Somalia in turmoil
Last reviewed: 28-07-2009
Somalia
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BASIC FACTS
Capital
Mogadishu
Language
Somali and Arabic are the official languages. English, Italian and Swahili are also spoken.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide
Area size
627340 sq. km
Area comparison
Slightly larger than Ukraine
Population
| 2009 | 9.1 million | U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009) |
| 2007 | 8.4 million | U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006) |
| 2006 | 8.3 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2005 | 8.2 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2004 | 8.0 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2003 | 7.7 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2002 | 7.5 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2001 | 7.3 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2000 | 7.1 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
Future population estimates
23.5 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)
PEOPLE
Language
Somali and Arabic are the official languages. English, Italian and Swahili are also spoken.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide
Population
Future population estimates
23.5 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)
Ethnic groups
The largest ethnic Somalian groups include Hawiye, Darod, Issaq, Dir and Digil-Mirifle. There are also Arabs, Bantu-speaking Africans (descendants of slaves) and an Italian minority.
Source: NI World Guide
Religion
Islam (Sunni), with a small Christian minority in Mogadishu.
Source: NI World Guide
Percentage urban population
Year women granted right to vote
1956
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.
Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available
Percentage of population under 15
Somali and Arabic are the official languages. English, Italian and Swahili are also spoken.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide
Population
| 2009 | 9.1 million | U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009) |
| 2007 | 8.4 million | U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006) |
| 2006 | 8.3 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2005 | 8.2 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2004 | 8.0 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2003 | 7.7 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2002 | 7.5 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2001 | 7.3 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2000 | 7.1 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
Future population estimates
23.5 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)
Ethnic groups
The largest ethnic Somalian groups include Hawiye, Darod, Issaq, Dir and Digil-Mirifle. There are also Arabs, Bantu-speaking Africans (descendants of slaves) and an Italian minority.
Source: NI World Guide
Religion
Islam (Sunni), with a small Christian minority in Mogadishu.
Source: NI World Guide
Percentage urban population
| 2007 | 36.1 percent | U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005 |
| 2006 | 35.6 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2005 | 35.2 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2004 | 34.8 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2003 | 34.4 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2002 | 34.0 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2001 | 33.6 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2000 | 33.3 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
Year women granted right to vote
1956
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.
Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available
Percentage of population under 15
| 2005 | 44.1 percent | U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) 2007 |
| 2004 | 44.1 percent | UNDP 2006 |
| 2003 | 44.1 percent | UNDP 2005 |
| 2001 | No data available percent | |
| 2000 | No data available percent |
USEFUL INFORMATION
Time zone
GMT +3
Climate description
Very dry, as much of the country is desert or desert scrubland. Some rain in the north when temperatures are lower. The east coast has lower temperatures than the north coast. Inland temperatures are higher but there is less humidity.
Currency
Shilling
Telephone dialling code
(+) 252
Driving (left/right)
Right
GMT +3
Climate description
Very dry, as much of the country is desert or desert scrubland. Some rain in the north when temperatures are lower. The east coast has lower temperatures than the north coast. Inland temperatures are higher but there is less humidity.
Currency
Shilling
Telephone dialling code
(+) 252
Driving (left/right)
Right
STANDARD OF LIVING
Average life expectancy
Life expectancy - male
Life expectancy - female
Infant mortality
Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
Births attended by skilled personnel
Maternal mortality
Human development index (HDI rank)
No data available (2001)
Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
Percentage of undernourished population
Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.
Population with access to improved water
Population with access to improved sanitation
Literacy - average
No data available percent
Literacy - male
No data available percent
Literacy - female
No data available percent
Landlines telephones
Cellular telephone subscribers
Internet users
Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)
Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
No (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Signed but not yet ratified (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
| 2005 | No data available years | |
| 2004 | 47.0 years | UNDP 2006 |
| 2003 | 46.5 years | UNDP 2005 |
| 2001 | No data available years | |
| 2000 | No data available years |
Life expectancy - male
| 2005 | 45.9 years | U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) 2007 |
| 2004 | 45.8 years | UNDP 2006 |
| 2003 | No data available years | |
| 2002 | No data available years | |
| 2001 | No data available years | |
| 2000 | No data available years |
Life expectancy - female
| 2005 | 48.2 years | U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) 2007 |
| 2004 | 48.2 years | UNDP 2006 |
| 2003 | No data available years | |
| 2002 | No data available years | |
| 2001 | No data available years | |
| 2000 | No data available years |
Infant mortality
| 2007 | 88 per 1,000 live births | U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009 |
| 2006 | 90 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008 |
| 2005 | 133 per 1,000 live births | U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007 |
| 2004 | 133 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006 |
| 2003 | No data available per 1,000 live births | |
| 2002 | No data available per 1,000 live births | |
| 2001 | 133 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | No data available per 1,000 live births |
Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
| 2007 | 142 per 1,000 live births | U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009 |
| 2006 | 145 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008 |
| 2005 | 225 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007 |
| 2004 | 225 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006 |
| 2003 | 225 per 1,000 live births | UNDP 2005 |
| 2002 | 225 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
Births attended by skilled personnel
| 1997-2005 | 25 percent | U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) 2007 |
| 1996-2004 | 25 percent | UNDP 2006 |
| 1995-2002 | No data available percent | |
| 1995-2001 | 34 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 1995-2000 | No data available percent |
Maternal mortality
| 2005 | No data available per 100,000 live births | |
| 2000 | 1100 per 100,000 live births | UNDP 2006 |
Human development index (HDI rank)
No data available (2001)
Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
| 2000-2007 | 36 percent | U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009 |
| 2000-2006 | 36 percent | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008 |
| 1996-2005 | 26 percent | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007 |
| 1996-2004 | 26 percent | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006 |
| 1995-2003 | No data available percent | |
| 1995-2002 | No data available percent | |
| 1995-2000 | No data available percent |
Percentage of undernourished population
| 2003-2005 | No data available percent | |
| 2002-2004average | No data available percent | |
| 2001-2003average | No data available percent | |
| 2000-2002average | No data available percent | |
| 1999-2001average | No data available percent | |
| 1998-2000average | 71 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.
