The article's lead section may need to be rewritten.(April 2020) |
Currency | Somaliland shilling (SLS) |
---|---|
Country group |
|
Statistics | |
Population | 6,200,000 [2] [3] |
GDP | $4,183,000,000 (2022) [4] |
GDP per capita | $853 (2022) [4] |
All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars. |
The Economy of Somaliland largely relies on primary production and agriculture, where livestock is the main export of the country, which it ships to neighbouring Djibouti and Ethiopia, as well as to Gulf states, such as UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Somaliland has a GDP per capita of $853 and a gross domestic product GDP of $2,583,000,000 as of 2024, [5] most of which it receives in remittances from Somalis working abroad. The COVID-19 pandemic has restricted Somaliland's trade flows with decreased demand in the agriculture sector, a significant source of tax revenue. [6]
Somaliland is located along the Gulf of Aden, near the entrance to the Bab al-Mandeb, a major sea-lane through which almost one-third of the world's shipping passes. Its location has helped the government attract new trade and development deals. In late 2016, the DP World announced that it would invest nearly US$450 million to manage and upgrade the Port of Berbera and develop a corridor running from the Port to the Ethiopian border. In 2021 the project was joined by the UK government's CDC Group which has doubled the funding. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]
The Somaliland shilling, which cannot easily be exchanged outside Somaliland on account of the nation's lack of recognition, is regulated by the Bank of Somaliland, the central bank, which was established constitutionally in 1994.
Since Somaliland is unrecognised, international donors have found it difficult to provide aid. As a result, the government relies mainly upon tax receipts and remittances from the large Somali diaspora, which contribute immensely to Somaliland's economy. [13] Remittances come to Somaliland through money transfer companies, the largest of which is Dahabshiil, [14] one of the few Somali money transfer companies that conform to modern money-transfer regulations. The World Bank estimates that remittances worth approximately US$1 billion reach Somalia annually from émigrés working in the Gulf states, Europe and the United States. Analysts say that Dahabshiil may handle around two-thirds of that figure and as much as half of it reaches Somaliland alone. [15]
Since the late 1990s, service provisions have significantly improved through limited government provisions and contributions from non-governmental organisations, religious groups, the international community (especially the diaspora), and the growing private sector. Local and municipal governments have been developing key public service provisions such as water in Hargeisa and education, electricity, and security in Berbera. [13] In 2009, the Banque pour le Commerce et l'Industrie – Mer Rouge (BCIMR), based in Djibouti, opened a branch in Hargeisa and became the first bank in the country since the 1990 collapse of the Commercial and Savings Bank of Somalia. [16] In 2014, Dahabshil Bank International became the region's first commercial bank. [17] In 2017 Premier Bank from Mogadishu opened a branch in Hargeisa. [18]
Various telecommunications firms also have branches in Somaliland. Among these companies is Telesom, one of the largest operators in Somaliland. Founded in 2002 with the objective of supplying the local market with telecommunications services such as GSM, fixed line, and Internet access, it has an extensive network that covers all of Somaliland's major cities and more than 40 districts in both Somalia and Somaliland. [19] Telesom also offers among the cheapest international calling rates at US$0.2 less than its nearest competitor. [20] Other telecommunication firms serving the region include Somtel, Telcom and NationLink. [21]
Livestock is the backbone of Somaliland's economy. Sheep, camels, and cattle are shipped from the Berbera port and sent to Gulf Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia. [22] The country is home to some of the largest livestock markets, known in Somali as seylad, in the Horn of Africa, with as many as 10,000 heads of sheep and goats sold daily in the markets of Burao and Yirowe, many of whom shipped to Gulf states via the port of Berbera. [23] [24] The market handles livestock from all over the Horn of Africa. [25]
Agriculture is generally considered to be a potentially successful industry, especially in the production of cereals and horticulture. Mining also has potential, though simple quarrying represents the extent of current operations, despite the presence of diverse quantities of mineral deposits. [26]
The rock art and caves at Laas Geel, situated on the outskirts of Hargeisa, are a popular local tourist attraction. Totaling ten caves, they were discovered by a French archaeological team in 2002 and are believed to date back around 5,000 years. The government and locals keep the cave paintings safe and only a restricted number of tourists are allowed entry. [27] Other notable sights include the Freedom Arch in Hargeisa and the War Memorial in the city centre. Natural attractions are very common around the region. The Naasa Hablood are twin hills located on the outskirts of Hargeisa that Somalis in the region consider to be a majestic natural landmark. [28]
