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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

NA; note - no functioning central government military forces; clan militias continue to battle for control of key economic or political prizes

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 2,333,994 males fit for military service: 1,301,954 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (there are at least five radio broadcast stations of NA type)

Radios [time series]

350,000 (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

the public telecommunications system was completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; all relief organizations depend on their own private systems domestic: recently, local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers international: international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

9,000 (1991 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

0 (Somalia's only TV station was demolished during the civil strife, sometime in 1991)

Televisions [time series]

113,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

bananas, sorghum, corn, mangoes, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, goats; fishing potential largely unexploited

Budget [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Somali shilling (So. Sh.) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview [time series]

One of the world's poorest and least developed countries, Somalia has few resources. Moreover, much of the economy has been devastated by the civil war. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and seminomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion 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; most facilities have been shut down because of the civil strife. The greatly increased political turmoil of 1991-93 resulted in a substantial drop in agricultural output, with widespread famine. In 1994 economic conditions stabilized in the countryside, followed in 1995 by slight improvements. However, ongoing civil strife in Mogadishu and outlying areas is interfering with any substantial recovery.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 75,000 kW prior to the civil war, but now largely shut down due to war damage; some localities operate their own generating plants, providing limited municipal power; note - UN and relief organizations use their own portable power systems production: NA kWh consumption per capita: NA kWh

Exchange rates [time series]

Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1 - approximately 7,000 (January 1996), 5,000 (1 January 1995), 2,616 (1 July 1993), 4,200 (December 1992), 3,800.00 (December 1990), 490.7 (1989),

Exports [time series]

$100 million (1995 est.) commodities: bananas, live animals, fish, hides partners: Saudi Arabia, other Gulf states, Italy, US (bananas)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$1.9 billion (1989)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $3.6 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]

$500 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]

2% (1995 est.)

Imports [time series]

$249 million (1990 est.) commodities: petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials partners: US 13%, Italy, FRG, Kenya, UK, Saudi Arabia (1986)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

a few small industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

Labor force [time series]

3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)(1993 est.) by occupation: agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 637,660 sq km land area: 627,340 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas

Climate [time series]

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 [time series]

3,025 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea; signed, but not ratified - Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban

Geographic coordinates [time series]

10 00 N, 49 00 E

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

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

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

southern half of boundary with Ethiopia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Ethiopia over the Ogaden

Irrigated land [time series]

1,600 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 2,366 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,626 km, Kenya 682 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 46% forest and woodland: 14% other: 38%

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 200 nm

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Shimbiris 2,450 m

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Mogadishu

Constitution [time series]

25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

Data code [time series]

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

Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991)

Executive branch [time series]

Somalia has no functioning government; the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Major General Mohamed SIAD Barre on 27 January 1991; the present political situation is one of anarchy, marked by interclan fighting and random banditry

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)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (not functioning)

Legal system [time series]

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral People's Assembly People's Assembly (Golaha Shacbiga): not functioning

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Somalia former: Somali Republic

National holiday [time series]

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power

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

the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the former regime on 27 January 1991; formerly the only party was the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP), headed by former President and Commander in Chief of the Army Major General Mohamed SIAD Barre

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

none

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi at Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue; mail address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 334141; FAX [254] (2) 340838

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 44% (male 2,143,775; female 2,139,104) 15-64 years: 52% (male 2,609,911; female 2,387,620) 65 years and over: 4% (male 182,991; female 175,750) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

44.17 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

13.22 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Somali 85%, Bantu, Arabs 30,000

Infant mortality rate [time series]

121.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 55.49 years male: 55.18 years female: 55.8 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 24% male: 36% female: 14%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Somali(s) adjective: Somali

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

9,639,151 (July 1996 est.) note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1987 by the Somali Government with the cooperation of the UN and the US Bureau of the Census; population estimates are updated year by year between census years by factoring growth rates into them, and by taking account of refugee movements, and of losses due to famine; lower estimates of Somalia's population in mid-1996 (on the order of 6.0 to 6.5 million) have been made by aid and relief agencies, based on the number of persons being fed; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large numbers of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare

Population growth rate [time series]

3.1% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Sunni Muslim

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female all ages: 1.05 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

7.01 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 52 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 3 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 6 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 4 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 15 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 20 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 22,500 km paved: 2,700 km unpaved: 19,800 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,529 GRT/6,892 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (1995 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 15 km

Ports [time series]

Bender Cassim (Boosaaso), Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu

Railways [time series]

0 km