Portal:Somalia

Camels on sale at Baidoa livestock market in Somalia on November 7, 2019

Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is 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 has the longest coastline on the mainland of Africa, with a seaboard that stretches 3,025 kilometres (1,880 mi).

In antiquity, Somalia was an important centre for commerce with the rest of the ancient world, it is among the most probable locations of the fabled ancient Land of Punt. During the Middle Ages, several powerful Somali empires dominated the regional trade, including the Ajuuraan Sultanate, the Adal Sultanate and the Geledi Sultanate. In the late nineteenth century, through a succession of treaties with these kingdoms, the British and Italians gained control of parts of the coast, and established British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland. In the interior, the Dervish State wherein Muhammad Abdullah Hassan was leader successfully repulsed the British Empire four times and forced it to retreat to the coastal region. Italian occupation lasted until 1941, yielding to British military administration. British Somaliland would remain a protectorate, while Italian Somaliland in 1949 became a United Nations Trusteeship under Italian administration, the Trust Territory of Somaliland.

Though, in 1960, the two regions united to form the independent Somali Republic under a civilian government. In 1991, following the collapse of the government of Siad Barre, the Republic of Somaliland unilaterally declared its independence from Somalia, reinstating the borders of former British Somaliland, and has been governed by democratically elected leaders since. Somaliland's independence, however, has not been recognised by any foreign country or international organisation.

Somalia has a population of around 10 million. About 85% of local residents are ethnic Somalis, Somali and Arabic are the official languages of Somalia, both of which belong to the Afro-Asiatic family. Most people in the territory are Muslims, the majority being Sunni.

More about Somalia...

Super Six-Four, one of the Black Hawks shot down, above Mogadishu

The Battle of Mogadishu (Somali: Maalintii Rangers, lit. 'Day of the Rangers'), also known as the Black Hawk Down Incident, was part of Operation Gothic Serpent. It was fought on 3–4 October 1993, in Mogadishu, Somalia, between forces of the United States—supported by UNOSOM II—against Somali National Alliance (SNA) fighters and other insurgents in south Mogadishu.

The battle took place during the UNOSOM II phase of the UN intervention in the Somali Civil War. The United Nations had initially dispatched forces to alleviate the 1992 famine, but then shifted to attempting to restore a central government and establishing a democracy. In June 1993, UNOSOM II forces suffered significant losses when the Pakistani troops were attacked while inspecting a SNA radio station and weapons-storage site. UNOSOM blamed SNA leader General Mohammed Farah Aidid and began military operations against him. In July 1993, U.S. forces in Mogadishu conducted the Bloody Monday raid, killing many elders and prominent members of Aidid's clan, the Habr Gidr. The raid led many Somalis to either join or support the growing insurgency against UNOSOM forces, and US forces started being deliberately targeted for the first time. This, in turn, led American President Bill Clinton to initiate Operation Gothic Serpent in order to capture Aidid. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

Sagar at peak intensity in the western Gulf of Aden on May 18

Cyclonic Storm Sagar (/ˈsɑː.ɡɑːr/) was the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in Somalia and Somaliland in recorded history until Gati in 2020, and the first named cyclone of the 2018 North Indian Ocean cyclone season. Forming on May 16 east of the Guardafui Channel, Sagar intensified into a cyclonic storm on the next day, as it gradually organized. The storm turned to the west-southwest and traversed the entirety of the Gulf of Aden, making landfall over Somaliland on May 19, farther west than any other storm on record in the North Indian Ocean. Sagar weakened into a remnant low on May 20.

The storm first affected Yemen, brushing the coast with heavy rainfall and gusty winds. One person was killed when her house caught fire. In Somalia, Sagar dropped a years' worth of rainfall, or around 200 mm (7.9 in). The rains caused deadly flash flooding that washed away bridges, homes, and thousands of farm animals. Sagar killed 53 people throughout the region – 3 in Puntland in Somalia and 50 in Somaliland. In neighboring Djibouti, heavy rainfall killed two people and damaged 1,800 houses, forcing 3,000 people to leave their houses. Damage in the country reached US$30 million. Sagar's rainfall extended into eastern Ethiopia, damaging schools and houses, and causing a landslide that killed 23 people. (Full article...)

