Somalia

Between A.D. 800 and 1100, immigrant Muslim Arabs and Persians set up coastal trading posts along the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, solidifying present-day Somalia’s close trading relationship with the Arab Peninsula. In the late 19th century, Britain, France, and Italy established colonies in the Somali Peninsula that lasted until 1960, when British Somaliland gained independence and joined with Italian Somaliland to form the Republic of Somalia.

The country functioned as a parliamentary democracy until 1969, when General Mohamed SIAD Barre took control in a coup, beginning a 22-year socialist dictatorship. In an effort to centralize power, SIAD called for the eradication of the clan, the key cultural and social organizing principle in Somali society. Resistance to SIAD’s socialist leadership, which was causing a rapid deterioration of the country, prompted allied clan militias to overthrow SIAD in 1991, resulting in state collapse. Subsequent fighting between rival clans for resources and territory overwhelmed the country, causing a manmade famine and prompting international intervention. Beginning in 1993, the UN spearheaded an international humanitarian mission, but the international community largely withdrew by 1995 after an incident that became known as Black Hawk Down, in which two US military helicopters were shot down in Mogadishu. The fighting and subsequent siege and rescue resulted in 21 deaths and 82 wounded among the international forces.

International peace conferences in the 2000s resulted in a number of transitional governments that operated outside Somalia. Left largely to themselves, Somalis in the country established alternative governance structures; some areas formed their own administrations, such as Somaliland and Puntland, while others developed localized institutions. Many local populations turned to sharia courts, an Islamic judicial system that implements religious law. Several of these courts came together in 2006 to form the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The ICU established order in many areas of central and southern Somalia, including Mogadishu, but was forced out when Ethiopia intervened militarily in 2006 on behalf of the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG). As the TFG settled in the capital, the ICU fled to rural areas or left Somalia altogether, but the organization reemerged less than a year later as the Islamic insurgent and terrorist movement al-Shabaab, which is still active today.

In 2007, the African Union (AU) established a peacekeeping force, took over security responsibility for the country, and gave the TFG space to develop Somalia’s new government. By 2012, Somali powerbrokers agreed on a provisional constitution with a loose federal structure and established a central government in Mogadishu called the Somali Federal Government (SFG). Since then, the country has seen several interim regional administrations and three presidential elections, but significant governance and security problems remain because al-Shabaab still controls large portions of the country.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes

Geography

Location

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia

Geographic coordinates

10 00 N, 49 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total : 637,657 sq km

land: 627,337 sq km

water: 10,320 sq km

comparison ranking: total 46

Area – comparative

almost five times the size of Alabama; slightly smaller than Texas

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 2,385 km

border countries (3): Djibouti 61 km; Ethiopia 1,640 km; Kenya 684 km

Coastline

3,025 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 200 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons

Terrain

mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

Elevation

highest point: Mount Shimbiris 2,460 m

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 410 m

Natural resources

uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

Land use

agricultural land: 70.3% (2022 est.)

arable land: 1.8% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 68.5% (2022 est.)

forest: 9.3% (2022 est.)

other: 20.4% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

2,000 sq km (2012)

Major aquifers

Ogaden-Juba Basin

Population distribution

distribution varies greatly throughout the country; least densely populated areas are in the northeast and central regions, as well as areas along the Kenyan border; most populated areas are in and around the cities of Mogadishu, Marka, Boorama, Hargeysa, and Baidoa, as shown on this population distribution map

Natural hazards

recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season

Geography – note

strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

People and Society

Population

total: 13,017,273 (2024 est.)

male: 6,546,312

female: 6,470,961

comparison rankings: total 78; female 78; male 79

Nationality

noun: Somali(s)

adjective: Somali

Ethnic groups

predominantly Somali with lesser numbers of Arabs, Bantus, and others

Languages

Somali (official), Arabic (official), Italian, English

major-language sample(s):
Buugga Xaqiiqda Aduunka, waa laga maarmaanka macluumaadka assasiga. (Somali)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Muslim 99.9% (Sunni Muslim 98.1%, Shia Muslim 1.2%, Islamic schismatic 0.6%), ethnic religionist 0.1% (2020 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 41.4% (male 2,689,086/female 2,694,372)

15-64 years: 55.8% (male 3,699,721/female 3,568,163)

65 years and over: 2.8% (2024 est.) (male 157,505/female 208,426)

2024 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 100.9 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 97.6 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 3.2 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 30.8 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 19.1 years (2024 est.)

male: 19.3 years

female: 18.9 years

comparison ranking: total 215

Population growth rate

2.55% (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 15

Birth rate

37.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 8

Death rate

11.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 23

Net migration rate

-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 136

Population distribution

Urbanization

urban population: 47.9% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas – population

2.610 million MOGADISHU (capital), 1.127 million Hargeysa (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

621 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

comparison ranking: 7

Infant mortality rate

total: 83.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 93.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 73.7 deaths/1,000 live births

comparison ranking: total 2

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 56.5 years (2024 est.)

male: 54.1 years

female: 59 years

comparison ranking: total population 225

Total fertility rate

5.12 children born/woman (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 8

Gross reproduction rate

2.52 (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

6.9% (2018/19)

Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 96.4% of population

rural: 73.7% of population

total: 84.2% of population

unimproved:

urban: 3.6% of population

rural: 26.3% of population

total: 15.8% of population (2020 est.)

