Capital

Somalia

name: Mogadishu

geographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 20 E

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

etymology: several theories attempt to explain the city's name; one of the more plausible is that it derives from "maq'ad-i-shah" meaning "the seat of the shah," reflecting the city's links with Persia

Citizenship

Somalia

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

Legal system

Somalia

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

Suffrage

Somalia

18 years of age; universal

Area

Somalia

total: 637,657 sq km

land: 627,337 sq km

water: 10,320 sq km

Land use

Somalia

agricultural land: 70.3% (2018 est.)

arable land: 1.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 68.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 10.6% (2018 est.)

other: 19.1% (2018 est.)

Location

Somalia

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

Age structure

Somalia

0-14 years: 41.54% (male 2,633,262/female 2,640,088)

15-64 years: 55.77% (male 3,609,721/female 3,469,735)

65 years and over: 2.69% (2023 est.) (male 143,742/female 197,248)

Birth rate

Somalia

37.7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Somalia

11.4 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Somalia

Somali (official, according to the 2012 Transitional Federal Charter), Arabic (official, according to the 2012 Transitional Federal Charter), Italian, English

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

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Somalia

total population: 56.1 years (2023 est.)

male: 53.8 years

female: 58.6 years

Major urban areas - population

Somalia

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

Median age

Somalia

total: 19 years (2023 est.)

male: 19.2 years

female: 18.7 years

Net migration rate

Somalia

-1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Somalia

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

Population growth rate

Somalia

2.49% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Somalia

5.22 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Somalia

urban population: 47.9% of total population (2023)

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

Education expenditures

Somalia

0.3% of GDP (2019) NA

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Somalia

-0.1% (of GDP) (2014 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Somalia

3.5% (2014 est.)

Labor force

Somalia

3.042 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Somalia

NA

Unemployment rate

Somalia

19.86% (2021 est.)

19.72% (2020 est.)

18.83% (2019 est.)

NA

Public debt

Somalia

76.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

93% of GDP (2014 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Somalia

1.5% (2017 est.)

-71.1% (2016 est.)

Exports

Somalia

$819 million (2014 est.)

$779 million (2013 est.)

Exports - partners

Somalia

United Arab Emirates 47%, Saudi Arabia 19%, India 5%, Japan 5% (2019)

Imports

Somalia

$94.43 billion (2018 est.)

$80.07 billion (2017 est.)

Imports - partners

Somalia

United Arab Emirates 32%, China 20%, India 17%, Turkey 7% (2019)

Airports

Somalia

52 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Somalia

total: 119,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Somalia

total: 2.465 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 14.5% (2021 est.)

Roadways

Somalia

total: 15,000 km (2018)

Telephones - fixed lines

Somalia

total subscriptions: 91,000 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Somalia

total subscriptions: 8.844 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 52 (2021 est.)

Disputes - international

Somalia

Somalia-Djibouti: none identified

Somalia-Ethiopia: Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; the border between the Ogaden region of eastern Ethiopia, which is inhabited by ethnic Somalis, and Somalia is only partially demarcated under colonial rule and has been the source of tension for decades

Somalia-Kenya: Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading south across the border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists; in 2015, the Kenyan Government began building a wall along the border to prevent the crossborder movement of militant groups; the boundary separates ethnic Somalis; in October 2021, the Somalia-Kenya Indian Ocean boundary dispute was decided by the International Court of Justice; the ruling adjusted the boundary slightly north of Somalia’s claim giving Somalia the majority of the contested maritime territory, which is believed to contain rich oil and natural gas deposits; while the decision is legally binding, it has no enforcement mechanism, and Kenya has said it will not abide by it