Know more about Somalia

What do you know about Somalia? You need time to think? Ok. “Somalia is African state”,- it is usual answer. Do you want to know more? Read!

Photo: Know more about Somalia

HISTORY: Formerly British-ruled Somaliland Protectorate and former Italian Somaliland merged, became independent Somali Republic in 1960. Maj. Gen. Mohamed Siad Barre came to power after bloodless 1969 coup. Barre went to war with Ethiopia, Somalia's traditional rival, and initially allied with the Soviet Union switching to the West when Ethiopia gained Soviet backing. Civil war broke out under increasingly repressive Barre. Has been in chaos since warlords overthrew Barre in 1991 and then turned on one another. U.N.-backed interim government formed in late 2004 hampered by infighting and insecurity. Islamic fundamentalists linked to al-Qaida portray themselves as the only force able to restore order. Secular warlords allied to fight Islamic militia independent of interim government and rumored to be backed by U.S.

ECONOMY: Lack of natural resources, long years of war have made it among world's poorest countries. World Bank estimates 43 percent of population earns less than US$1 a day and GDP per capita $US226 in 2002, the most recent figures cited.

THE PEOPLE: About 8 million, almost entirely Muslim and Somali, but divided by clan loyalties.

GEOGRAPHY: On Horn of Africa, bordered by Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya to the west, the Gulf of Aden to the north and the Indian Ocean to the east. More than 637,000 square kilometers (more than 245,000 square miles) bigger than France, about the size of Texas, reports the AP.

So, you know more about Somalia.

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