Health expenditure

2.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Hospital bed density

0.9 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 82.4% of population

rural: 33.8% of population

total: 56.2% of population

unimproved:

urban: 17.6% of population

rural: 66.2% of population

total: 43.8% of population (2020 est.)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

8.3% (2016)

comparison ranking: 153

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

comparison ranking: total 188

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

62.9% (2023 est.)

Education expenditure

0.3% of GDP (2019 est.)

4.2% national budget (2019 est.)

comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 200

Literacy

total population: 54% (2022 est.) NA

male: 65% (2022 est.) NA

female: 44% (2022 est.) NA

Environment

Environment – current issues

water scarcity; contaminated water; improper waste disposal; deforestation; land degradation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment – international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Climate

Land use

Urbanization

urban population: 47.9% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 14.28 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 0.65 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 20.13 megatons (2020 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,326,099 tons (2016 est.)

Major aquifers

Ogaden-Juba Basin

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 3.28 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources

14.7 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Federal Republic of Somalia

conventional short form: Somalia

local long form: Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya (Somali)/ Jumhuriyat as Sumal al Fidiraliyah (Arabic)

local short form: Soomaaliya (Somali)/ As Sumal (Arabic)

former: British Somaliland, Italian Somaliland, Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

etymology: the name means “Land of the Somali,” a local ethnic group; the origin of the group’s name is unclear but may come from 1) a Cushitic word meaning “dark,” 2) the local phrase soo mal, meaning “go and milk” (referring to offering guests milk), 3) the name of a local chief, or 4) the Arabic zamla, meaning “cattle”

Government type

federal parliamentary republic

Capital

name: Mogadishu

geographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 20 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the name is probably derived from the Arabic word mukaddas, meaning “holy”

Administrative divisions

18 regions (gobollo, singular – gobol); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe (Middle Jubba), Jubbada Hoose (Lower Jubba), Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe (Middle Shabeelle), Shabeellaha Hoose (Lower Shabeelle), Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

Legal system

mixed system of civil law, Islamic (sharia) law, and customary law (referred to as Xeer)

Constitution

history: previous 1961, 1979; latest drafted 12 June 2012, adopted 1 August 2012

amendment process: proposed by the federal government, by members of the state governments, the Federal Parliament, or by public petition; proposals require review by a joint committee of Parliament with inclusion of public comments and state legislatures’ comments; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in both houses of Parliament and approval by a majority of votes cast in a referendum; constitutional clauses on Islamic principles, the federal system, human rights and freedoms, powers and authorities of the government branches, and inclusion of women in national institutions cannot be amended

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Somalia

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal suffrage starting with 24 June 2024 local elections

Executive branch

chief of state: President HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (since 23 May 2022)

head of government: Prime Minister Hamza Abdi BARRE (since 25 June 2022)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by the House of the People

election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the Federal Parliament by two-thirds majority vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a single 4-year term; prime minister appointed by the president, approved by the House of the People

most recent election date: 15 May 2022

election results:
2022: HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud elected president in third round – Federal Parliament percent of vote in first round – Said ABDULLAHI DENI (Kaah) 20.2%, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed “Farmaajo” (TPP) 18.3%, HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (PDP) 16.2%, Hassan Ali KHAYRE (independent) 14.6%, other 30.7%; Federal Parliament percent of vote in second round – HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud 34.1%, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed “Farmaajo” 25.7%, Said ABDULLAHI DENI 21%, Hassan Ali KHAYRE 19.2%; Federal Parliament percent of vote in third round – HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud 66%, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed “Farmaajo” 34%

2017: Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed “Farmaajo” elected president in second round; Federal Parliament number of votes in first round – HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (PDP) 88, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed “Farmaajo” (TPP) 72, Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed (ARS) 49, other 37; Federal Parliament number of votes in second round – Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed “Farmaajo” 184, HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud 97, Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed 45

expected date of next election: 2026

Legislative branch

legislature name: Federal Parliament

legislative structure: bicameral

note: despite the formation of political parties in 2020, the 2021 parliamentary elections maintained a primarily clan-based system of appointments; seats in the legislature were apportioned to Somali member states and not by party representation

Legislative branch – lower chamber

chamber name: House of the People (Golaha Shacabka)

number of seats: 275 (all indirectly elected)

