Somalia

total: 119,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2020 est.)

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)

.so

total: 2.465 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 14.5% (2021 est.)

general assessment: Somalia s economic difficulties in recent years have made it difficult for telcos and the government to sustain investment in infrastructure; the government has also had to contend with militant groups which continue on occasion to force the closure of internet services in many areas of the country; in recent years, though, the government has addressed the lack of guidance which had prevailed since 1991, when a dictatorial regime was overthrown; the National Communications Law was passed in October 2017, aimed at setting a legal and regulatory framework for the telecoms sector, while provision was made in the following year to set up a regulatory authority to oversee the telecom sector; more recently, three types of licenses were mandated to provide clarity to operators, and to bring the market closer into line with international standards; all operators were given until August 2020 to secure one of the three license types; given the poor condition of fixed-line infrastructure, operators have concentrated on mobile connectivity; their investment plans have involved the development of LTE services to provide mobile data and broadband services; the telecom market has flourished; tariffs are among the lowest in Africa, and new cable systems coming on stream in the next few years, as well as planned investments from local operators to bolster the country s national fiber backbone, will lead to downward pressure on retail pricing; on the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices are under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes as the remnants of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic remain and as global events, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, continue to play out; the market is continuing a positive growth trajectory, supported by a slow economic rebound in the country (2022) domestic: fixed-line is 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 50 per 100 (2022) 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)

total subscriptions: 91,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions: 8.844 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2022 est.)

camel milk, milk, goat milk, sheep milk, sugarcane, fruits, sorghum, cassava, vegetables, maize (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

-$464 million (2017 est.) -$427 million (2016 est.)

low-income African Horn economy; 30 years of war and instability crippled economic potential; high remittances for basic survival; new fiscal federalism approach; cleared some unsustainable debt; environmentally fragile; digitally driven urbanization efforts

Somali shillings (SOS) per US dollar - 23,097.987 (2017 est.) 23,061.784 (2016 est.) 22,254.236 (2015 est.) 20,230.929 (2014 est.)

$819 million (2014 est.)

gold, sheep and goats, cattle, gum resins, shellfish (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

UAE 50%, Oman 30%, Bulgaria 3%, India 3%, Kuwait 2% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$11.68 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

household consumption: 126.4% (2023 est.) government consumption: 7% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25.3% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 17.9% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -76.7% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

36.8 (2017 est.)

$94.43 billion (2018 est.) $80.07 billion (2017 est.)

tobacco, raw sugar, palm oil, rice, milk (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

UAE 33%, China 19%, India 16%, Turkey 7%, Ethiopia 5% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

4.3% (2014 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, wireless communication

1.5% (2017 est.) -71.1% (2016 est.)

3.277 million (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

54.4% (2022 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

76.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

$26.351 billion (2023 est.) $25.558 billion (2022 est.) $24.949 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

3.1% (2023 est.) 2.44% (2022 est.) 3.31% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$1,500 (2023 est.) $1,500 (2022 est.) $1,500 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

14.85% of GDP (2023 est.) 16.65% of GDP (2022 est.) 17.63% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$30.45 million (2014 est.)

0% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

19.03% (2023 est.) 19.13% (2022 est.) 19.55% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 34.3% (2023 est.) male: 32.4% (2023 est.) female: 37.4% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

815,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 815,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

imports: (2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton

installed generating capacity: 131,000 kW (2022 est.) consumption: 362.985 million kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 15.408 million kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population: 48.9% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 76.7% electrification - rural areas: 30.6%

fossil fuels: 90.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) wind: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

661,000 Btu/person (2022 est.)

proven reserves: 5.663 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

particulate matter emissions: 14.28 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 0.65 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 20.13 megatons (2020 est.)

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

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

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

exceptional shortfall in aggregate food production/supplies: due to drought conditions and internal conflict - the food security situation remains dire and, at national level, about 6.5 million people (almost 40 percent of the total population) are projected to have faced severe acute food insecurity between April and June 2023; the high prevalence and severity of food insecurity are due to prolonged drought, which began in late 2020 and caused severe crop and livestock losses; the impact of the drought on households food security has been compounded by prolonged conflicts and hikes in international prices of wheat and fuel caused by the war in Ukraine (2023)

agricultural land: 70.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 1.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 68.5% (2018 est.) forest: 10.6% (2018 est.) other: 19.1% (2018 est.)

