Also available: 2006 and 2008 country profiles.

Basic Information
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia and Kenya
Population Size: 9.5 million
Ethnic Composition: 85% Somali, 15% Bantu and other non-Somali (including 30,000 Arabs)
Religious Composition: Sunni Muslim
Languages: Somali (official language), Arabic, Italian, and English
Major Exports: livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas
GDP per Capita (PPP): $600 

Historical Overview
Somalia gained independence in 1960 when British Somaliland, a former protectorate, united with Italian Somaliland, a former colony, to form a Somali republic.  However, historic inter-clan rivalry made it extremely difficult to establish a functioning and representative Somali government.  An oppressive military socialist government led by General Siad Barre was established through a coup d’etat in 1970 and marked the beginning of a series of civil and regional conflicts.  In the late 1970s, Somalia attempted to invade Ethiopia in hopes of uniting the former Somali lands, but failed due to large Soviet support for Marxist Ethiopia.  Barre’s government was then toppled in 1991 by opposing factions, but immediately afterwards the clan-based militias turned on each other in pursuit of control and created widespread violence. A UN humanitarian operation in 1992 led by the United States transitioned into a UN peacekeeping operation after 18 American soldiers were killed. Since then, Somalia has repeatedly failed to establish a functioning central government. Despite serious efforts in 2000 and 2004 to institute a transitional parliament, the rivalry between different warlords, religious factions, and other tribes exacerbated the violence and the humanitarian crisis in the country.  Ethiopian and transitional government troops retook Mogadishu from the Islamic Courts in December 2006, with Ethiopian troops remaining in Somalia until January 2009. The conflict has been recently aggravated with the introduction of Eritrean-backed rebels and Islamist insurgency groups, dominated by a radical group, the al-Shabab, contributing to the clan conflict against the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and African Union peacekeeping troops. The lack of central authority for 18 years has resulted in widespread lawlessness, including an increase in piracy off the Somali coast. The northwest region of the country unilaterally declared independence in 1991, calling itself the Republic of Somaliland, and it is relatively stable compared to other parts of Somalia, although its independence has not gained international recognition. The neighboring region of Puntland also functions autonomously, and many of the country’s pirates operate out of this area.

Social Indicators
Due to the continuation of the conflict, all of Somalia’s social indicators either remained the same or worsened from the FSI 2008 to the FSI 2009.  The demographic pressures indicator remained at 9.8 in the FSI 2009, as Somalia still suffered from a high population growth rate of 2.82% in 2008. This exacerbated the youth bulge, which is already extremely high, with 44.7% of Somalia’s population under the age of 15. Somalia also suffers from a high risk of disease, the seasonal occurrence of extreme drought, and a series of chronic famines.  Somalia’s indicator for refugees and displaced persons worsened from 9.8 in the FSI 2008 to 9.9 in the FSI 2009. The continuation of civil conflict has resulted in a steady exodus of civilians seeking refuge in other countries as well as being internally displaced within Somalia. As of 2008, Somali refugees, asylum seekers, and IDPs amounted to about 1.1 million.  By the end of 2008, over 65,000 Somali refugees had crossed into Kenya during the year, as compared to 19,000 in 2007.  The group grievance indicator also worsened from 9.5 in the FSI 2008 to 9.7 in the FSI 2009.  Clan-related aggression has reached one of its highest levels ever. With the increase of piracy in 2008 there has also been an escalation of violence in the coastal regions.  In addition, there were many reports in 2008 of coordinated bombings in the relatively peaceful areas of Somaliland and Puntland. Furthermore, the Islamist insurgency led by the al-Shabab group regained control of most of southern Somalia from TFG control and Ethiopian troops, which withdrew from Somalia in late 2008.  Human flight also worsened from 8.3 in the FSI 2008 to 8.5 in the FSI 2009.  With the humanitarian situation deteriorating and the conflict continuing to escalate, an average of 20,000 Somalis flee the country every month, including students and members of the professional class. Due to decades of instability, much of Somalia’s professional class has already left the country.

Economic Indicators
Due to the consistent conflict, official documentation on economic inequality and other economic indicators is unreliable and outdated.  Somalia’s uneven development indicator worsened from 7.5 in the FSI 2008 to 7.7 in the FSI 2009.  As of 2008, about two million Somalis still rely on food aid and poverty is widespread.  With a GDP per capita of $600, the population is generally extremely poor, though there is a wealthy business class.  In spite of the lack of a central government, Somalia has maintained a small robust economy dependent on agriculture, livestock, and trade.  However, due to the increasing violence and acts of piracy, trade has been somewhat restricted, causing its economic indicator to worsen from 9.4 in the FSI 2008 to 9.5 in the FSI 2009.

