The Somali people are a Cushitic ethnic group native to the Horn of Africa who share a common ancestry, culture and history. The East Cushitic Somali language is the shared mother tongue of ethnic Somalis, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afroasiatic language family, and they are predominantly Sunni Muslim. Forming one of the largest ethnic groups on the continent, they cover one of the most expansive landmasses by a single ethnic group in Africa.
The Ajuran is a Somali clan, part of the Jambelle clan which itself belongs to one of the largest Somali clan-families — the Hawiye. Ajuran members largely inhabit Kenya as well as southern east Ethiopia; considerable numbers are also found in southern Somalia. Some Ajuran members are settled in Mogadishu.
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.
The Hawiye is the largest Somali clan family. Members of this clan traditionally inhabit central and southern Somalia, Somaliland, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya. They are also the majority in the capital city, Mogadishu.
The Rendille are a Cushitic ethnic group inhabiting the Eastern Province of Kenya.
The Garre are a prominent Somali clan that traces its lineage back to Samaale, who is believed to have originated from the Arabian Peninsula through Aqiil Abu Talib. The Garre clan is considered to be a sub-clan of the Digil-Rahanweyn clan family, which is part of the larger Rahanweyn clan. However, genealogically, they are descended from Gardheere Samaale. The Garre are also categorized as southern Hawiye as well.
The Dir is one of the largest and most prominent Somali clans in the Horn of Africa. They are also considered to be the oldest Somali stock to have inhabited the region. Its members inhabit Djibouti, Somalia, Ethiopia, and northeastern Kenya.
The Rahanweyn, also known as the Digil and Mirifle are a major Somali clan. It is one of the major Somali clans in the Horn of Africa, with a large territory in the densely populated fertile valleys of the Jubba and Shebelle rivers and the areas inbetween which are mainly inhabited by settlers from the Digil and Mirifle lineages.
The Ogaden is one of the major Somali clans.
Demographic features of Somalia's inhabitants include ethnicity, language, population density, education level, health, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. Somalia is believed to be one of the most homogeneous countries in Africa.
Harti, meaning "strong man", is a Somali clan confederation, part of the larger Darod clan. The major sub-clans include the Majeerteen, Warsangeli, Maganlabe,Tiinle, Kabtaanle,Dishiishe and Dhulbahante while the minor sub-clans consist of Kaskiqabe, Geesaguule and Liibaangashe.
Abgaal is a sub-clan of the Hawiye and the even larger Samaale clan. It is one of the major Somali clans and has produced many prominent historical Somali figures including 3 presidents, and the father of the Somali military.
The Somali National Front (SNF) was a politico-military organization that operated in southern Somalia during the Somali Civil War and represented one of the major factions involved in the conflict.
The Bajuni people are a Bantu ethnic group who live primarily in the Bajuni Islands of Somalia and coastal areas between the port city of Kismayo and the city of Mombasa in Kenya. Many relocated from Somalia to Kenya due to war with the Orma, who drove them out from their ancestral territory.
Mohamed Ibrahim Habsade was a Somali politician and rebel soldier of the Rahanweyn Resistance Army. He was Minister of Land and Air Transport and Minister of Agriculture in the Somali Transitional Federal Government.
The Bimaal or Bimal, is a sub-clan of the major Dir clan family. This clan is widely known for leading a resistance against the colonials in southern Somalia for decades which can be compared to the war of the Sayyid in Somaliland. The Biimaal mainly lives in southern Somalia, the Somali region of Ethiopia, which their Gaadsen sub-clan mainly inhabits and in the NEP region of Kenya.
The predominant religion in Somalia is Islam, with tiny minorities of Christians, traditional African religions and others.
The Gaalje'el, , or Habar Tigaalle is one of the largest Somali clans, whose origins trace back to Samaale. The Galje'el clan belong to the Major Saransor clans who is also sub clan of Wider Gardhere Samaale clans. The Clan is well known for their fierce battles against the Italian colonialists who were unable to occupy their land. This clan is also known for fighting against the Abyssinians for a long time who wanted to expand in the area of the Shabelle River, one of the biggest battles was the Battle of Dafet, at that time Abyssinians want to capture Dafet, entering from Shabelle River, but Gaalje'el fought back and defeated Abyssian and pushed them back; 1500 Amhara horsemen were killed in that battle.
The Isaaq genocide, also known as the Hargeisa holocaust, was the systematic, state-sponsored genocide of Isaaq civilians between 1987 and 1989 by the Somali Democratic Republic, under the dictatorship of Siad Barre, during the Somaliland War of Independence. The number of civilian deaths in this massacre is estimated to be between 50,000 and 100,000, according to various sources, whilst local reports estimate the total civilian deaths to be upwards of 200,000 Isaaq civilians. The genocide also included the levelling and complete destruction of the second and third largest cities in the Somali Republic, Hargeisa and Burao, respectively, and had caused up to 500,000 Somalis of the region, primarily of the Isaaq clan, to flee their land and cross the border to Hartasheikh in Ethiopia as refugees in what was described as "one of the fastest and largest forced movements of people recorded in Africa", which resulted in the creation of the world's largest refugee camp then (1988), with another 400,000 being displaced. The scale of destruction led to Hargeisa being known as the 'Dresden of Africa'. The killings happened during the Somali Civil War and have been referred to as a "forgotten genocide".
The Ibran is a major clan of the wider Isaaq clan family. Ibran had two sons, Egale And Yonis. Yonis's son Mohamed have two sons Abdalle, and Essa. Its members form part of the larger Habr Je'lo confederation along with the Muse Sheikh Ishaaq, Sanbuur and Tol Je'lo clans. Politically however, the Ibran are part of the Habr Je'lo.
