de facto state in the Horn of Africa From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 British Somaliland. 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.[9][10]
Republic of Somaliland | |
---|---|
Motto: لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله (Arabic) Lā ilāhā illā-llāhu; muhammadun rasūlu-llāh "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God" | |
Anthem: "Samo ku waar" حياة طويلة مع السلامLong life with peace | |
Capital and largest city | Hargeisa 9°33′N 44°03′E |
Official languages | Arabic somali |
Second language | Arabic,[3] English |
Ethnic groups (2017[4]) | 20% somali
|
Demonym(s) | Somalilander |
Government | Unitary presidential republic |
• President | Muse Bihi Abdi |
• Vice President | Abdirahman Saylici |
• Speaker of the House | Abdirisak Khalif[5][6] |
• Chief Justice | Adan Haji Ali |
Legislature | Parliament |
House of Elders | |
House of Representatives | |
Unrecognised independence from Somalia | |
• First Pre-Islamic Kingdom | c. 2500 BCE |
• First Islamic Sultanate | 1185 |
• Isaaq Sultanate | 1750–1884 |
• Establishment of British protectorate | 1884 |
• Independence of the State of Somaliland | 26 June 1960 |
• Union with the Trust Territory of Somaliland | 1 July 1960 |
• Declaration of independence | 18 May 1991 |
Area | |
• Total | 177,000[7] km2 (68,000 sq mi) |
Population | |
• 2021 estimate | 5.7 million[7] (113th) |
• Density | 28.27[7]/km2 (73.2/sq mi) |
GDP (PPP) | 2018 estimate |
• Total | $2.5 billion[8] |
• Per capita | $675[7] |
Currency | Somaliland shilling |
Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
Date format | d/m/yy (AD) |
Driving side | right |
Calling code | +252 (Somalia) |
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".[11] 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[12] 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.[13] 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.
Most people in Somaliland speak Somali and Arabic. Article 6 of the Constitution of 2001 says the official language of Somaliland is Somali,[11] but Arabic is a mandatory subject in school. English is also spoken and taught in schools.
The main Somali dialect is Standard Somali. Standard Somali is spoken in most of Somalia and in countries that are next to it. Standard Somali is used by almost all of the media in the Somaliland region.
Almost all Somalilanders are Muslims.[14] This is because Islam is the state religion, and promoting a religion other than Islam is against the law.[11] Small amounts of non-Islamic traditions exist in Somaliland, but Islam is very important to the Somali sense of national identity.
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