Somalia Country Profile



Created in 1960 from a former British protectorate and an Italian colony, Somalia collapsed into anarchy following the overthrow of the military regime of President Siad Barre in 1991.
As rival warlords tore the country apart into clan-based fiefdoms, an internationally-backed unity government formed in 2000 struggled to establish control, and the two relatively peaceful northern regions of Somaliland and Puntland effectively broke away.
The seizure of the capital Mogadishu and much of the country's south by a coalition of Islamist shariah courts in 2006 prompted an intervention by Ethiopian, and later, African Union, forces.
Since 2012, when a new internationally-backed government was installed, Somalia has been inching towards stability, but the new authorities still face a challenge from Al-Qaeda-aligned Al-Shabab insurgents.

FACTS

Federal Republic of Somalia

Capital: Mogadishu

  • Population 15 million (UN, 2015)
  • Area 637,657sq km (246,201 sq miles)
  • Major languages Somali, Arabic, Italian, English
  • Major religion Islam
  • Life expectancy 55 years (men), 58 years (women)
  • Currency Somali shilling

  • LEADERS

    President: Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed
  • Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, also known as Farmajo, was elected by MPs gathered under tight security in a hangar at the airport of the capital Mogadishu in February 2017.
    The dual US-Somali citizen served as prime minister for eight months between 2010 and 2011 when he gained popularity by ensuring regular payment of army salaries and implementing a biometric register for security personnel.
    He has expressed readiness to talk to the Islamist al-Shabab militants.
  • MEDIA
Somalia's disintegration is reflected in its fragmented and partisan media, which operates in a hostile environment.
Journalists and media outlets complain about intimidation at the hands of state security agencies. Nevertheless, professionally-run media outlets have emerged - in particular, FM radios with no explicit factional links.
The TV and press sectors are weak and radio is the dominant medium. Domestic web access is held back by poor infrastructure, but social media use is on the rise.

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