Somalia

Radio broadcast stations

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

Radios

350,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

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

9,000 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

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

Televisions

113,000 (1992 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

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

Currency

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

Debt - external

$2.6 billion (1994 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy - overview

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 - capacity

144,000 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

Electricity - consumption per capita

NA kWh

Electricity - production

60 million kWh (1991)

Exchange rates

Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1 - 4,100 (November 1996 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995), 2,616 (1 July 1993), 4,200 (December 1992)

Exports

total value: $130 million (1994 est.) commodities: bananas, live animals, fish, hides (1995) partners: Saudi Arabia 57%, Yemen 14%, Italy 13%, US (bananas) (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture : 65.5% industry: 8.7% services: 25.8% (1990 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $500 (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (1995 est.)

Imports

total value: $269 million (1994 est.) commodities : manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials (1995) partners: Kenya 24%, Djibouti 18%, Pakistan 6% (1995 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

NA

Labor force

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

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 637,660 sq km land: 627,340 sq km water: 10,320 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Texas

Climate

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

3,025 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Shimbiris 2,450 m

Environment - current issues

famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban

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

1,800 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 69% forests and woodland: 26% other: 3% (1993 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 200 nm

Natural hazards

recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

Administrative divisions

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

Constitution

25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

Country name

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

Data code

SO

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Executive branch

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 description

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)

Government type

none

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 organization participation

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

Supreme Court (not functioning)

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha Shacbiga note: the Golaha Shacbiga is not functioning

National capital

Mogadishu

National holiday

NA

Political parties and leaders

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,408,639 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 901,827 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

males: 1,615,598 years of age (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 44% (male 1,449,037; female 1,452,171) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,777,131; female 1,718,389) 65 years and over: 3% (male 89,346; female 104,251) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

45.49 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

18.34 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

Somali 85%, Bantu, Arabs 30,000

Infant mortality rate

125.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Life expectancy at birth

total population : 46.23 years male: 44.66 years female: 47.85 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Somali(s) adjective : Somali

Net migration rate

3.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

6,590,325 (July 1997 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 million 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

3.03% (1997 est.) (1997 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.) under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population : 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.76 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

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

Airports

47 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 11 over 3,047 m : 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total : 36 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 19 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 18,000 km paved: 2,700 km unpaved: 15,300 km (1993 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,529 GRT/6,892 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 15 km

Ports and harbors

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

Railways

0 km