List of Good articles
Mogadishu Battle of Jilib Embassy of the United States, Mogadishu Operation Eastern Exit Somalia at the 2000 Summer Olympics Somalia at the 2008 Summer Olympics Somalia at the 2012 Summer Olympics Somalia at the 2016 Summer Olympics Somalia at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

Religions in Somalia

Arab states

Other countries

All Africa-related portals

...that Mohammed Abdullah Hassan (pictured), was the emir of Diriye Guure, the Sultan of the Dervish State, whom with the Haroun led a resistance war against British, Italian and Ethiopian forces for over two decades?

Image 1The Jubba river near Jamaame
Image 2Hargeisa and much of northwestern Somalia is desert or hilly terrain. Here, the thelarchic-shaped Naasa Hablood hills are shown.
Image 3Lamadaya are waterfalls located in the Cal Madow mountain range in the northern Sanaag region of Somalia
Image 4A camel peering over the leafier portions of Cal Madow, a mountain range in Somalia
Image 5A man carries a huge hammerhead shark through the streets of Mogadishu
Image 6A view of Banderadley Somalia
Image 7A view of Bosaso
Image 8A Dhulbahante garesa (dervish fort) in Taleh
Image 9The beachside at Merca, an ancient port city in the southern Lower Shebelle province of Somalia
Image 10A satellite image of Somalia, 2004
Image 11Mashmash, a Somali pancake and part of Somali cuisine
Image 12A view of the Port of Mogadishu
Image 13A view in the Kismayo/Dalxiiska area in 2016

See Wiki Loves Africa in Somalia at Wikimedia Commons for more Somalia images.

