Map of Somalia
Somalia is a country in Africa with its capital at Mogadishu, home to about 19.65 million people across 637,657 km². The interactive map below plots 25 cities and towns, 2 rivers, 1 mountain summits and 4 ports recorded for Somalia in YearMaps.
- Population
- 19.65 million
- Area
- 637,657 km²
- Capital
- Mogadishu
- Continent
- Africa
Interactive Map of Somalia
Centred on Mogadishu at 2.0686° N, 45.3647° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Somalia
Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. Stretching across the Horn of Africa, it borders Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, and the Indian Ocean to the east. Somalia has the longest coastline on Africa's mainland. Somalia has an estimated population over 19 million, of which 2.7 million live in the capital and largest city, Mogadishu. As one of Africa's most ethnically homogeneous countries, around 85% of its residents are ethnic Somalis. The official and national language of the country is Somali, and Arabic is recognised as a second language. The overwhelming majority of the population are Sunni Muslims.
In ancient history, Somalia was an important commercial centre. During the Middle Ages, several powerful Somali empires dominated the regional trade, including the Ajuran Sultanate, Adal Sultanate, and the Sultanate of the Geledi. In the late 19th century, the Somali sultanates were colonised by the Italian and British empires, who merged these tribal territories into two colonies: Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland. In 1960, the two territories united to form the independent Somali Republic under a civilian government. Siad Barre of the Supreme Revolutionary Council (SRC) seized power in 1969 and established the Somali Democratic Republic, launching a failed invasion of Ethiopia which triggered major instability in Somalia and brutally attempting to quash the Somaliland War of Independence in the north of the country.
The SRC collapsed in 1991 with the onset of the Somali Civil War. Instability continued through periods of reduced conflict under transitional governments in the early 2000s.At the end of 2006, a US-backed Ethiopian invasion overthrew the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), leading to the installation of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) in Mogadishu under an Ethiopian military occupation. The subsequent insurgency which emerged saw the ICU fragment into various rebel factions, including the militant group al-Shabaab, which waged a protracted conflict against Ethiopian forces, the two powers exchanging control of territories through mid-2012. A new provisional constitution was passed in August 2012, reforming Somalia as a federation and began reconstruction under the Federal Government of Somalia. Insurgents still control much of central and southern Somalia and influence government-controlled areas.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Somalia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Somalia
Between A.D. 800 and 1100, immigrant Muslim Arabs and Persians set up coastal trading posts along the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, solidifying present-day Somalia’s close trading relationship with the Arab Peninsula. In the late 19th century, Britain, France, and Italy established colonies in the Somali Peninsula that lasted until 1960, when British Somaliland gained independence and joined with Italian Somaliland to form the Republic of Somalia. The country functioned as a parliamentary democracy until 1969, when General Mohamed SIAD Barre took control in a coup, beginning a 22-year socialist dictatorship. In an effort to centralize power, SIAD called for the eradication of the clan, the key cultural and social organizing principle in Somali society. Resistance to SIAD’s socialist leadership, which was causing a rapid deterioration of the country, prompted allied clan militias to overthrow SIAD in 1991, resulting in state collapse. Subsequent fighting between rival clans for resources and territory overwhelmed the country, causing a manmade famine and prompting international intervention. Beginning in 1993, the UN spearheaded an international humanitarian mission, but the international community largely withdrew by 1995 after an incident that became known as Black Hawk Down, in which two US military helicopters were shot down in Mogadishu. The fighting and subsequent siege and rescue resulted in 21 deaths and 82 wounded among the international forces. International peace conferences in the 2000s resulted in a number of transitional governments that operated outside Somalia. Left largely to themselves, Somalis in the country established alternative governance structures; some areas formed their own administrations, such as Somaliland and Puntland, while others developed localized institutions. Many local populations turned to sharia courts, an Islamic judicial system that implements religious law. Several of these courts came together in 2006 to form the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The ICU established order in many areas of central and southern Somalia, including Mogadishu, but was forced out when Ethiopia intervened militarily in 2006 on behalf of the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG). As the TFG settled in the capital, the ICU fled to rural areas or left Somalia altogether, but the organization reemerged less than a year later as the Islamic insurgent and terrorist movement al-Shabaab, which is still active today. In 2007, the African Union (AU) established a peacekeeping force, took over security responsibility for the country, and gave the TFG space to develop Somalia’s new government. By 2012, Somali powerbrokers agreed on a provisional constitution with a loose federal structure and established a central government in Mogadishu called the Somali Federal Government (SFG). Since then, the country has seen several interim regional administrations and three presidential elections, but significant governance and security problems remain because al-Shabaab still controls large portions of the country.