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 11/1/2021 to 5/5/2022

percentage of women in chamber: 19%

expected date of next election: October 2026

Legislative branch – upper chamber

chamber name: Upper House (Aqalka Sare)

number of seats: 54 (all indirectly elected)

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 7/27/2021 to 11/13/2021

percentage of women in chamber: 25.9%

expected date of next election: July 2026

Judicial branch

highest court(s): the provisional constitution stipulates the establishment of the Constitutional Court (consists of 5 judges, including the chief judge and deputy chief judge)

judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president on proposal of the Judicial Service Commission, a 9-member judicial and administrative body; judge tenure NA

subordinate courts: federal courts; federal member state-level courts; military courts; sharia courts

note: under the terms of the 2004 Transitional National Charter, a Supreme Court based in Mogadishu and the Appeal Court were established, but most regions have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, whether secular, Somali customary law, or Islamic law

Political parties

Cosmopolitan Democratic Party
Green Party
Himilo Qaran Party
Ilays Party
Justice and Reconciliation Party
National Progressive Party
Peace and Unity Party
Qaransoor Party
Qiimo Qaran Party
Security and Justice Party
Social Justice Party
Somali Labour Party
Somali Republic Party
Somali Social Unity Party or SSUP
Union for Peace and Development Party or PDP
Wadajir Party

note: in 2017 an independent electoral commission (the NIEC) was inaugurated with a mandate to oversee the process of registration of political parties in the country; as of 2021, the NIEC had registered a total of 110 parties

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador DAHIR Hassan Abdi (since 18 September 2024)

chancery: 1609 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 853-9164

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://somaliembassydc.net/

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard H. RILEY (since 20 June 2024)

embassy: Mogadishu, (reopened October 2019 on the grounds of the Mogadishu Airport)

mailing address: P.O. Box 606 Village Market
00621 Nairobi, Kenya

telephone: [254] 20 363-6451

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://so.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU (candidate), EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO

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

Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note – 26 June (1960) in Somaliland

Flag description

light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; the blue field was originally influenced by the UN flag but today is said to represent the sky and the Indian Ocean; the five points of the star represent the regions in the horn of Africa where Somali people live: the former British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland (which together make up Somalia), Djibouti, Ogaden (Ethiopia), and the Northeast Province (Kenya)

National symbol(s)

leopard

National color(s)

blue, white

National anthem

name: “Qolobaa Calankeed” (Every Nation Has its own Flag)

lyrics/music: lyrics/music: Abdullahi QARSHE

note: adopted 2012; written in 1959

“Qolobaa Calankeed” (Every Nation Has its own Flag):

Government – note

regional and local governing bodies continue to exist and control various areas of the country, including the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia

Economy

Economic overview

low-income African Horn economy; 30 years of war and instability crippled economic potential; high remittances for basic survival; new fiscal federalism approach; cleared some unsustainable debt; environmentally fragile; digitally driven urbanization efforts

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$25.747 billion (2023 est.)
$24.706 billion (2022 est.)
$24.05 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 155

Real GDP growth rate

4.22% (2023 est.)
2.73% (2022 est.)
3.31% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 70

Real GDP per capita

$1,400 (2023 est.)
$1,400 (2022 est.)
$1,400 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 220

GDP (official exchange rate)

$10.969 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.5% (2017 est.)
-71.1% (2016 est.)

comparison ranking: 40

GDP – composition, by end use

household consumption: 123.5% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 7.3% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 22.4% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 19.7% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -73% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agricultural products

camel milk, milk, goat milk, sheep milk, sugarcane, fruits, sorghum, cassava, vegetables, maize (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, wireless communication

Industrial production growth rate

4.3% (2014 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 69

Labor force

3.439 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

comparison ranking: 102

Unemployment rate

18.9% (2024 est.)
18.9% (2023 est.)
19% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

comparison ranking: 191

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 33.9% (2024 est.)

male: 32.1% (2024 est.)

female: 37% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

comparison ranking: total 18

Population below poverty line

54.4% (2022 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income

36.8 (2017 est.)

comparison ranking: 61

Remittances

15.82% of GDP (2023 est.)
17.01% of GDP (2022 est.)
18.29% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Public debt

76.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

comparison ranking: 41

Taxes and other revenues

0% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 205

Current account balance

-$464 million (2017 est.)
-$427 million (2016 est.)

comparison ranking: 117

Exports

$2.164 billion (2023 est.)
$1.804 billion (2022 est.)
$1.532 billion (2021 est.)

note: GDP expenditure basis – exports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 164

Exports – partners

UAE 35%, Saudi Arabia 27%, Oman 18%, Djibouti 8%, India 3% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports – commodities

sheep and goats, gold, postage stamps/documents, other animals, cattle (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

$8.002 billion (2023 est.)
$7.456 billion (2022 est.)
$5.969 billion (2021 est.)

note: GDP expenditure basis – imports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 134

Imports – partners

UAE 29%, China 19%, India 15%, Turkey 8%, Oman 5% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports – commodities

raw sugar, tobacco, broadcasting equipment, rice, milk (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$30.45 million (2014 est.)

comparison ranking: 195

Debt – external

$2.563 billion (2023 est.)

