Independence Day in Somalia

While facing challenges regarding civil disunity and war, people all across SOMALIA commemorate their country's independence today. Somalia's Independence Day was established as a result of the Trust Territory and the State of Somaliland uniting to form the Republic of Somalia on July 1st, 1960. Happy Independence Day!

Somalia is Known for...

●    A lot of coastal land
●    Civil war and terrorism, unfortunately
●    Colorful tropical fish swimming around islands near Zeila
●    Pirates
●    Qat
●    Secluded beaches
●    Somaliland striving to break away from Somalia

Most items were listed in The Africa Book; the MLA citation is below. What are other "trademarks" of this African country? Feel free to share your thoughts with a comment!

Phillips et al. The Africa Book: A Journey through Every
          Country in the Continent. Lonely Planet, 2007.

— #AfricaWeek —

Somalia Exports

According to National Geographic MapMaker (mapmaker.nationalgeographic.org) and MIT's Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), the following items are major exports of SOMALIA: animal hides, bananas, bauxite, beans, charcoal, citrus fruit, clothing and textiles, coconuts, copper, corn (maize), gypsum, insect resins, integrated circuits, livestock, natural gas, oilseeds, refined sugar, rice, salt, scrap metal, scrap vessels, seafood, sesame seeds, soap, sorghum, telecommunications devices, and tin. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include Oman (top importer), Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Yemen, China, Djibouti, Pakistan, Japan, India, France, Bahrain, Hong Kong, South Korea, Côte d'Ivoire, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Jordan, and Sudan.

Somalia Endangered Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ for SOMALIA in East Africa (Horn of Africa) lists 14 critically endangered species and 37 endangered species. The following species are critically endangered in Somalia: Aloe brunneostriana plant, Aloe jucunda plant, Aloe molederana plant, Hawksbill Turtle, Hooded Vulture, Hunter's Hartebeest (also known as Hirola, or Hunter's Antelope), Largetooth Sawfish, Macrobrachium scorteccii shrimp, Rueppell's Griffon, Sidamo Lark, Sociable Plover, White-Backed Vulture, and White-Headed Vulture.

The aforementioned shrimp species is only found in the Cal Galloan spring, located near the tip of northeastern Somalia. Endangered species include eight Aloe species, Ash's Lark, Basra Reed Warbler, Egyptian Eagle, Gabal Elba Dragon Tree, Grevy's Zebra, Lappet-Faced Vulture, Southern Somali Garter Snake, Speke's Gazelle, and Warsangli Linnet bird. Species named after Somalia include Somalia Catfish (Barbus and Bagrus urostigma), Somalia Gerbil (Gerbillus dunni), Somalian Gerbil (Gerbillus somalicus), Somalia Glass Catfish, and Somalia Slender Mongoose.

"Land" Countries

Several countries in Asia, Europe, and Oceania have the word land in their names. I nickname them the "Land Countries," which are listed right here: FINLAND, ICELAND, IRELAND, MARSHALL ISLANDS, The NETHERLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, POLAND, SOLOMON ISLANDS, SWAZILAND, SWITZERLAND, and THAILAND. Somaliland in northeast Africa is another entity with land in its name. However, it is an autonomous region in SOMALIA fighting for its independence, not a recognized country currently.

Somalia Rivers

In the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, SOMALIA has multiple rivers and streams, but most of them are intermittent - meaning that they are occasionally or usually dry. Somaliland, the autonomous region in northern Somalia seeking independence from the rest of Somalia, only has intermittent rivers. From west to east, Somaliland's rivers include Silel, Durdur, El Der, Hodmo, Masagan, and Jidali; these rivers flow northward to the Gulf of Aden. East of Durdur River, Issutugan flows by Hargeysa, Somaliland's capital. Intermittent rivers in eastern Somalia, such as Deex Nugaaleed (north of Nugaaleed Valley), Dhuudo, Jaceel, and Wadaayimo, connect to the Indian Ocean (Badweynta Hindiya in the Somali language) located east of Somalia.

Two Important Rivers
Residents of both northern and southern Somalia deal with intermittent rivers that dry up sometimes. However, southern Somalia does have two permanent rivers: Webi Jubba and Webi Shebeelle. Webi Jubba is connected to Ethiopia's Dawa and Ganalē rivers and flows south to the Indian Ocean, passing by communities like Bardheere, Dujuuma, Goobweyn, Jilib, Jamaamae, Kamsuuma, Luuq, Salagle, and Saranley. Webi Shebeelle is east of Webi Jubba, and it also originates in the Ethiopia highlands. It begins near the Ahmar Mountains in Ethiopia, flows southeast toward Somalia, and then flows in a southern direction past communities like Beledweyne, Buulo Berde, Jiiqley, and Mahadday Weyn. Finally, Webi Shebeelle flows parallel to the Indian coast in a southwest direction - traveling past Mogadishu, Somalia's capital - then becomes a 75 kilometer intermittent river before joining Webi Jubba.

Somalia's Little Peninsula

SOMALIA, a country located in Eastern Africa's Horn of Africa, has a rugged northern coast located south of the Gulf of Aden and north of the nearby, east-west oriented Ogo Mountains. Meanwhile, Somalia's eastern coast that is west of the Indian Ocean is more smooth. However, a small peninsula along the eastern coast interrupts this smoothness. The peninsula is named Raas Xaafuun and has a multiple of spellings, including Hafun and Ras Hafun. With the exception of this map I created and possibly a few others, there are not many individual maps in the world which focus on this peninsula. Towns located on the peninsula include Xaafuun and Kurduuf.

GeoFact of the Day | Italy's Former African Colonies

Three African countries are located where ITALY established colonies centuries ago. The three countries are LIBYA, ERITREA, and SOMALIA. Libya is located in Northern Africa along the Mediterranean Sea coast, while Eritrea and Somalia are located in the Horn of Africa. Meanwhile, ETHIOPIA was occupied and annexed by Italy for approximately five years and was not technically considered a colony.

Somalia

A war-torn country with no central government, SOMALIA is situated in the Horn of Africa in Eastern Africa. There are 3 bordering countries west of Somalia: Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Part of the border with Ethiopia is still in dispute because Somalia claims Ogaden, an Eastern Ethiopia region where Somalis make up a dominant part of the population. Located in Northern Somalia, Somaliland (which is shown on this National Geographic map) is an autonomous region claiming independence since 1991; Hargeysa is its capital. Somalia also borders the Gulf of Aden (north of Somalia) and the Indian Ocean (east). Situated along the Indian Ocean coast in the country's southern part, Somalia's capital and largest city is Mogadishu (Muqdisho). Somalia and Arabic are the official languages, and Islam is the most worshipped religion. The currency is the Somali Shilling, and its ISO 4217 currency code is SOS.

Capital of Somalia

The capital of SOMALIA, a country bordering in East Africa's so-called Horn of Africa, is Mogadishu! Somalia is south of the Gulf of Aden, which is between Somalia and Yemen, and west of the Indian Ocean.