- Location
- Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia.
- Climate
- Principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons.
- Terrain
- Mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north.
- Highest point
- Mount Shimbiris 2,460 m.
- Lowest point
- Indian Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 3,025 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 2,385 km; border countries: Djibouti 61 km; Ethiopia 1,640 km; Kenya 684 km.
- Natural resources
- Uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 70.3% (2023 est.); arable land: 1.8% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 68.5% (2023 est.); forest: 7.9% (2023 est.); other: 21.7% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season.
- Geographic note
- Strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal.
- Languages
- Somali (official), Arabic (official), Italian, English.
- Religions
- Muslim 99.9% (Sunni Muslim 98.1%, Shia Muslim 1.2%, Islamic schismatic 0.6%), ethnic religionist 0.1% (2020 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Predominantly Somali with lesser numbers of Arabs, Bantus, and others.
- Economy
- Low-income African Horn economy; 30 years of war and instability crippled economic potential; high remittances for basic survival; new fiscal federalism approach; cleared some unsustainable debt; environmentally fragile; digitally driven urbanization efforts.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Somalia in Numbers
- Population
- 19.65 million
- GDP
- US$13.0 billion
- GDP per person
- US$661
- Life expectancy
- 59.0 years
- Population growth
- 3.34% a year
- Population density
- 30 per km²
- Urban population
- 55.1%
- Surface area
- 637,657 km²
- Forest cover
- 7.8%
- Arable land
- 1.8%
- Access to electricity
- 54.4%
- Internet users
- 27.9%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Somalia in Depth
History
Somalia was likely one of the first lands to be settled by early humans due to its location. Hunter-gatherers who would later migrate out of Africa likely settled here before their migrations. During the Stone Age, the Doian and Hargeisan cultures flourished here. The oldest evidence of burial customs in the Horn of Africa comes from cemeteries in Somalia dating back to the 4th millennium BC. The stone implements from the Jalelo site in the north were also characterised in 1909 as important artefacts demonstrating the archaeological universality during the Paleolithic between the East and the West.
Geography
Somalia borders Djibouti to the northwest, Ethiopia to the west, the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Somali Sea and Guardafui Channel to the east, and Kenya to the southwest. With a land area of 637,657 square kilometres, Somalia's terrain consists mainly of plateaus, plains and highlands. Its coastline is more than 3,333 kilometres in length, the longest of mainland Africa. Its maritime claims include territorial waters of 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi). Somalia has several islands and archipelagos on its coast, including the Bajuni Islands and the Saad ad-Din Archipelago.
Economy
According to the CIA and the Central Bank of Somalia, with ongoing civil unrest, the Somali economy is primarily limited to livestock and remittance/money transfers from Somalis living in more economically advanced countries, and local telecommunications. Owing to a dearth of formal government statistics and ongoing decades-long iterations of civil war, it is difficult to gauge the size or growth of the economy. For 1994, the CIA estimated the GDP at US$3.3 billion. In 2001, it was estimated to be US$4.1 billion. By 2009, the CIA estimated that the GDP had grown to US$5.731 billion, with a projected real growth rate of 2.6%.
Demographics
Somalia lacks reliable population data. The country had an estimated population of around 17.1 million inhabitants in 2021; the total population according to the 1975 census was 3.3 million. A United Nations Population Fund survey conducted in 2013 and 2014 estimated the total population to be 12,316,895. According to OCHA, the total population in 2025 was 19,280,850.
About 85% of residents are ethnic Somalis, who have historically inhabited the northern part of the country. They have traditionally been organised into nomadic pastoral clans, loose empires, sultanates and city-states. Civil strife in the early 1990s greatly increased the size of the Somali diaspora, as many of the best educated Somalis left.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Somalia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Somalia: Key Facts
| Currency | Somali shilling |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Somali, Arabic |
| Head of state | Hassan Sheikh Mohamud |
| Head of government | Mohamed Hussein Roble |
| Form of government | federal republic |
| