Somalia

Somalia (Somali: Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya) is located in the Horn of Africa and bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east, and Kenya to the southwest. Somalia enjoys the longest coastline, which extends for over 3,300 kilometers, along mainland Africa. The capital is Mogadishu, which is also a largest metropolis in the country.

History

As a country, Somalia boasts an expansive hiatus of history that can be traced back over the years. However, it is suggested that the area was inhabited from the Paleolithic era onward and was also home to ancient cultures such as Punt, an ancient kingdom that is said to have traded with ancient Egypt long before 2500 BCE. The medieval period elevated Somalia into a trading hub with the Islamic world during which many forces arose, such as the Ajuran Empire, the Sultanate of Ifat, and the Sultanate of Mogadishu.

Scramble of Africa during the late 19th century, Somalia would be subdivided into colonies. Northern Somalia became a British protectorate (British Somaliland) while southern Somalia was colonized by Italy (Italian Somaliland). In 1960, the territories were unified to announce the new independent Somalia a republic after World War II.

Somalia ushered in an era of independence during which political instability is most marked. General Siad Barre's military coup in 1969 called for a socialist government. The eventual collapse of the Barre regime, which lasted until 1991, was occasioned by a civil war and internal dissent. To this end, Somalia since independence has witnessed a succession of turbulent wars, lawlessness, and the rise of extremist militant groups, such as Al-Shabaab. 

Geography

Somalia spans an area of about 637,657 square kilometers (246,201 square miles). The land consists predominately of plateaus, plains, mountainous regions, and a predominance of aridity coupled with semi-aridity, with very little seasonal rain. The climate is mainly desert-like in nature.

Somalia's mainstream rivers are the Jubba and Shabelle, both flowing southward into the Indian Ocean but rarely reach the sea, often drying up upstream. Somalia is richly endowed with wildlife, including antelope, lion, leopards, and elephants, although some species have dwindled because of deforestation and poaching.

Demographics

Somalia Somaliland's population is close to 17 million. Most of them are Somali ethnic people representing different major clans along with several sub-clans. Somali is the official language, although Arabic has a notable presence owing to its Islamic background.

Islam is the predominating religion in Somalia, and almost all of the population professes Sunni Islam. Since there are clan divisions present in all the important decision-making processes and the administering of political dichotomies and conflicts, social and political lives occur along clan lines. It has both united and divided the people. 

Economy

Traditionally, Somalia has an increasingly informal economy, reliant primarily on agricultural production, livestock husbandry, and remittances from the Somali diaspora. Livestock, such as camels, goats, and cattle, forms the backbone of the country’s economy, contributing a significant part of its exports.

Despite being plagued by war, Somalia possesses enormous economic potential in hitherto untapped natural resources, oil, gas, and minerals to name a few. Its strategic geographic position along the coast makes it ever-so-important as a hub for trade; however, instability has made its development an uphill task.

Some regions of Somalia, particularly the self-declared independent state of Somaliland and the semi-autonomous region of Puntland, have gained relative stability and expansion in recent years, although these regions had not been recognized internationally.

Politics and Government

Somalia is a federal parliamentary republic, but its central government does not have a history of exercising control over the entirety of its territory. The Federal Government of Somalia was formed in 2012, thus replacing the transitional federal government inaugurated in 2004.

Somalia's political system operates along a clan-based power-sharing model known as the 4.5 system, which distributes power to the major Somali clans and minority groups. Within its territory, the political situation highly remains volatile, the triggering justification being the ongoing conflicts against the militant groups, such as Al-Shabaab, which controls certain major territories in southern and central Somalia. 

Culture

Somalia is endowed with a rich cultural tradition rooted in a history as an Islamic scholarship center and a cradle of trade, with oral tradition being paramount, with poetry being a special vehicle. Diploma poetry is well-known across the world because of its depth. It is used in the expression of social ideas, community memory, and even conflict resolution in the negotiation process.

It's about traditional music, dance, and art, not forgetting festivals like Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha. Somali food is the cuisine that is unique to Somalia. A mix of influences can be found in Somali cuisines, including sambusas (samodan-type creations), bariis (a rice dish), and halwa (a sweet confection).

Challenges

Indeed, however, the continued political instability, insecurity, and the underdevelopment of Somalia are areas of concern and significant challenges. It has been jointly stricken with drought and famine by humanitarian crises that are unfaltering within themselves. Violence, therefore, has uprooted millions of people both internally and externally. Stabilization and peacebuilding efforts within the region are glided by donor's demand for international support.

International Relations

Somalia has diplomatic relations with many countries and is a member of several international organizations, such as the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), and the Arab League. Somalia's strategic location at the mouth of the Red Sea has made it a focus of international maritime and anti-piracy operations.