Discover Fascinating Somalia Facts

Dive into the history, culture, and unique insights about Somalia.

Somalia

Background

๐ŸŒBackground of Somalia

Somalia has a rich history that dates back to the late 19th century when it was colonized by two powers: Britain in the north and Italy in the south. In 1960, the two colonies united to create the new nation of Somalia! ๐ŸŽ‰

However, since 1991, Somalia has faced ongoing challenges due to civil war and political instability. This has led to the division of the country into several regional governments. ๐Ÿ“‰

One significant concern for Somalia is the presence of the terrorist group al-Shabaab, which controls large areas of the country. ๐Ÿšจ It's a complicated situation, but the resilience of the Somali people shines through! ๐Ÿ’ช

Year of unification of colonies

1960

Year civil war began

1991

Exports - commodities

๐ŸŒ Somalia is rich in natural resources, and its exports reflect some fascinating commodities! In 2022, the country exported a variety of goods including:

  • Gold ๐Ÿ’ฐ: A valuable metal that shines bright on global markets.
  • Sheep and Goats ๐Ÿ‘: These furry friends are a key part of Somalia's livestock exports.
  • Cattle ๐Ÿ„: Strong and sturdy, cattle are another important export for the country.
  • Gum Resins ๐ŸŒฑ: Nature's gift used in numerous products from perfumes to medicines.
  • Shellfish ๐Ÿฆช: Delicious seafood that is sought after both locally and globally!

With such a diverse range of exports, Somalia showcases its agricultural strengths and natural riches!

Exports - partners

Somalia has some interesting trading partners! ๐ŸŒ In 2022, the country mainly exported its goods to the following nations:

  • UAE: 50% ๐Ÿ‡ด๐Ÿ‡ฆ
  • Oman: 30% ๐Ÿ‡ด๐Ÿ‡ฒ
  • Bulgaria: 3% ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฌ
  • India: 3% ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ
  • Kuwait: 2% ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ผ

As you can see, the UAE is by far the biggest partner, accounting for half of Somalia's exports! ๐Ÿšข๐Ÿ’ฐ This shows how important the UAE is to Somalia's economy. Isn't that fascinating? ๐Ÿคฉ

Let's visualize this data with a pie chart to better understand the distribution of Somalia's export partners! ๐ŸŽ‰

Percentage of Exports to UAE

50%

Percentage of Exports to Oman

30%

Percentage of Exports to Bulgaria

3%

Percentage of Exports to India

3%

Percentage of Exports to Kuwait

2%

Export Partners for Somalia (2022)

Capital

๐Ÿ™๏ธ The capital city of Somalia is Mogadishu! This bustling city is not only the largest but also has a rich history and culture. It's located along the coast of the Indian Ocean, making it an important port city. Imagine the vibrant markets, beautiful beaches, and lively atmosphere! ๐ŸŒŠ๐Ÿ‰

Capital City

Mogadishu

Imports - commodities

In Somalia, several key commodities are imported to meet the needs of its people and enhance the economy. ๐ŸŒโœจ The country brings in tobacco, raw sugar, palm oil, rice, and milk as essential items. These imports play a crucial role in both the daily diet and the overall economy of Somalia, contributing to food security and trade. ๐Ÿš๐Ÿฅ›๐Ÿฌ๐ŸŒด It's important to keep an eye on these commodities as they reflect the changing needs of the nation!

Climate

Somalia's climate is mainly desert ๐ŸŒต, which means it doesn't get a lot of rain. There are two major seasons in the year: the northeast monsoon from December to February brings moderate temperatures in the north, while the south feels the heat! โ˜€๏ธ Then, from May to October, the southwest monsoon hits, making it quite torrid up north and still hot down south. ๐ŸŒฆ๏ธ Rainfall can be pretty irregular, and during the hot and humid times called 'tangambili', the weather can make things feel really muggy.

Executive branch

Executive Branch of Somalia ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ด

In Somalia, the leadership is composed of two main figures:

  • Chief of State: President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has been in office since May 23, 2022.
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has taken charge since June 25, 2022.

These leaders are crucial for guiding Somalia toward stability and growth! ๐ŸŒŸ

President term start

May 23, 2022

Prime Minister term start

June 25, 2022

Legislative branch

In Somalia, the legislative branch is made up of two parts! ๐Ÿ›๏ธ It has a bicameral Federal Parliament, which means there are two chambers: the Senate and the House of the People. The Senate has 54 seats ๐Ÿช‘, while the House of the People is larger with 275 seats! This structure helps in making sure that both regional and public interests are represented. ๐Ÿ™Œ

Total Number of Seats in Federal Parliament

329

Number of Chambers in Parliament

2

Seats in the Federal Parliament

Natural resources

๐ŸŒ Somalia is rich in natural resources! Hereโ€™s a peek at what this beautiful country has beneath its surface:

  • Uranium
  • Iron ore (largely unexploited)
  • Tin
  • Gypsum
  • Bauxite
  • Copper
  • Salt
  • Natural gas
  • Likely oil reserves
    Each of these resources holds great potential for Somalia's economy. Imagine the possibilities if these were fully explored and utilized! ๐Ÿ’ฐโœจ

Natural resources present in Somalia

Uranium, Iron ore, Tin, Gypsum, Bauxite, Copper, Salt, Natural gas, Likely oil reserves

Economic overview

Somalia's economy is a low-income Horn of Africa economy ๐ŸŒ, affected by over 30 years of war and instability, which has really hurt its potential to grow ๐Ÿ’”. Despite these challenges, many people rely on high remittances, or money sent back home from family or friends living abroad, just to survive ๐Ÿ . Recently, the country has been trying out a new approach called fiscal federalism, which helps manage finances better and has cleared some unsustainable debt ๐Ÿ’ธ. However, it faces issues with being environmentally fragile ๐ŸŒฑ, yet there's some hope with digitally driven urbanization efforts ๐Ÿ’ป that can boost the economy!