Ogaden-Juba Basin

14.7 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 2 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 3.28 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

urban population: 47.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,326,099 tons (2016 est.)

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

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

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

3,025 km

highest point: Mount Shimbiris 2,460 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 410 m

10 00 N, 49 00 E

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

2,000 sq km (2012)

total: 2,385 km border countries (3): Djibouti 61 km; Ethiopia 1,640 km; Kenya 684 km

agricultural land: 70.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 1.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 68.5% (2018 est.) forest: 10.6% (2018 est.) other: 19.1% (2018 est.)

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

Ogaden-Juba Basin

Africa

territorial sea: 200 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

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

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

mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

18 regions (plural - gobollo, singular - gobol); 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

name: Mogadishu geographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 20 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) 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

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

history: previous 1961, 1979; latest drafted 12 June 2012, adopted 1 August 2012 (provisional) 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; amended 2024

conventional long form: Federal Republic of Somalia conventional short form: Somalia local long form: Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya (Somali)/ Jumhuriyat as Sumal al Fidiraliyah (Arabic) local short form: Soomaaliya (Somali)/ As Sumal (Arabic) former: British Somaliland, Italian Somaliland, Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic etymology: "Land of the Somali" (ethnic group)

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d'Affaires Shane L. DIXON (since 25 July 2023) embassy: Mogadishu, (reopened October 2019 on the grounds of the Mogadishu Airport) mailing address: P.O. Box 606 Village Market 00621 Nairobi, Kenya telephone: [254] 20 363-6451 email address and website: SomaliaPublicAffairs@state.gov https://so.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission: Ambassador DAHIR Hassan Abdi (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 1609 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 853-9164 email address and website: info@somaliembassydc.net https://somaliembassydc.net/

chief of state: President HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (since 23 May 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Hamza Abdi BARRE (since 25 June 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by the House of the People 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 15 May 2022 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister appointed by the president, approved by the House of the People election results: 2022: HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud elected president in third round - Federal Parliament percent of vote in first round - Said ABDULLAHI DENI (Kaah) 20.2%, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" (TPP) 18.3%, HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (PDP) 16.2%, Hassan Ali KHAYRE (independent) 14.6%, other 30.7%; Federal Parliament percent of vote in second round - HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud 34.1%, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" 25.7%, Said ABDULLAHI DENI 21%, Hassan Ali KHAYRE 19.2%; Federal Parliament percent of vote in third round - HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud 66%, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" 34% 2017: Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" elected president in second round; Federal Parliament number of votes in first round - HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (PDP) 88, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" (TPP) 72, Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed (ARS) 49, other 37; Federal Parliament number of votes in second round - Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" 184, HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud 97, Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed 45

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)

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

federal parliamentary republic

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)

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

ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU (candidate), EAC, 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, UNHRC, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO

highest court(s): 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

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

description: bicameral Federal Parliament to consist of: Senate (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) elections: Senate - last held 27 July - 13 November 2021 (next to be held in July 2026) House of the People - last held 1 November 2021 - 05 May 2022 (next to be held in October 2026) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 40, women 14, percentage women 25.9% House of the People - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 221, women 54, percentage women 19.6%; total Federal Parliament percentage women 20.7% note: despite the formation of political parties in 2020, the 2021 parliamentary elections maintained a primarily clan-based system of appointments; seats in the legislature were apportioned to Somali member states and not by party representation

name: "Qolobaa Calankeed" (Every Nation Has its own Flag) lyrics/music: lyrics/music: Abdullahi QARSHE note: adopted 2012; written in 1959

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

leopard; national colors: blue, white

Cosmopolitan Democratic Party Green Party Himilo Qaran Party Ilays Party Justice and Reconciliation Party National Progressive Party Peace and Unity Party Qaransoor Party Qiimo Qaran Party Security and Justice Party Social Justice Party Somali Labour Party Somali Republic Party Somali Social Unity Party or SSUP Union for Peace and Development Party or PDP Wadajir Party note: in 2017 an independent electoral commission (the NIEC) was inaugurated with a mandate to oversee the process of registration of political parties in the country; as of 2021, the NIEC had registered a total of 110 parties