The Ministry of Commerce, Industries and Tourism has also encouraged travellers to visit historic towns and cities in Somaliland. The historic town of Sheikh is located near Berbera and is home to old British colonial buildings that have remained untouched for over forty years. Berbera also houses historic and impressive Ottoman architectural buildings. Another equally famous historic city is Zeila. Zeila was once part of the Ottoman Empire, a dependency of Yemen and Egypt and a major trade city during the 19th century. The city has been visited for its old colonial landmarks, offshore mangroves and coral reefs, towering cliffs, and beach. The nomadic culture of Somaliland has also attracted tourists. Most nomads live in the countryside. [28]
Bus services operate in Hargeisa, Burao, Gabiley, Berbera and Borama. There are also road transportation services between the major towns and adjacent villages, which are operated by different types of vehicles. Among these are taxis, four-wheel drives, minibuses and light goods vehicles (LGV). [29]
The most prominent airlines serving Somaliland is Daallo Airlines, a Somali-owned private carrier with regular international flights that emerged after Somali Airlines ceased operations. African Express Airways and Ethiopian Airlines also fly from airports in Somaliland to Djibouti City, Addis Ababa, Dubai and Jeddah, and offer flights for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages via the Egal International Airport in Hargeisa. Other major airports in the country include the Berbera Airport. [30] [31]
New Rail line linking Ethiopia and Somaliland Berbera Regions with Locomotive Cabotage in Somaliland , and exports towards Ethiopia as alternative cargo route other than Djibouti , media sources such as Horn daily state a rail line between Berbera and Addis Ababa is in the planning That would cost around 1.5 Bn Dollars and would Pass between Hargeisa Addis Ababa and Berbera .
In June 2016, the Somaliland government signed an agreement with DP World to manage the strategic port of Berbera with the aim of enhancing productive capacity and acting as an alternative port for landlocked Ethiopia. [32] [33] In 2021 the project was joined by the UK government's CDC Group which has doubled the funding, making Berbera a $1 billion investment. [7]
In August 2012, the Somaliland government awarded Genel Energy license to explore oil within its territory. Results of a surface seep study completed early in 2015 confirmed the outstanding potential offered in SL-10B and SL-13 block and Oodweyne block with estimated oil reserves of 1 billion barrel each. [34] Genel Energy is set to drill exploration well for SL-10B and SL-13 block in Buur-Dhaab 20 kilometers northwest of Aynabo by the end of 2018. Somaliland Toosan Well 1 Drills in Place in 2024 after successful seismic data Toosan Oil estimates around 700 Million barrels of Crude. [35]
Somalia is classified by the United Nations as a least developed country, with the majority of its population being dependent on agriculture and livestock for their livelihood. The economy of Somalia is $4.918 billion by gross domestic product as of 2020. For 1994, the CIA estimated it at purchasing power parity to be approximately $3.3 billion. In 2001, it was estimated to be $4.1 billion. By 2009, the CIA estimated that it had grown to $5.731 billion, with a projected real growth rate of 2.6%. In 2014, the International Monetary Fund estimated economic activity to have expanded by 3.7% primarily. This expansion was driven by growth in the primary sector and the secondary sector. According to a 2007 British Chambers of Commerce report, the private sector has experienced growth, particularly in the service sector. Unlike the pre-civil war period, when most services and the industrial sector were government-run, there has been substantial, albeit unmeasured, private investment in commercial activities. The investment has been largely financed by the Somali diaspora, and includes trade and marketing, money transfer services, transportation, communications, fishery equipment, airlines, telecommunications, education, health, construction and hotels.
Somaliland, officially the Republic of Somaliland, is an unrecognised country in the Horn of Africa, recognised internationally as de jure part of Somalia. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden and bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, Ethiopia to the south and west, and Somalia to the east. Its claimed territory has an area of 176,120 square kilometres (68,000 sq mi), with approximately 6.2 million residents as of 2024. The capital and largest city is Hargeisa. The Government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to British Somaliland, which, as the briefly independent State of Somaliland, united from 1960 to 1991 with the Trust Territory of Somaliland to form the Somali Republic.