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

comparison ranking: 91

Exchange rates

Somali shillings (SOS) per US dollar –

Exchange rates:
23,097.987 (2017 est.)
23,061.784 (2016 est.)
22,254.236 (2015 est.)
20,230.929 (2014 est.)
19,283.8 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification – total population: 48.9% (2022 est.)

electrification – urban areas: 76.7%

electrification – rural areas: 30.6%

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 156,000 kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 396.792 million kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 15.408 million kWh (2023 est.)

comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 22; consumption 181; installed generating capacity 180

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 82.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 16% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind: 1.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

imports: 4 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Natural gas

proven reserves: 5.663 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

838,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 10 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 838,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total emissions 175

Energy consumption per capita

649,000 Btu/person (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 195

Communications

Telephones – fixed lines

total subscriptions: 91,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.) less than 1

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 136

Telephones – mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 8.84 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 96

Broadcast media

2 private TV stations rebroadcast Al-Jazeera and CNN; 1 state-operated TV station and 1 private TV station; state-operated Radio Mogadishu; 1 SW and roughly 10 private FM radio stations in Mogadishu; several radio stations in central and southern regions; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters available (2019)

Internet country code

.so

Internet users

percent of population: 28% (2022 est.)

Broadband – fixed subscriptions

total: 119,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total 128

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

40 (2025)

comparison ranking: 103

Merchant marine

total: 4 (2023)

by type: general cargo 1, other 3

comparison ranking: total 172

Ports

total ports: 6 (2024)

large: 1

medium: 0

small: 2

very small: 3

ports with oil terminals: 2

key ports: Baraawe, Berbera, Boosaaso, Kismaayo, Marka, Muqdisho

Military and Security

Military and security forces

Somali Armed Forces (SAF; aka Somali Defense Force): Somali National Army (SNA; aka Land Forces), Somali Navy, Somali Air Force

Ministry of Internal Security: Somali National Police (SNP, includes Coast Guard, commando unit) (2024)

note 1: Somalia has numerous militia (“ma’awisley”) and regional/state forces operating throughout the country; these forces include ones that are clan- and warlord-based, semi-official paramilitary and special police forces (“darwish”), and externally sponsored militias

note 2: Somaliland and Puntland have separate military, security, and paramilitary forces

Military expenditures

6% of GDP (2021 est.)
6% of GDP (2020 est.)
5.6% of GDP (2019 est.)
6% of GDP (2018 est.)
5.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 20,000 active Somali Armed Forces (2025)

note: tens of thousands of militia forces are also active in Somalia

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the SNA’s inventory is a mix of older, secondhand, and donated equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Italy, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, and the US (2024)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription of men aged 18-40 and women aged 18-30 is authorized, but not currently utilized (2023)

Military – note

the Somali National Army (SNA) is a lightly armed force of more than a dozen brigades; its most effective units are assessed to be the US-trained Danab (“Lightning”) Advanced Infantry Brigade and those of the Turkish-trained Gorgor (“Eagle”) Special Division; SNA soldiers have also received training from Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the EU, Uganda, and the UK; the SNA and supporting security and militia forces are actively conducting operations against the al-Shabaab terrorist group; al-Shabaab controls large parts of southern and central Somalia

the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) operated in the country with the approval of the UN from 2007-2022; its mission included assisting Somali forces in providing security for a stable political process, enabling the gradual handing over of security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali security forces, and reducing the threat posed by al-Shabaab and other armed opposition groups; in April 2022, AMISOM was reconfigured and replaced with the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS); the ATMIS mission was to support the Somalia Federal Government (FGS) in implementing the security objectives of the FGS’s security transition plan, a comprehensive strategy developed by the FGS and its international partners in 2018 and updated in 2021 to gradually transfer security responsibilities from ATMIS to Somali security forces; originally about 20,000-strong (civilians, military, and police), ATMIS began reducing its staffing levels in mid-2023 and ended its mission at the end of 2024; the follow-on force for ATMIS, the Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) was formed in January 2025 and slated to have about 12,000 personnel, including soldiers, police and civilian support staff (2025)

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)

Terrorist group(s): al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Somalia

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 23,364 (Ethiopia), 9,969 (Yemen) (2023)

IDPs: 3.864 million (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition for resources; famine; insecurity because of fighting between al-Shabaab and the Transitional Federal Government’s allied forces) (2022)