18 years of age; universal suffrage starting with 24 June 2024 local elections

Between A.D. 800 and 1100, immigrant Muslim Arabs and Persians set up coastal trading posts along the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, solidifying present-day Somalia s close trading relationship with the Arab Peninsula. In the late 19th century, Britain, France, and Italy established colonies in the Somali Peninsula that lasted until 1960, when British Somaliland gained independence and joined with Italian Somaliland 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 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 1991, resulting in state collapse. Subsequent fighting between rival clans for resources and territory overwhelmed the country, causing a manmade famine and prompting international intervention. Beginning in 1993, the UN spearheaded an international humanitarian mission, but the international community largely withdrew by 1995 after an incident that became known as Black Hawk Down, in which two US military helicopters were shot down in Mogadishu. The fighting and subsequent siege and rescue resulted in 21 deaths and 82 wounded among the international forces. International peace conferences in the 2000s resulted in a number of transitional governments that operated outside 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 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 2006 on behalf of the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG). As the TFG settled in the capital, the ICU fled to rural areas or left Somalia altogether, but the organization reemerged less than a year later as the Islamic insurgent and terrorist movement al-Shabaab, which is still active today. In 2007, the African Union (AU) established a peacekeeping force, 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 a central government in Mogadishu called the Somali Federal Government (SFG). Since then, the country has seen several interim regional administrations and three presidential elections, but significant governance and security problems remain because al-Shabaab still controls large portions of the country.

the Somali National Army (SNA) and supporting security and militia forces are actively conducting operations against the al-Shabaab terrorist group; al-Shabaab controls large parts of southern and central Somalia the SNA is a lightly armed force of more than a dozen brigades; its most effective units are assessed to be the US-trained Danab ("Lightning") Advanced Infantry Brigade and those of the Turkish-trained Gorgor ("Eagle") Special Division; as of 2023, the Danab Brigade numbered about 2,000 troops with an eventual projected strength of 3,000, while the Gorgor Division was estimated to have up to 5,000 trained troops; SNA soldiers have also received training from Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the EU, Uganda, and the UK the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) operated in the country with the approval of the UN from 2007-2022; its mission included 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; in April 2022, AMISOM was reconfigured and replaced with the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS); the ATMIS mission is to support the Somalia Federal Government (FGS) in implementing the security objectives of the FGS's security transition plan, a comprehensive strategy developed by the FGS and its international partners in 2018 and updated in 2021 to gradually transfer security responsibilities from ATMIS to Somali security forces; originally about 20,000-strong (civilians, military, and police), ATMIS began reducing its staffing levels in mid-2023; it is slated to end its mission at the end of 2024; the follow-on force for ATMIS will be the Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM; established 2013) is mandated by the Security Council to work with the FGS 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 community; the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS; established 2015) is responsible for providing logistical field support to ATMIS, UNSOM, and the Somali security forces on joint operations with ATMIS (2024)

Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF; aka Somali National Defense Force): Land Forces (Somali National Army or SNA), Somali Navy, Somali Air Force Ministry of Internal Security: Somali National Police (SNP, includes Coast Guard and a commando unit known as Harmacad or Cheetah) National Security and Intelligence Agency (includes a commando/counterterrorism unit) (2024) note 1: the Somali Navy and Air Force have only a few hundred personnel, little equipment, and are not operational; in early 2024, Somalia signed an agreement with Turkey to build, train and equip the Somali Navy note 2: Somalia has numerous militia ("macawisley") and regional forces operating throughout the country; these forces include ones that are clan- and warlord-based, semi-official paramilitary and special police forces ("darwish"), and externally sponsored militias note 3: Somaliland and Puntland have separate military and security forces

estimated 20,000 regular military personnel (2024) note: tens of thousands of militia forces are also active in Somalia

the SNA's inventory includes a variety of mostly older, secondhand equipment largely from Italy, Russia, South Africa, and the UK; in recent years, it has received limited quantities of more modern equipment as aid/donations from a variety of countries, including the US (2024)

6% of GDP (2021 est.) 6% of GDP (2020 est.) 5.6% of GDP (2019 est.) 6% of GDP (2018 est.) 5.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription of men aged 18-40 and women aged 18-30 is authorized, but not currently utilized (2023)

0-14 years: 41.4% (male 2,689,086/female 2,694,372) 15-64 years: 55.8% (male 3,699,721/female 3,568,163) 65 years and over: 2.8% (2024 est.) (male 157,505/female 208,426)

total: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

37.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

women married by age 15: 16.8% women married by age 18: 35.5% men married by age 18: 5.6% (2020 est.)

