Somali

Soomaaliya (N)
(ar)
Somali Republic (en)
( Flag of Somalia ) ( Coat of arms of Somalia )
National motto : None
Official language	Somali , Arabic
Capital	Mogadishu 2 02'N 45 21'E / 2033, 45.35
Largest city	Mogadishu
Form of State	Republic
- President	Sharif Ahmed
Area - Total - Water (%)	Ranked 43 th 637 657 km 2 Negligible
Population - Total ( 2008 ) - Density	Ranked 88 th 9,558,666 inhab. 8.51 inhabitants / km 2
Independence - Date	the United Kingdom and the Italian January 1, 1960
Demonym	Somali (do)
Currency	Somali Shilling ( SOS )
Time Zone	UTC +3 (was +4)
National anthem	Wordless, music by Giuseppe Blanc
Internet domain	. N
Indicative Telephone	+252
(1) the Italian , the English are also included (2) (institutions serving again in the capital after fleeing Islamists)

Somalia, long form Republic of Somalia, Somali and in Arabic and , is a country at the eastern end of the Horn of Africa.

History

The ruins of the Sultanate of Adal located Zeila.

Some authors

Despite resistance to Western occupation organized by Mohamed Hassan, Italy led by Mussolini eventually control Somalia and Ethiopia and northern Kenya to the Second World War.

On August 3, 1940 (or 4 according to other sources), about 40,000 Italians invaded British Somaliland under the command of General Guglielmo Nasi . They take a few days in several cities Defended . British forces in Somaliland receive some reinforcements and a new commander, Major-General Godwin-Austen . Considering the forces involved too unequal, the latter request on August 15 the withdrawal of British troops . The last British soldiers were evacuated to Aden 17, . The Italians seized Berbera on 19 and annexed British Somaliland in East Africa Italian . During this campaign, the British losses were 38 killed, 71 wounded and 49 missing cons 465 killed, 1530 wounded and 34 missing for the Italians .

In 1949, the United Nations (UN) gives Italy a protectorate over Somalia while a year earlier, the region of Ogaden was given to Ethiopia. The flag was adopted today October 12, 1954.

In 1959, Somalia became independent. The Somali state is a fusion of Italian colonies (Somalia) South and British North ( Somaliland ). Moreover, France had arrogated by 1862 the future republic of Djibouti , which became an independent sovereign state in 1977.

From 1960 to 1969, under the chairmanship of Aden Abdullah Osman Daar then Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, Somalia is trying to establish a democratic government but of clan struggles between north and south of the country, strained relations with neighboring countries make these years a period of instability.

The era Barreh

Coup

In 1969, General Mohamed Siad Barreh seized power in a coup and replaced the democratically elected government . Because of the close ties maintained while Somalia with the Soviet Union , Barre said the country would now be a socialist state. The alliance between the two countries was short-lived since 1977, Somalia attempted to seize control of the Ogaden, an Ethiopian territory. Instead of supporting his efforts in Somalia expansionist Soviet Union bore rather the Marxist government of Ethiopia, which ended the good relations between the two allies. The United States then approached the Somali .

The country has been plagued in the 1990s by political factions. Official nepotism and corruption have undermined confidence in the central government. A climate of discontent reigned towards the regime of President Siad Barre dictatorship, which led to its collapse in 1991. The country was then plunged into near chaos . Indeed, following this incident, Somalia became a failed state (Failed State) . The country fell under the government of warlords with no ideology or policy agendas . Their only motivation was greed and illegal looting Drug trafficking and weapons was part of their activities. Thus, these warlords opposed to the creation of any central government because of the threat posed by such a government on their illegal activities .

The collapse of Barreh regime plunged the country into a civil war between the faction that supported the interim president Ali Mahdi Mohamed and the faction that supported General Mohamed Farah Aidid . This conflict was in fact a reflection of the rivalry between the two largest clans of the Hawiye family-Abgal and Haber Ghida for control of the Somali state . These factions have engaged in looting of infrastructure and food distribution points , which left more one (1) million refugees and five (5) million people into hunger and disease . The war has contributed to the socio-economic decay and fragmentation of the state . The conflict was aimed specifically at the control of food and weapons.

Invasion of the Ogaden

The Ogaden War (1977 - 1978) contributes to weakening the power bar and promotes the installation of a famine endemic whose climax is reached in 1984.

Civil War

To continue to govern, Barre led to harden his regime. The riots of 1990 forced him to retire.

In 1991, the north declared its independence and became known as Somaliland. Siad Barre was ousted last January 26, 1991. Ali Mahdi Muhammad succeeded him until November 1991, without ever managing to win politically and militarily throughout the territory.

Somalia has had no central government since the end of the dictatorship of Siad Barre.

The Civil War and Operation Restore Hope

Following the civil war and threats of famine, the UN launched an operation called "humanitarian" in Mogadishu since April 1992: the UN Operation in Somalia (ONISOM). The " blue helmets " Pakistani suffering heavy losses against the Somali factions, the major powers involved.

In December 1992, under UN mandate, the United States launched Operation " Restore Hope "(" Restore Hope "). This is the first operation conducted on behalf of the international law of humanitarian intervention . Central and south is controlled by Hussein Mohamed Aidid , the north-west by Mohamed Ibrahim Egal was elected the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in 1997, he died in 2002. In January 1997 a coalition agreement, sponsored by Ethiopia and Kenya , fails to solve the problem of disarmament and reconstruction of state . The northeastern states are autonomous in 1998 under the name of Puntland. On 26 August 2000, the transitional parliament in exile elect a new president in the person of Abdiqassim Salad Hassan , in a particularly difficult context. The country is still grappling with clan rivalries. After several unsuccessful attempts conciliation, a reconciliation conference in July 2003 led to a draft national charter providing for federalism and setting up the transitional federal institutions .

