Somalia
Introduction Somalia is a country located strategically on the Horn of Africa–that point of land on the northeastern tip of Africa dividing the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. ... Civil war broke out in Somalia in 1991, and Somalia remains in turmoil. Research fails to reveal any historic sights, points of interest, festivals, or other things that visitors might do in Somalia. It is a dangerous place to visit, according to the United States Department of States latest Travel Warning concerning Somalia: The Department of State warns U. ... citizens against all travel to Somalia. ... citizens are urged to use caution when sailing near the coast of Somalia. ... These include Puntland, in central Somalia, and the Republic of Somaliland, in northern Somalia. History Somalia developed from a string of trading posts along the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean coasts at the Horn of Africa, established by Muslim traders from Arabia and Iran between the 7th and 10th century AD. ... In the mid-1880s, the British took over much of northern Somalia, which became British Somaliland. ... The two territories united to form the independent state of Somalia on July 1, 1960. Somalia experienced economic difficulties, and many people felt that only a few individuals and clans were benefitting from independence. ... Since then, Somalia has had no effective central government. ... Other countries and international relief organizations sent food to Somalia to relieve the starvation. But Somalia had no government to protect the food, and armed criminals stole much of it. ... That month, the United Nations (UN) Security Council sent a coalition of military forces from several countries to Somalia. ... In March 1995, the UNs remaining forces left Somalia after the kidnaping and murder of several workers. ... Government Somalia formerly was governed under a constitution adopted in 1979. ... The overthrow of the central government in January 1991 left Somalia in a state of civil war, with no clear central governmental authority Since 1991, the country has effectively been divided into a number of autonomous regions, each under the control of a clan or guerrilla organization. ... " In August 2000, a conference consisting of about 2,000 Somali traditional, religious, and business leaders elected a National Assembly for Somalia. ... Geography Somalia is located on the so-called "horn" in northeastern Africa. ... The highest point in Somalia, Mt. ... Dry grassy plains, supporting semidesert thornbush and dry savannah brush, cover almost all of Somalia. ... The only permanent rivers in Somalia, the Jubba and Shabeelle, are located in the south. ... Population and Literacy Rate The population of Somalia is 7,488,773, with a growth rate of 3. ... Somali is the official language of Somalia and almost all the people of Somalia speak it, although Arab, Italian, English, and Bantu are also spoken. ... Members of two other clans, called the Sab, live along the rivers in southern Somalia, and are mainly farmers. ... Somalia had a few light industries based on the processing of meat and fish, but the prevailing disorder has caused many facilities to be shut down. ... " In the farming regions of southern Somalia, staple foods include sorghum, millet, maize, and sesame. ... The Status of Women Women in Somalia suffer from oppression and denial of their rights from the day they are born. ... The recent civil disruptions in Somalia have only made things worse for women. ... Women in nomadic Somalia do almost all the work, ensuing the survival of the Somali family in a harsh environment. ... Although eight years of schooling was compulsory in Somalia before the civil wars, it is estimated that 96% of Somali women cannot read, that girls receive about one-third of the schooling of boys, and that female literacy is 39 percent of male literacy. ... Recently, there has been a movement toward use of Islamic law in Somalia, which is not favorable to women.