Somaliland
de facto state in the Horn of Africa / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
{{Infobox country
| conventional_long_name = Somalia
| common_name = Somalia
| native_name = Jamhuuriyadda Soomaalia (Somali)<ref name=Somalia#Heading|title=
Somalia Constitution Somalia}}</ref>[1]
جمهورية أرض الصومال (Arabic)
Jumhūrīyat Arḍ aṣ-Ṣūmāl}}
Somaliland (Somali: Somaliland; Arabic: صوماليلاند Ṣūmālīlānd, أرض الصومال Arḍ aṣ-Ṣūmāl), officially the Republic of Somaliland (Somali: Jamhuuriyadda Somaliland, Arabic: جمهورية صوماليلاند is a de facto country that used to be the former protectorate of Somalia. Djibouti lies to the west of Somaliland, the Federal Republic of Ethiopia lies to the south and west and Somalia lies to the east and south.[2][3]
The area used to be the Somaliland protectorate, which was part of the British empire along with Jubaland, once called Trans-juba. The British granted its independence on 26 June 1960 upon which it called the "Somaliland Republic".[4] Shortly after, the leaders of Somaliland and Somalia agreed to form a unified state. In May of 1991, after a brutal war waged by the government of Siad Barre, Somaliland proclaimed and regained its independence.
Currently, Somaliland's international position fulfills the requirements to be considered an independent country[5] according to the Montevideo Convention. The government of Somalia, however, still considers Somaliland to be a part of Somalia.
Somaliland has a republican government with free elections. The capital is Hargeisa. Berbera is a beautiful city on the coast. About 55% of the people of Somalilands are nomads.[6] Most Somalis are Sunni Muslims. Some people are part of Sufi orders.
A territory in the west, called Khatumo State has been disputed between Somaliland and Puntland.