Population with access to improved water
| 2006 | 29 percent | UNICEF and WHO 2008 |
| 2004 | 29 percent | UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006 |
| 2002 | No data available percent | |
| 2000 | No data available percent |
Population with access to improved sanitation
| 2006 | 23 percent | UNICEF and WHO 2008 |
| 2004 | 26 percent | UNICEF and WHO 2006 |
| 2002 | No data available percent |
Literacy - average
No data available percent
Literacy - male
No data available percent
Literacy - female
No data available percent
Landlines telephones
| 2008 | 12 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2007 | 12 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2006 | 12 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2005 | 12 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2004 | 12 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2003 | 13 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2002 | 5 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2001 | 5 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2000 | 3 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
Cellular telephone subscribers
| 2008 | 69 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2007 | 69 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2006 | 64 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2005 | 60 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2004 | 61 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2003 | 25 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2002 | 13 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2001 | 11 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2000 | 11 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
Internet users
| 2008 | 11 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2007 | 11 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2006 | 11 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2005 | 11 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2004 | 11 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2003 | 4 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2002 | 1 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2001 | 0.8 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2000 | 2 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)
| 2008 | 180 | Transparency International 2008 |
| 2007 | 179 (joint) | Transparency International 2007 |
| 2006 | Not ranked | |
| 2005 | 144 (joint) | Transparency International |
| 2004 | Not ranked | |
| 2003 | Not ranked | |
| 2002 | Not ranked | |
| 2001 | Not ranked | |
| 2000 | Not ranked |
Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
No (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Signed but not yet ratified (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
ECONOMY & AID
Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent
GNI per capita, Atlas method
The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.
GDP
No data available current US$ billions
Annual GDP growth
No data available percent
Annual inflation
No data available percent
Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available
Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available
No data available percent
GNI per capita, Atlas method
| 2007 | No data available current US$ | |
| 2006 | No data available current US$ | |
| 2005 | No data available current US$ | |
| 2004 | No data available current US$ | |
| 2003 | No data available current US$ | |
| 2002 | No data available current US$ | |
| 2001 | No data available current US$ | |
| 2000 | current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.
GDP
No data available current US$ billions
Annual GDP growth
No data available percent
Annual inflation
No data available percent
Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available
Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available
HEALTH
Physicians
Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
Malaria
Risk from P.falciparum throughout the year in the whole country. Resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reported.
Source: WHO
TB cases
| 2000-2004 | 4 per 100,000 people | U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) 2007 |
| 1990-2004 | 4 per 100,000 people | UNDP 2006 |
| 1990-2003 | No data available per 100,000 people | |
| 1990-2002 | No data available per 100,000 people |
Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
| 2007 | 0.5 percent | U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008 |
| 2006 | 0.5 percent | U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008 |
| 2005 | 0.5 percent | U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008 |
| 2004 | 0.5 percent | U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008 |
| 2003 | 0.5 percent | U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008 |
Malaria
Risk from P.falciparum throughout the year in the whole country. Resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reported.
Source: WHO
TB cases
| 2007 | 249 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2006 | 249 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2005 | 249 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2004 | 249 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2003 | 249 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2002 | 249 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2001 | 249 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2000 | 249 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
CONFLICT & MIGRATION
Number of refugees originating here
Number of refugees residing here
Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
Landmine casualties per year
Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
No
Source: Landmine Monitor Report
Percentage of GDP spent on military
No data available percent
Percentage of GDP spent on education
No data available percent
Percentage of GDP spent on health
1.2 percent (2004)
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) 2007
| 2008 | 559153 | UNHCR |
| 2007 | 455357 | UNHCR |
| 2006 | 464253 | Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) |
| 2005 | 394760 | UNHCR |
| 2004 | 389272 | UNHCR |
| 2003 | 402336 | UNHCR |
| 2002 | 432316 | UNHCR |
| 2001 | 440134 | UNHCR |
| 2000 | 475655 | UNHCR |
Number of refugees residing here
| 2008 | 1842 | UNHCR |
| 2007 | 901 | UNHCR |
| 2006 | 669 | UNHCR |
| 2005 | 493 | UNHCR |
| 2004 | 357 | UNHCR |
| 2003 | 368 | UNHCR |
| 2002 | 199 | UNHCR |
| 2001 | 589 | UNHCR |
| 2000 | 558 | UNHCR |
Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
| 2009 | 1300000 | Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) 2009 | |
| 2008 | 1100000 | IDMC 2008 | |
| 2007 | 1000000 | IDMC 2008 | |
| 2006 | 400000 | IDMC 2006 | |
| 2005 | 370000 - 400000 | IDMC 2006 | |
Landmine casualties per year
| 2007 | 74 | Landmine Monitor Report 2008 |
| 2006 | 401 | Landmine Monitor Report 2008 |
| 2004 | At least 91 | Landmine Monitor Report 2005 |
| 2003 | 75 | Landmine Monitor Report 2004 |
Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
No
Source: Landmine Monitor Report
Percentage of GDP spent on military
No data available percent
Percentage of GDP spent on education
No data available percent
Percentage of GDP spent on health
1.2 percent (2004)
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) 2007
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