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Somalia, Fed. Rep.
Somalia, Fed. Rep.
Population
19.0M
Rank #67Source: World Bank
Capital
Mogadishu
Source: REST Countries
Region
Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Source: REST Countries
GDP (Nominal)
$11.97B
Rank #145Source: World Bank
Land Area
637.7K km²
Rank #42Source: REST Countries
Life Expectancy
58.816 yrs
Source: World Bank
Historical Trends
Population Trend (5-Year)
Source: World Bank
GDP Trend (5-Year, Nominal USD)
Source: World Bank
Geography
Area: 637,657 km²
Landlocked: No
Independent: Yes
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...
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
Elevation: mean elevation: 410 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m
Natural Hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season
Environmental Issues: water scarcity; contaminated water contributes to human health problems; improper waste disposal; deforestation; land degradation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Land Use: agricultural land: 70.3% (2011 est.) forest: 10.6% (2011 est.) other: 19.1% (2011 est.)
Geography Note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
Natural Resources
uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron oretingypsumbauxitecoppersaltnatural gaslikely oil reserves
People & Society
Fertility Rate
6.13
Population
19.0M
Ethnic Groups
Somali (85%)Bantu and other non-Somali (15%)
Economy
GDP per Capita
$629.539
GDP per Capita PPP
1,601.965
(2024)
(2024)
GNI per Capita
620
(2024)
(2024)
Gini Index
Not Available
Unemployment
18.949%
(2024)
(2024)
Inflation
Not Available
Public Debt
Not Available
Energy
Electricity Access
50.3%
(2023)
(2023)
Renewable Energy
95.4%
(2022)
(2022)
CO₂ Emissions
0.865 Mt
(2024)
(2024)
Energy Intensity
6.51 MJ/$
(2022)
(2022)
Renewable Electricity
11.213%
(2021)
(2021)
Environment
Forest Coverage
9.165% of land
(2023)
(2023)
Communications
Internet Users
27.6%
(2022)
(2022)
Mobile Penetration
53.958%
(2023)
(2023)
Broadband Subscribers
0.723%
(2023)
(2023)
Transportation
Air Transport Freight
Not Available
Container Port Traffic
92,238 TEU
(2019)
(2019)
Airports
1,060
Rail Lines
N/A
Roads Total
21,933 km(©IRF)
Military
Military Forces
Somali National Security Forces: Somali National Army (SNA), Somali National Police (SNP, includes a maritime unit), National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA)
Personnel Strength
estimates of the size of Somali National Army (SNA) vary widely because of inconsistent and unreliable data, as well as the ongoing integration of various militias; as of January 2020, estimates...
Military Expenditure (USD)
$0.20B
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)
1.59%
Equipment & Inventories
the SNA inventory includes a variety of older, second-hand equipment largely from Italy, Russia, South Africa, and the UK; since 2015, it has received limited quantities of second-hand equipment from...
Service Age & Obligation
18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service
Education
Pre-Primary Enrollment
1.146%
(2021)
(2021)
Primary Enrollment
20.916%
(2023)
(2023)
Secondary Enrollment
3.348%
(2023)
(2023)
Tertiary Enrollment
Not Available
Education Spending
Not Available
Adult Literacy Rate
54.12%
(2022)
(2022)
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
Not Available
Health
Physicians per 1,000
0.048
(2014)
(2014)
Safe Water Access
75.295%
(2024)
(2024)
Safe Drinking Water
Not Available
Under-5 Mortality
Not Available
Maternal Mortality (World Bank)
13.283 per 100,000
(2021)
(2021)
Hospital Beds per 1,000
56.333
(2021)
(2021)
UHC Coverage Index
30
(2023)
(2023)
Measles Immunization
70%
(2024)
(2024)
Social Indicators
Extreme Poverty Rate
Not Available
Food Insecurity
53.2%
(2023)
(2023)
Youth NEET Rate
17.868%
(2022)
(2022)
Governance
Women in Government
19.636%
(2024)
(2024)
Voice & Accountability
-1.66
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Political Stability
-2.38
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Government Effectiveness
-1.98
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Regulatory Quality
-1.88
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Rule of Law
-2.21
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Control of Corruption
-1.73
(Weak)
(2023)
(Weak)
(2023)
Government
Government Type
federal parliamentary republic
Legal System
mixed legal system of civil law, Islamic (sharia) law, and customary law (referred to as Xeer)
Executive Branch
chief of state: President Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" (since 8 February 2017) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein ROBLE (since 27 September 2020) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by...
Legislative Branch
description: bicameral Federal Parliament to consist of:Upper House (54 seats; senators indirectly elected by state assemblies to serve 4-year terms)House of the People (275 seats; members indirectly...
Judicial Branch
highest courts: 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...
National Symbols
Flag Description
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...
National Symbols
leopard; national colors: blue, white
National Anthem
name: "Qolobaa Calankeed" (Every Nation Has its own Flag) lyrics/music: lyrics/music: Abdullahi QARSHE note: adopted 2012; written in 1959
Travel Information
Language(s): Arabic, Somali
Currency: SOS (Sh)
Timezone(s): UTC+03:00
Landlocked: No
Independent: Yes
Driving Side: Right
Calling Code: +252
Car Sign: SO
Week Starts: Monday
Photos
The orange and tan colors of this high-oblique photograph of the Horn of Africa indicate an arid-to-semiarid landscape in the northern half of the east African country of Somalia. Except for the darker areas where thicker vegetation can be found (usually in elevated areas), most of the vegetation in this part of Somalia is shrub brush and grasslands. The southern extent of the Saudi Arabian Peninsula is visible north across the Gulf of Aden. Image courtesy of NASA.
The orange and tan colors of this high-oblique photograph of the Horn of Africa indicate an arid-to-semiarid landscape in the northern half of the east African country of Somalia. Except for the darker areas where thicker vegetation can be found (usually in elevated areas), most of the vegetation in this part of Somalia is shrub brush and grasslands. The southern extent of the Saudi Arabian Peninsula is visible north across the Gulf of Aden. Image courtesy of NASA. • CIA World Factbook • 2020
Area comparison map
Area comparison map • CIA World Factbook • 2020
2 photos available
Data sources: World Bank, UN Data • Updated daily •Learn about our data