Legend:
Definition
Field Listing
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Background:
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The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy have followed for eleven years. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing legitimate, representative government. Puntland also claims Sool and eastern Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. A Transitional National Government (TNG) was created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti which was attended by a broad representation of Somali clans. The TNG has a three-year mandate to create a permanent national Somali government. The TNG does not recognize Somaliland as an independent republic but so far has been unable to reunite either Somaliland or Puntland with the unstable regions in the south. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control of Mogadishu and the other southern regions. Suspicion of Somali links with global terrorism complicate the picture.
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Location:
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Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
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Geographic coordinates:
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10 00 N, 49 00 E
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total: 637,657 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km
land: 627,337 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Texas
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,340 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km
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Coastline:
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3,025 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 200 NM
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Climate:
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principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
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Terrain:
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mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m
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Natural resources:
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uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves
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Land use:
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arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 98% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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2,000 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season
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Environment - current issues:
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famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
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Geography - note:
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strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
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Population:
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7,753,310
note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2002 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,737,491; female 1,730,237)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 2,054,243; female 2,019,980)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 92,617; female 118,742) (2002 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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3.46% (2002 est.)
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Birth rate:
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46.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
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Death rate:
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17.99 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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5.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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122.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 46.96 years
female: 48.65 years (2002 est.)
male: 45.33 years
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Total fertility rate:
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7.05 children born/woman (2002 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA%
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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Nationality:
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noun: Somali(s)
adjective: Somali
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Ethnic groups:
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Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)
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Religions:
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Sunni Muslim
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Languages:
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Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8%
male: 49.7%
female: 25.8% (2001 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Somalia
former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic
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Government type:
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no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary national government
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Capital:
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Mogadishu
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Administrative divisions:
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18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
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Independence:
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1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
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National holiday:
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Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland
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Constitution:
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25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 has a mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections within three years
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Legal system:
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no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some localities
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan (since 26 August 2000); note - Interim President ABDIKASSIM was chosen for a three-year term by a 245-member National Assembly serving as a transitional government; the present political situation is still unstable, particularly in the south, with interclan fighting and random banditry
election results: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan was elected president of an interim government at the Djibouti-sponsored Arta Peace Conference on 26 August 2000 by a broad representation of Somali clans that comprised a transitional National Assembly
head of government: Prime Minister HASSAN Abshir Farah (since 12 November 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and sworn in on 20 October 2000; as of 1 January 2002, the Cabinet was in caretaker status following a no-confidence vote in October 2001 that ousted HASSAN's predecessor
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha Shacbiga
note: fledgling parliament; a transitional 245-member National Assembly began to meet on 13 August 2000 in the town of Arta, Djibouti and is now based in Mogadishu
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Judicial branch:
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following the breakdown of national government, most regions have reverted to Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences
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Political parties and leaders:
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none
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power
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International organization participation:
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ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have representatives in Washington
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi at Mombasa Road; mail address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 537800; FAX [254] (2) 537810
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Flag description:
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light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN
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Government - note:
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An interim Transitional National Government - with a president, prime minister, and 245-member National Assembly - was established in Mogadishu in October 2000. However, other governing bodies continue to exist and control various cities and regions of the country, including Somaliland, Puntland, and traditional clan and faction strongholds.
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Economy - overview:
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One of the world's poorest and least developed countries, Somalia has few resources and is prone to drought. Moreover, much of the economy has been devastated by civil war since 1991. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, fish, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $200 million and $500 million in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate, and security is provided by militias. Ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have interfered with any broad-based economic development and international aid arrangements. The failure of spring rains caused major food shortages in the south in 2001. Economic data is scare and prone to a wide margin of error.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $4.1 billion (2001 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3% (2001 est.)
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $550 (2001 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 65%
industry: 10%
services: 25% (2000 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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NA%
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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over 100% (businesses print their own money) (2000 est.)
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Labor force:
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3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers) (1993 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29%
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Unemployment rate:
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NA%
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Budget:
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revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
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Industries:
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a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down), wireless communication
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA%
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Electricity - production:
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250 million kWh (2000)
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
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Electricity - consumption:
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232.5 million kWh (2000)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000)
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Agriculture - products:
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cattle, sheep, goats; bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish
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Exports:
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$186 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal (1999)
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Exports - partners:
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Saudi Arabia 29%, UAE 29%, Yemen 28% (calculated through partners) (2000)
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Imports:
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$314 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, qat (1995)
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Imports - partners:
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Djibouti 27%, Kenya 12%, India 9% (2000)
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Debt - external:
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$2.6 billion (2000 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$60 million (1999 est.)
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Currency:
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Somali shilling (SOS)
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Currency code:
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SOS
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Exchange rates:
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Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000), 2,620 (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995)
note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling
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Fiscal year:
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NA
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Railways:
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0 km
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Highways:
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total: 22,100 km
paved: 2,608 km
unpaved: 19,492 km (1996)
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Waterways:
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none
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Pipelines:
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crude oil 15 km
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Ports and harbors:
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Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu
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Merchant marine:
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none (2002 est.)
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Airports:
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54 (2001)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 6
over 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 48
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 3 (2001)
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Disputes - international:
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most of the southern half of the boundary with Ethiopia is a provisional administrative line; in the Ogaden, regional states have established a variety of conflicting relationships with the Transitional National Government in Mogadishu, feuding factions in Puntland region, and the economically stabile break-away "Somaliland" region; Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while politically supporting Somali Transitional National Government in Mogadishu; arms smuggling and Oromo rebel activities prompt strict border regime with Kenya
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This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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