Election of Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed

On 10 October 2004 , the Transitional Federal Parliament of the Republic of Somalia (in) , exiled to Kenya because of clashes between warlords in Mogadishu , and formed in equal numbers of representatives from each of the four major clans Somali , has elected as interim President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed , President of Puntland. As head of the Transitional Federal Government (in) , it has appointed Ali Mohamed Gedi , a veterinarian by profession, as Prime Minister with the task of forming a coalition government with the various warlords in the country. Somali institutions serve in Kenya for security in respect of the internal situation in Somalia. Institutions in exile have no control over the country outside of certain areas of the capital Mogadishu , their authority is not recognized within the country, but only by foreign governments.

Since February 26, 2006, the transitional government based in Baidoa , Somalia.

Changes of power by the Islamists and new conflicts

In early June 2006, clashes between members of the Alliance for the Restoration of peace and against terrorism (ARPCT), an alliance of warlords and the de jure government of Somalia, supported by Washington and the Union of Islamic Courts , were won by them for control of Mogadishu. The restoration of order is the name of the only stable legislative framework and consensual country's jurisprudence Shafii.

On June 13, 2006 at Nairobi , the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which includes the Kenya , the Uganda , the Sudan , Djibouti , the Ethiopia , the Eritrean and Somali transitional government, decided to prohibit access to the territory of its member countries to ARPCT militiamen fleeing the advance of Islamic Courts, the most important issue of Mogadishu, was appointed HIFK-Halane. It serves as the judiciary (civil and criminal), judging cases by applying the Shari'a.

In late December 2006, the Ethiopian army intervened and the Islamic courts are fleeing Mogadishu. It thus takes control of most of the country and the transitional government expresses the de facto government of the country.

Resignation of Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, and election of Sharif Ahmed

December 29, 2008, President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed announced his resignation, saying he regretted not being able to end the conflict in Somalia . Parliament, meeting in Djibouti because of the disorder in Somalia, then elect Sheikh Sharif Ahmed , former leader of the Union of Islamic Courts, the Presidency of the Republic .

Geography

Map of Somalia

Map of operations de facto of Somalia (2009) according to the World Fact Book ( CIA )

Surrounded by the Gulf of Aden , the Indian Ocean , Djibouti , the Ethiopian and Kenya , Somalia has 3,025 km of coastline and 2,366 km of land border with more than half with Ethiopia.

Its highest point is the Shimbiris (2416 m) located north of the country.

The basement contains the uranium , the ore of iron , the bauxite and copper.

Some areas of Somalia, although it is far from 4,500 km of the epicenter , were devastated by the tsunami of December 26, 2004. Some villages on the coast of the Indian Ocean tsunami were destroyed and about 110 people (mostly fishermen) were killed.

Regions

Somalia is divided into 18 administrative regions ( Somali : gobolka, plural gobollada):

• Awdal (capital: Baki )
• Bakool (capital: Oddr)
• Banaadir (capital: Mogadishu )
• Bari (capital: Bender Cassim)
• Bay (capital: Baidoa )
• Galguduud (capital: Dusa Mareb)
• Gedo (capital: Garbahaarey)
• Hiiraan (capital: Beledweyne )
• Jubbada Dhexe (capital: Bu'aale)
• Jubbada Hoose (capital: Kismayo )
• Mudug (capital: Galcayo)
• Nugaal (capital: Garoowe )
• Sanaag (capital: Erigavo)
• Middle Shabelle (capital: Giohar)
• Shabelle Hoose (capital: Merca)
• Sool (capital: Laascaanood)
• Togdheer (capital: Burao )
• Woqooyi Galbeed (capital: Hargeisa )

The regions are grouped into six states in order of importance:

• Somaliland (Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliland, Capital: Hargeisa)
• Puntland (capital: Garoowe)
• Maakhir (capital: Badhan)
• Galmudug (capital: Galcayo)
• Transitional Federal Government (capital: Baidoa )

Demographics

The country had about 7 million inhabitants in 2000. Estimates are difficult because of the large number of nomads and refugees trying to flee famine and wars between clans.

Economy

Since the early 1990s, civil war hinders economic development.
This economy is based on agriculture and in addition to the mining of salt. The oil is coveted by larger companies that negotiate with governments.
This economy is assisted by international aid and foreign exchange earnings of the diaspora , cash valued at more than 60% of GDP in 2007 .

Education

The school "Al Mathal" is the most famous of Mogadishu. She trains nearly 700 students of the college and high school.

Codes

Somalia has the code:

• 6O , according to the list of prefixes ICAO aircraft registration ,
• HC , according to the list of prefixes ICAO airport codes ,
• SO , according to the list of country codes used by NATO , alpha-2 code,
• SO , according to the standard ISO 3166-1 (list of country codes), code alpha-2
• . So , according to the list of Internet TLDs ( top level domain )
• SOM , as the list of country codes used by NATO , code alpha-3,
• SOM , according to the standard ISO 3166-1 (list of country codes), code alpha-3,
• SOM , as the list of country codes IOC ,
• MS , according to the list of international codes of plates ,

References

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