcity; contaminated water contributes to human health problems; improper waste disposal; deforestation; land degradation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified

Nuclear Test Ban

Food insecurity

exceptional shortfall in aggregate food production/supplies

due to poor seasonal rains - about 2.8 million people are estimated to be severely food insecure in the April−September 2021 period, mainly as a result of the cumulative impact of poor October−December 2020 “Deyr” rains and April−June “Gu” rains, which severely affected crop and livestock production; below‑average cereal output gathered in 2020; production of 2021 main season cereals forecast at 20‑40 percent below average due to unfavorable seasonal rains; severe pasture and water shortages in pastoral areas are affecting livestock conditions (2021)

Land use

agricultural land

70.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 68.5% (2018 est.)

forest

10.6% (2018 est.)

other

19.1% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Ogaden-Juba Basin

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever, malaria, and Rift Valley fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Total renewable water resources

14.7 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

3.281 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

15 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

46.7% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

2,326,099 tons (2016 est.)