Names:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Somalia
former:
Somali Republic
Digraph:
SO
Type:
none
Capital:
Mogadishu
Administrative divisions:
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
Independence:
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)
National holiday:
NA
Constitution:
25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
Legal system:
NA
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Somalia has no functioning government; presidential elections last
held 23 December 1986 (next to be held NA); results - President SIAD
was reelected without opposition
Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Assembly
People's Assembly (Golaha Shacbiga):
elections last held 31 December 1984 (next to be held NA); results -
SRSP was the only party; seats - (177 total, 171 elected) SRSP 171;
note - the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Maj. Gen.
Mohamed SIAD Barre on 27 January 1991; the provisional government has
promised that a democratically elected government will be established
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (non-functioning)
Political parties and leaders:
the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the former regime on 27
January 1991; formerly the only party was the Somali Revolutionary
Socialist Party (SRSP), headed by former President and Commander in
Chief of the Army Maj. Gen. Mohamed SIAD Barre
Other political or pressure groups:
numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power
Member of:
ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM
(observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
Somalian Embassy ceased operations on 8 May 1991
US diplomatic representation:
the US Embassy in Mogadishu was evacuated and closed indefinitely in
January 1991; United States Liaison Office (USLO) opened in December
1992
Flag:
light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; design
based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a UN trust
territory)
@Somalia, Economy
Overview:
One of the world's poorest and least developed countries, Somalia has
few resources. Moreover, much of the economy has been devastated by
the civil war. Agriculture is the most important sector, with
livestock accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export
earnings. Nomads and seminomads who are dependent upon livestock for
their livelihoods make up more than half of the population. Crop
production generates only 10% of GDP and employs about 20% of the work
force. The main export crop is bananas; sugar, sorghum, and corn are
grown for the domestic market. The small industrial sector is based on
the processing of agricultural products and accounts for less than 10%
of GDP. Greatly increased political turmoil in 1991-93 has resulted in
a substantial drop in output, with widespread famine.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $3.4 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
NA%
National product per capita:
$500 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
210% (1989)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues:
$NA
expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports:
$58 million (1990 est.)
commodities:
bananas, live animals, fish, hides
partners:
Saudi Arabia, Italy, FRG (1986)
Imports:
$249 million (1990 est.)
commodities:
petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials
partners:
US 13%, Italy, FRG, Kenya, UK, Saudi Arabia (1986)
External debt:
$1.9 billion (1989)
Industrial production:
growth rate 0% (1990); accounts for 4% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
former 75,000 kW is almost completely shut down by the destruction of
the civil war; UN, relief organizations, and foreign military units in
Somalia use their own portable power systems
production:
NA
consumption per capita:
NA
Industries:
a few small industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum
refining; probably shut down by the widespread destruction during the
civil war
Agriculture:
dominant sector, led by livestock raising (cattle, sheep, goats);
crops - bananas, sorghum, corn, mangoes, sugarcane; not
self-sufficient in food; distribution of food disrupted by civil
strife; fishing potential largely unexploited
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $639 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $3.8
billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $1.1 billion; Communist
countries (1970-89), $336 million
Currency:
1 Somali shilling (So. Sh.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1 - 2,616 (1 July 1993), 4,200
(December 1992), 3,800.00 (December 1990), 490.7 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Somalia, Communications
Highways:
total:
22,500 km
paved:
2,700 km
unpaved:
gravel 3,000 km; improved, stabilized earth 16,800 km (1992)
Pipelines:
crude oil 15 km
Ports:
Mogadishu, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Bender Cassim (Boosaaso)
Merchant marine:
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,554 GRT/6,892 DWT, cargo 1,
refrigerated cargo 1
Airports:
total:
76
usable:
59
with permanent-surface runways:
8
with runways over 3,659 m:
2
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
6
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
24
Telecommunications:
the public telecommunications system was completely destroyed or
dismantled by the civil war factions; all relief organizations depend
on their own private systems (1993)
@Somalia, Defense Forces
Branches:
NA
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 1,630,864; fit for military service 915,368
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
@South Africa, Geography
Location:
Southern Africa, at the extreme southern tip of the continent
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
1,219,912 sq km
land area:
1,219,912 sq km
comparative area:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
note:
includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward
Island)
Land boundaries:
total 4,750 km, Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km,
Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Coastline:
2,798 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
the dispute with Namibia over Walvis Bay and 12 offshore islands has
been resolved and these territories were transferred to Namibian
sovereignty on 1 March 1994; Swaziland has asked South Africa to open
negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories
that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the
Swazi Kingdom
Climate:
mostly semiarid; subtropical along coast; sunny days, cool nights
Terrain:
vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Natural resources:
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel,
phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium,
salt, natural gas
Land use:
arable land:
10%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
65%
forest and woodland:
3%
other:
21%
Irrigated land:
11,280 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water
conservation and control measures; growth in water usage threatens to
outpace supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban
discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion;
desertification
natural hazards:
subject to prolonged droughts
international agreements:
party to - Antarctic Treaty, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified -
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of
the Sea
Note:
South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely
surrounds Swaziland
@South Africa, People