Select [►] to view subcategories

Somalia

Somalia-related lists

Buildings and structures in Somalia

Culture of Somalia

Economy of Somalia

Education in Somalia

Environment of Somalia

Geography of Somalia

Health in Somalia

History of Somalia

Organisations based in Somalia

Somalian people

Politics of Somalia

Society of Somalia

Somalia stubs

The following are images from various Somalia-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Somali women basket weaving (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 2Somali men and women in front of a traditional house (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 3Wa'daan warriors ambushed and killed the Italian explorer Antonio Cecchi and most of his troops at Lafoole, west of Mogadishu, 1896 (from History of Somalia)
Image 4Dulbiciid in Godaalo, Xudun District, tallest Somalia mountain outside karkaar range (from Geography of Somalia)
Image 5Mosque of Islamic Solidarity (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 6Dervish commander Haji Sudi on the left with his brother in-law Duale Idres. Aden, 1892. (from History of Somalia)
Image 7Fiat building in Mogadiscio, 1940 (from History of Somalia)
Image 8Somali Army soldiers during the operation Operation Indian Ocean, October 2014 (from History of Somalia)
Image 9An avenue in downtown Mogadishu in 1963. (from History of Somalia)
Image 10Taleh was the capital of the Dervish movement. (from History of Somalia)
Image 11US Army helicopter shortly before Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. (from History of Somalia)
Image 12Almnara Tower, Mogadishu. (from History of Somalia)
Image 13Mogadiscio cathedral (from History of Somalia)
Image 14A Somali woman showing a decorated pottery (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 15Sheikh Ali Ayanle Samatar, a prominent Somali Islamic scholar. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 16Topography of Somalia (from Geography of Somalia)
Image 17Neolithic rock art at the Laas Geel complex depicting a camel. (from History of Somalia)
Image 18Flag of the Somali Youth League (SYL), the nation's first political party. (from History of Somalia)
Image 19Embassy of Somalia in Paris (from History of Somalia)
Image 20Somali women in traditional dirac and shash (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 21Barawa city was an important medieval centre of Somali enterprise. (from History of Somalia)
Image 22Governor's palace in Mogadiscio (from History of Somalia)
Image 23AMISOM reinforcement convoy on the Baidoa-Mogadishu road in April 2014 (from History of Somalia)
Image 24Italian stamp from Mogadiscio (from History of Somalia)
Image 25Ruins of the Sultanate of Adal in Zeila, Somalia. (from History of Somalia)
Image 26Bimaal clan elders and the Bimal Sultan on board Marco Polo discussing matters with Italian figures (from History of Somalia)
Image 27Model of a medieval Mogadishan ship. (from History of Somalia)
Image 28The Osmanya writing script. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 29Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, leader of the Dervish movement. (from History of Somalia)
Image 30Mosque in Borama, Somaliland (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 31The Guardafui Channel, between the tip of Somalia and Socotra island. (from Geography of Somalia)
Image 32Major General Mohamed Siad Barre, Chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Council. (from History of Somalia)
Image 33Somalis performing the folk dance called Dhaanto (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 34In 1698, the Portuguese in Mombasa surrendered to a joint Somali-Ottoman force. (from History of Somalia)
Image 35A traditional dabqaad incense burner. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 36Somali women performing a traditional dance (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 37Former leader of the Somali Youth League Aden Abdullah Osman Daar who eventually became the first President of the Somali Republic following the union of State of Somaliland and Italian Trusteeship of Somalia. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 38Somalia map of Köppen climate classification. (from Geography of Somalia)
Image 39Merca is an ancient Islamic center in Somalia. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 40Somali woman in Hargeisa opening speech with traditional greeting. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 41Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur Chairman of the Somali National Movement that overthrew Barre's regime in Northern Somalia (from History of Somalia)
Image 42Engraving of the 13th century Fakr ad-Din Mosque built by Fakr ad-Din, the first Sultan of the Sultanate of Mogadishu. (from History of Somalia)
Image 43Exhumed skeletal remains of victims of the Isaaq genocide (from History of Somalia)
Image 44Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi's pioneering use of cannons figured prominently in his Conquest of Ethiopian territories. (from History of Somalia)
Image 45Map of Italian Somaliland in 1940, when was added the British Somaliland (after the previous addition of the Ogaden in 1936) (from History of Somalia)
Image 46The Silk Road extending from southern Europe through Arabia, Somalia, Egypt, Persia, India and Java until it reaches China. (from History of Somalia)
Image 47Italian Somalia (from History of Somalia)
Image 48Downtown Mogadishu in 1936. Arch of Triumph Umberto to the left, Cathedral and Arba Rucun mosque to the centre-right. (from History of Somalia)
Image 49Somali singer Fartuun Birimo wearing henna hand and arm designs. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 5019th century Martello fort in Berbera constructed by Haji Sharmarke Ali Saleh (from History of Somalia)
Image 51Somali woman building a Somali house (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 52Cinema Italia in Mogadiscio, 1937 (from History of Somalia)
Image 53Foreign Minister of Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Omaar in a meeting with UNDP Administrator Helen Clark and other diplomats at the UN headquarters in New York. (from History of Somalia)
Image 54Mogadishan currency – The Sultanate of Mogadishu was an important monetary supporter of Adal. (from History of Somalia)
Image 55The battle flag of Al-Shabaab, an Islamist group waging war against the federal government. (from History of Somalia)
Image 56Somali language books on display. (from Culture of Somalia)

The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:

Commons
Free media repository
Wikibooks
Free textbooks and manuals
Wikidata
Free knowledge base
Wikinews
Free-content news
Wikiquote
Collection of quotations
Wikisource
Free-content library
Wikiversity
Free learning tools
Wikivoyage
Free travel guide
Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus

create new articles on Somali topics
improve existing articles.
- expand Somalia stubs.
- provide sources for articles lacking them. Don't add unsourced content to articles. (Somalia articles lacking sources)
- remove any forms of vandalism, unsourced statements or POV. (articles requiring cleanup, articles with POV problems)
- upload images of Somalia. (BUT: Don't upload images which are not your own. Uploading images of others without their consent is considered copyright violation and not good for Wikipedia.)
To learn how you can contribute to Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not, Wikipedia:Neutral point of view, Wikipedia:Verifiability, Wikipedia:Image use policy.

Sources for additional Somalia news

Discover Wikipedia using portals