Somalia is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It has a population of approximately 16.5 million people and is bordered by Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The official languages of Somalia are Somali and Arabic, and the majority of the population practices Islam.

Somalia has a rich history and culture, with evidence of human settlement dating back thousands of years. The region was part of various Islamic empires throughout the centuries, and in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was colonized by European powers. Somalia gained independence from Italy in 1960 and later merged with British Somaliland to form the Somali Republic. However, the country has been plagued by political instability, civil war, and violence for much of its recent history.

The Somali economy is largely based on agriculture and livestock, although the country also has potential oil and gas reserves. However, ongoing conflicts and instability have severely impacted economic development. Somalia is also known for its piracy problem, particularly in the waters off its coast, although this has decreased in recent years.

Somalia has made some progress towards stability and rebuilding, particularly with the establishment of a new government in 2012. However, the country still faces significant challenges in terms of security, governance, and development. The international community has provided significant support to Somalia in recent years, and there is hope that with continued efforts, the country can overcome its challenges and achieve a brighter future.

Telephone Code
252

Local Emergency Phone
Local numbers only

Vaccinations
An International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever is required for travelers arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers having transited through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. See WHO recommendations. On 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Somalia is currently considered a high risk to travelers for polio; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine.


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

Currency (Code)
Somali shillings (SOS)

Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
220 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C

Major Languages
Somali, Arabic, Italian, English

Major Religions
Sunni Muslim

Potable Water
Opt for bottled water

International Driving Permit
Suggested

Road Driving Side
Right

Tourist Destinations
Mogadishu; cave art of Laas Geel; Hargeisa; sea beaches of Berbera; Kismayo National Park

Major Sports
Soccer, track and field

Cultural Practices
The left hand is considered unclean and should not be used for shaking hands.

Tipping Guidelines
Tipping is not obligatory. For exceptional service, an additional tip is always welcome. Hotels and restaurants tend to include a tip of 5-10%, but luxury hotels and high-end restaurants may charge 10-15% of the total bill in the form of a service charge.

Souvenirs
Woven cloth, woven baskets, woodcarvings, meerschaum carvings, gold and silver jewelry

Traditional Cuisine
Bariis Iskukaris — rice cooked in stock and spices (including cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, coriander, and nutmeg) topped with fried onions and raisins; sometimes peppers or potatoes are added; typically served with roasted lamb or goat and bananas

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

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

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

People and Society
Population
12,693,796 (2023 est.)

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

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

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

Population growth rate
2.49% (2023 est.)

Government
Government type
federal parliamentary republic

Capital
name: Mogadishu

Executive branch
chief of state: President HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (since 23 May 2022)
head of government: Prime Minister Hamza Abdi BARRE (since 25 June 2022)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$19.399 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$1,100 (2021 est.)

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

Industries
light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, wireless communication

Exports
$819 million (2014 est.)

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

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

Imports
$94.43 billion (2018 est.)

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

Imports - commodities
cigarettes, raw sugar, rice, broadcasting equipment, textiles (2019)