Capital of Somalia:
Mogadishu Area of Somalia: 637,657 km² (246,201 mi²) (
44th)
Population of Somalia: 19,009,151 (
68th)
- (2024 est.) Location: Northeastern Africa, Horn of Africa
Languages of Somalia: Arabic (official),
Somali (
Maay Maay) (official),
Soqotri,
Italian ,
English Religions of Somalia: Sunni Islam (
official) 99.9%, other or unaffiliated 0.1% (2020 est.)
Ethnic groups of Somalia: predominantly
Somali 85% with lesser numbers of
Arabs,
Bantus, and
Others 15%
Currency:
Somali shilling (
SOS)
Calling code: (
+252)
Organizations: United Nations
Border countries (3):
Djibouti 60 km (37 mi),
Ethiopia 1,626 km (1,010 mi),
Kenya 682 km (424 mi).
Coastline: 3,333 km (2,071 mi)
Somalia (Somali: Soomaaliya; Arabic: الصومال aṣ-Ṣūmāl) — officially the
Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, and the Indian Ocean to the east. Somalia has the longest coastline on the African continent. Around 85% of Somalia's residents are ethnic Somalis. The official languages of the country are Somali and Arabic, though Somali is the primary language. Somalia has historic and religious ties to the Arab world. As such the people in Somalia are Muslims, the majority of them Sunni.
Administrative divisions in Somalia
18 regions (plural - 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.
Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas
Geography —
note: Strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal. The Provisional Administrative Line forms the
de facto southern border between Somalia and Ethiopia.