6.9% (2018/19)

NA

62.9% (2023 est.)

11.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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 as of 2020, and the fertility rate is among the world s highest at almost 5.5 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 the 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 fourth highest source country for refugees, after Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan. Insecurity, drought, floods, food shortages, and a lack of economic opportunities are the driving factors. As of 2022, more than 660,000 Somali refugees were hosted in the region, mainly in Kenya, Yemen, Egypt, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Uganda, while nearly 3 million Somalis were internally displaced. Since the implementation of a tripartite voluntary repatriation agreement among Kenya, Somalia, and the UNHCR in 2013, many Somali refugees have returned home, some 80,000 between 2014 and 2022. The Kenyan Government in March 2021 ordered the closure of its two largest refugee camps, Dadaab and Kakuma, which then hosted more than 410,000 mainly Somali refugees. However, the UN refugee agency presented a road map, including voluntary repatriation, relocation to third countries, and alternative stay options that persuaded the Kenyan Government to delay the closures. The plan was supposed to lead to both camps being closed by 30 June 2022. Yet, as of May 2022, few Somali refugees had decided to return home because of security concerns and the lack of job prospects, instead waiting in the camps unsure of what the future held for them. Other Somali asylum seekers brave the dangers of crossing the Gulf of Aden to reach Yemen despite its internal conflict with aspirations to move onward to Saudi Arabia and other locations.

total dependency ratio: 99.4 youth dependency ratio: 94.2 elderly dependency ratio: 5.2 potential support ratio: 19.3 (2021 est.)

improved: urban: 96.4% of population rural: 73.7% of population total: 84.2% of population unimproved: urban: 3.6% of population rural: 26.3% of population total: 15.8% of population (2020 est.)

0.3% of GDP (2019) NA

predominantly Somali with lesser numbers of Arabs, Bantus, and others

2.52 (2024 est.)

0.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)

total: 83.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 93.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 73.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Somali (official), Arabic (official), Italian, English major-language sample(s): Buugga Xaqiiqda Aduunka, waa laga maarmaanka macluumaadka assasiga. (Somali) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

total population: 56.5 years (2024 est.) male: 54.1 years female: 59 years

total population: NA male: NA female: NA

2.610 million MOGADISHU (capital), 1.127 million Hargeysa (2023)

621 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

total: 19.1 years (2024 est.) male: 19.3 years female: 18.9 years

noun: Somali(s) adjective: Somali

-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

8.3% (2016)

0.02 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

total: 13,017,273 male: 6,546,312 female: 6,470,961 (2024 est.)

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

2.55% (2024 est.)

Muslim 99.9% (Sunni Muslim 98.1%, Shia Muslim 1.2%, Islamic schismatic 0.6%), ethnic religionist 0.1% (2020 est.)

improved: urban: 82.4% of population rural: 33.8% of population total: 56.2% of population unimproved: urban: 17.6% of population rural: 66.2% of population total: 43.8% of population (2020 est.)

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

5.12 children born/woman (2024 est.)

urban population: 47.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham Somalia 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 the Terrorism reference guide

refugees (country of origin): 23,364 (Ethiopia), 9,969 (Yemen) (2023) IDPs: 3.864 million (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition for resources; famine; insecurity because of fighting between al-Shabaab and the Transitional Federal Government's allied forces) (2022)

38 (2024)

6O

total: 4 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, other 3

number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 7 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 4,486 (2018)

total ports: 6 (2024) large: 1 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Baraawe, Berbera, Boosaaso, Kismaayo, Marka, Muqdisho

total: 15,000 km (2013)