Natural hazards:
recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in
summer; floods during rainy season
Environment - current issues:
famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health
problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
Geography - note:
strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to
Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
People Somalia
Population:
8,591,629
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 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.5% (male 1,918,209/female 1,905,974)
15-64 years: 52.9% (male 2,278,406/female 2,263,602)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 96,256/female 129,182) (2005 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.59 years
male: 17.53 years
female: 17.65 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.38% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
45.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)