Political/Military Indicators
The legitimacy of the state remained at the maximum score of 10.0 in the FSI 2009.  According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, Somalia is the world’s most corrupt state, sharing the 180th spot with Burma.  The TFG has been unable to establish itself as the legitimate government of the country and most of the country’s territory is outside its control.  Furthermore, the Islamist insurgency continued to spread throughout 2008.  An attempt by the TFG to sign a peace deal with opposition groups in June 2008 was rejected by the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) as they continue to demand the removal of all foreign troops from the country.  Meanwhile, radical Islamist militias, such as the dominant al-Shabab, which is allegedly linked to al-Qaeda, continue to pursue acts of violence in protest of the interim government.  Somalia’s public services indicator improved slightly but still received an abysmal score of 9.9 in the FSI 2009.  Somalia is largely dependent on foreign aid, and the worsening security situation in the country is limiting the supply of food aid and other assistance.  The increase of piracy and terrorist actions in 2008 has made Somalia one of the most dangerous places in the world, as aid workers and journalists have become frequent targets for kidnapping and assassinations. 

Somalia’s human rights indicator remained at 9.9 in the FSI 2009.  Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have called for the international community to take control of the humanitarian crisis in Somalia, as the violence has reduced the amount of incoming aid and made reporting on the situation on the ground increasingly dangerous.  Two journalists were killed in Somalia in 2008, resulting in the decline of an independent international media presence in the country; furthermore, Somalia was called “Africa’s deadliest country for journalists” by Reporters Without Borders in 2008.  There have been reports stating that all factions involved in the conflict are guilty of war crimes and attacks on civilians.  The security apparatus indicator also remained at the high score of 10.0 in the FSI 2009.  The Islamist insurgency continued in 2008, contributing to the conflict among the clan militias.  Towards the end of 2008, there was a sharp increase in coastal violence, as Somali pirates hijacked major vessels by force.  The factionalized elites indicator also remained at 10.0 in the FSI 2009, as there have not been significant improvements in the divisions among clan-based political groups.  Somalia’s external intervention indicator improved slightly from 10.0 in FSI 2008 to 9.8 in FSI 2009, due to the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops.  The humanitarian crisis has made nearly one third of the Somalia’s population dependent on food aid.

Core Five State Institutions

Leadership	Military	Police	Judiciary	Civil Service
Poor	Poor	Poor	Poor	Poor

Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has not been effective in maintaining stability or authority over the Somali state or peoples.  The rise of the rival Islamic Courts Union (ICU) resulted in a violent guerrilla-style power struggle which has further exacerbated the humanitarian and refugee crisis in Somalia.  Somaliland claims self-determination and functions completely independently from the Somali government, while the northeast region of Puntland considers itself an autonomous region, further displaying the inability of the government to create a unified Somalia.  The TFG has been seen as the world’s most corrupt government and has not been able to bring reconciliation and stability to the Somali peoples.

The TFG lacks an independent military force and has depended largely on UN peacekeepers and Ethiopian, Burundian, and Ugandan AU forces.  Most of the major clans, as well as Somaliland and Puntland, operate with their own independent military forces and a majority of these militias have been accused of human rights abuses.

There is no unified police force in Somalia as there is no functioning centralized government to control it.  Instead, all clan leaders and local regional leaders are supported by their own militias, and there is no existing police authority available (other than foreign peacekeepers) to protect the civilian population.
 
There is no national-level functioning judicial system in Somalia.  Many independent courts operate at the local level, using a mixture of Islamic Sharia law and traditional Somali law.  Many courts, which are supported by the ICU, have been accused of supporting extremist Islamist leadership and interpreting Sharia law with severity.  Due to the absence of a government-based judiciary, many individuals evade penalties for war crimes, piracy and human rights abuses.

There is no functioning civil service.

Prognosis
In spite of long-term international efforts at attaining peace, the situation in Somalia has continued to deteriorate. The humanitarian crisis and guerrilla warfare continue to grow, and there has been a rapid increase in piracy.  As Somalia has become notoriously dangerous both within its borders and off its coasts, journalism, trade, and international assistance have continued to decrease in 2008.  Pressure by the ICU to expel international troops resulted in the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces in 2008.  Furthermore, the resignation of the President of the TFG at the end of 2008 proves that the transitional government still cannot support itself in Somalia’s violent political climate and may give way to an Islamist-based administration.  The international community will need to continue efforts to encourage negotiation in order to stabilize the humanitarian crisis and reduce the violence.

Recent Developments

February 2009: Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, son of former President Sharmarke who was assassinated by General Barre, is selected prime minister by President Ahmad.

April 2009: Somali pirates hijack U.S. vessel Maersk Alabama and kidnap U.S. Captain Richard Phillips in exchange for ransom; U.S. navy snipers shoot Somali pirates and successfully rescue Phillips after a few days.

Last updated June 22, 2009

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