Airports [time series]

60 total, 45 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 20 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

2 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

15,215 km total; including 2,335 km bituminous surface, 2,880 km gravel, and 10,000 km improved earth or stabilized soil (1983)

Merchant marine [time series]

3 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,563 GRT/9,512 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo

Pipelines [time series]

15 km crude oil

Ports [time series]

Mogadishu, Berbera, Chisimayu

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

minimal telephone and telegraph service; radio relay and troposcatter system centered on Mogadishu connects a few towns; 6,000 telephones; stations--2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station; scheduled to receive an ARABSAT station

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Somali National Army (including Navy, Air Force, and Air Defense Force), National Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

NA

Military manpower [time series]

males 15-49, 1,878,939; 1,052,644 fit for military service

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

dominant sector, led by livestock raising (cattle, sheep, goats); crops--bananas, sorghum, corn, mangoes, sugarcane; not self-sufficient in food; fishing potential largely unexploited

Aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $618 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.8 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $1.1 billion; Communist countries (1970-88), $336 million

Budget [time series]

revenues $273 million; expenditures $405 million, including capital expenditures of $219 million (1987)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Somali shilling (plural--shillings); 1 Somali shilling (So.Sh.) = 100 centesimi

Electricity [time series]

71,000 kW capacity; 65 million kWh produced, 8 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1--643.92 (December 1989), 170.45 (1988), 105.18 (1987), 72.00 (1986), 39.49 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$58.0 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--livestock, hides, skins, bananas, fish; partners--US 0.5%, Saudi Arabia, Italy, FRG (1986)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$2.8 billion (1989 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$1.7 billion, per capita $210; real growth rate - 1.4% (1988)

Imports [time series]

$354.0 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--textiles, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials; partners--US 13%, Italy, FRG, Kenya, UK, Saudi Arabia (1986)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%

Industries [time series]

a few small industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

81.7% (1988 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

One of the world's least developed countries, Somalia has few resources. In 1988 per capita GDP was $210. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, with the livestock sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and seminomads who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihoods make up about 50% of the population. Crop production generates only 10% of GDP and employs about 20% of the work force. The main export crop is bananas; sugar, sorghum, and corn are grown for the domestic market. The small industrial sector is based on the processing of agricultural products and accounts for less than 10% of GDP. At the end of 1988 serious economic problems facing the nation were the external debt of $2.8 billion and double-digit inflation.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Climate [time series]

desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), cooler southwest monsoon (May to October); irregular rainfall; hot, humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons

Coastline [time series]

3,025 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly smaller than Texas

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

southern half of boundary with Ethiopia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Ethiopia over the Ogaden; possible claims to Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya based on unification of ethnic Somalis

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Land boundaries [time series]

2,340 km total; Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

Land use [time series]

2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 46% meadows and pastures; 14% forest and woodland; 38% other; includes 3% irrigated

Natural resources [time series]

uranium, and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt

Note [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

Maritime claims (Territorial sea) [time series]

200 nm

Area (Total area) [time series]

637,660 km2; land area: 627,340 km2

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Mogadishu

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

probably some Communist sympathizers in the government hierarchy

Constitution [time series]

25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador ABDIKARIM Ali Omar; Chancery at Suite 710, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 342-1575; there is a Somali Consulate General in New York; US--Ambassador T. Frank CRIGLER; Embassy at Corso Primo Luglio, Mogadishu (mailing address is P. O. Box 574, Mogadishu); telephone [252] (01) 20811

Executive branch [time series]

president, two vice presidents, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag [time series]

light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a UN trust territory)

Independence [time series]

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)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court Chief of State--President and Commander in Chief of the Army Maj. Gen. Mohamed SIAD Barre (since 21 October 1969); Head of Government--Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Mohamed Ali SAMANTAR (since 1 February 1987)

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral People's Assembly

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Somali Democratic Republic

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, AfDB, Arab League, EAMA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

National holiday [time series]

Anniversary of the Revolution, 21 October (1969)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

only party--Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP), Maj. Gen. Mohamed Siad Barre, general secretary

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18 President--last held 23 December 1986 (next to be held December 1993); results--President Siad was reelected without opposition; People's Assembly--last held 31 December 1984 (next scheduled for December 1989 was postponed); results--SRSP is the only party; seats--(177 total, 171 elected) SRSP 171

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Birth rate [time series]

47 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

15 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

85% Somali, rest mainly Bantu; 30,000 Arabs, 3,000 Europeans, 800 Asians

Infant mortality rate [time series]

125 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

2,200,000; very few are skilled laborers; 70% pastoral nomad, 30% agriculture, government, trading, fishing, handicrafts, and other; 53% of population of working age (1985)

Languages (Language) [time series]

Somali (official); Arabic, Italian, English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

53 years male, 54 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

11.6% (government est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun--Somali(s); adjective--Somali

Net migration rate [time series]

- 24 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

General Federation of Somali Trade Unions is controlled by the government

Population [time series]

8,424,269 (July 1990), growth rate 0.8% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

almost entirely Sunni Muslim

Total fertility rate [time series]

7.3 children born/woman (1990)