Hargeisa is the capital and largest city of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, a de facto sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still considered internationally to be part of Somalia. It is also the regional capital of the Maroodi Jeex province of Somaliland.
Berbera is the capital of the Sahil region of Somaliland and is the main sea port of the country, located approximately 160 km from the national capital, Hargeisa. Berbera is a coastal city and was the former capital of the British Somaliland protectorate before Hargeisa. It also served as a major port of the Ifat, Adal and Isaaq sultanates from the 13th to 19th centuries.
Burao, also spelt Bur'o or Bur'ao, is the capital of the Togdheer region and the second largest city in Somaliland. Burao was the site of the declaration of an independent Somaliland on 18 May 1991.
The Isaaq is a major Somali clan family. It is one of the largest Somali clan families in the Horn of Africa, with a large and densely populated traditional territory.
Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud "Silanyo" is a Somaliland politician who was President of Somaliland from 2010 to 2017. He is a long-time member of the government, having served as Minister of Commerce of the Somali Republic, and among other Cabinet positions. During the 1980s, he also served as the Chairman of the Somali National Movement.
Foreign relations of the Republic of Somaliland are the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Somaliland. The region's self-declaration of independence remains unrecognised by the international community.
Telecommunications in Somaliland, an internationally unrecognised republic claimed by Somalia, are mainly concentrated in the private sector. A number of local telecommunications firms operate in the region, including Golis Telecom Somalia, SomCable, Somtel and Telesom.
The following is an index of Somalia-related articles.
Dahabshiil is a Somali funds transfer company, and is the largest money-transfer business in Africa. It's headquartered in Burao, Somaliland. Formed in 2004, the firm operates from over 24,000 outlets and employs more than 2,000 people across 126 countries. It provides financial services to international organisations, as well as to both large and small businesses and private individuals. The company is also involved in community building projects in Somalia.
The Somali sheep, Somali language: Ido Soomaali occasionally known as the Berbera Blackhead, is a hair sheep native to Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya.
The following outline is provided as an overview and topical guide to Somaliland:
Tourism in Somaliland is regulated by the Somaliland's Ministry of Tourism.
The following is an index of Somaliland-related articles.
The Issamusa or Isamusa is a northern Somali clan. Its clan of the wider Isaaq clan family. The Issamusa are divided into four major sub-clans: Mohammed Issa, Adam Issa, Abokor Issa and Idarais Issa. The Isa Musa traditionally consists of coastal people, nomadic pastoralist and merchants. This clan are primarily settled in Somaliland, including Maroodi Jeex, Togdheer, Sahil, Awdal, Djibouti Ethiopia, as well as Kenya. The Issa Musse have produced many prominent Somali figures with the Undersecretary General of the United Nations Abdulrahim Abby Farah, the first Somali Prime Minister & second President of Somaliland Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal, and the second tallest man in the world Hussein Bisad.
Yirowe, also spelt Yerrowa, Yerowa, Yeroweh or Yerowah is a town in the Burao District, located in the Togdheer region of Somaliland. The town is located 20 km east of Burao, the provincial capital of the Togdheer region.
The Somaliland War of Independence was a rebellion waged by the Somali National Movement (SNM) against the ruling military junta in Somalia led by General Siad Barre lasting from its founding on 6 April 1981 and ended on 18 May 1991 when the SNM declared what was then northern Somalia independent as the Republic of Somaliland. The conflict served as the main theater of the larger Somali Rebellion that started in 1978. The conflict was in response to the harsh policies enacted by the Barre regime against the main clan family in Somaliland, the Isaaq, including a declaration of economic warfare on the clan-family. These harsh policies were put into effect shortly after the conclusion of the disastrous Ogaden War in 1978.
Somaliland is an unrecognised sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, internationally considered to be part of Somalia.
Somaliland is located in the East African sub-continent between the equator and the Gulf of Aden. The country occupies an area of approximately 176,120 square kilometres (68,000 sq mi). The climate is mostly hot and desertlike; it is largely arid with some semi-arid regions.
Ethiopia–Somaliland relations refers to the relationship between the Republic of Somaliland and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The two countries have no formal diplomatic relations, but Ethiopia has a consulate in Hargeisa and Somaliland has a representative office in Addis Ababa.