Years of war and instability

30

Economic status

Low-income

Government type

Did you know? Somalia has a fascinating form of government known as a federal parliamentary republic! ๐Ÿ›๏ธ This means that the country is governed by elected officials and a system where power is shared between national and regional governments. This structure helps in recognizing the diverse identities and cultures within Somalia. ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ด

Ethnic groups

In Somalia, the ethnic landscape is predominantly shaped by the Somali people, who make up the majority of the population. ๐ŸŒ Besides the Somali, there are also smaller groups, including Arabs and Bantus, as well as a few others. It's a vibrant mix that makes Somalia unique! โค๏ธ๐Ÿค

Composition of Ethnic Groups in Somalia

Religions

In Somalia, the majority of the population identifies as Muslim, making up a whopping 99.9% of the religious landscape! ๐ŸŒ™ Among these Muslims, 98.1% are Sunni, and a small part is Shia Muslim at 1.2%. There's also a tiny fraction of 0.6% that belongs to Islamic schismatic groups. On the other end, there are 0.1% who practice ethnic religions. Isn't that fascinating? ๐Ÿ“Š

Sunni Muslims in Somalia

98.1

Shia Muslims in Somalia

1.2

Islamic Schismatic in Somalia

0.6

Ethnic Religionists in Somalia

0.1

Religious Composition in Somalia

Languages

Somalia is a country rich in languages! ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ด The official languages spoken here are Somali and Arabic. But that's not all! Many people also speak Italian and English. ๐ŸŒ These languages show how culturally diverse and connected Somalia is to the rest of the world.

Official Languages

2

Total Languages Spoken

4

Imports - partners

๐Ÿ“Š Here's a look at Somalia's biggest trade partners when it comes to imports in 2022. ๐ŸŒ Let's give a warm welcome to the top players!

  • UAE: 33% of Somalia's imports come from here! ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช
  • China: Contributing 19%. ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ
  • India: Close behind with 16%. ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ
  • Turkey: 7% of imports are from Turkey. ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
  • Ethiopia: Finally, 5% of imports come from our neighbor, Ethiopia. ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡น

These percentages show how much each country contributes to Somalia's imports. ๐ŸŒ Isn't it interesting to see which countries are most important for trade? ๐Ÿ“ˆ

Total number of import partners

5

Somalia's Import Partners in 2022

Population

๐ŸŒ Somalia has a total population of 13,017,273 people! That's a lot of amazing individuals contributing to this beautiful country's vibrant culture and history. ๐ŸŒŸ

Total Population of Somalia

13,017,273

Area

๐ŸŒ Somalia is a fascinating country with a total area of 637,657 sq km! Out of this total, 627,337 sq km is land where people and animals roam. But wait, there's a splash of water too! Somalia has 10,320 sq km of water, making it a great spot for fishing and enjoying the beautiful beaches. ๐ŸŒŠ Isn't it interesting how much of the country is land compared to water?

Total Area of Somalia

637657 sq km

Land Area of Somalia

627337 sq km

Water Area of Somalia

10320 sq km

Land vs Water Area in Somalia

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

๐ŸŒ Real GDP of Somalia (PPP) ๐Ÿ“Š

Somalia's economy has been showing a steady increase in its Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), measured by purchasing power parity (PPP). This important economic indicator helps us understand how much goods and services the country produces.

Here are Somalia's GDP estimates over the last three years:

  • 2023: $26.351 billion
  • 2022: $25.558 billion
  • 2021: $24.949 billion

This data shows that Somalia's economy is on the rise! ๐Ÿ“ˆ

Insights:

  • In just two years, between 2021 and 2023, the GDP has increased by over $1.4 billion, indicating positive economic growth! ๐Ÿ’ฐ

2023 Real GDP

$26.351 billion

2022 Real GDP

$25.558 billion

2021 Real GDP

$24.949 billion

Increase from 2021 to 2023

$1.402 billion

Somalia's Real GDP (PPP) Over Time

Real GDP per capita

Let's take a look at the Real GDP per capita in Somalia! ๐Ÿ’ฐ Over the last three years, it has remained steady at $1,500. This shows a consistency in the economic situation of the country. ๐Ÿ“Š While it hasn't increased, it also hasn't decreased, which can be seen as a positive sign in challenging times! ๐ŸŒ

Real GDP per Capita in Somalia (2021-2023)

Imports

Somalia's imports are a vital part of the economy. ๐Ÿ“ฆ In recent years, the import values have shown some interesting trends:

  • In 2018, Somalia imported goods worth $94.43 billion.
  • In 2017, the total imports were $80.07 billion.

This shows a significant increase in imports over the year! ๐Ÿ“ˆ Let's see how these numbers can be visualized to understand the growth better.

Import Value in 2018

$94.43 billion

Import Value in 2017

$80.07 billion

Increase in Imports from 2017 to 2018

$14.36 billion

Somalia's Import Growth (2017-2018)

Exports

Somalia's export game is strong! ๐Ÿšข In 2014, the estimated value of exports was $819 million. That's a big number for a country that is working hard to boost its trade and economy! ๐Ÿ’ต Let's keep an eye on how this number grows in the future!

Estimated Exports in 2014

$819 million

Population growth rate

In Somalia, the population is growing at a rate of 2.55% in 2024! ๐ŸŒฑ This means more and more people are calling this beautiful country their home each year. Let's take a closer look at what this growth means for Somalia's future.

Population growth rate for 2024

2.55%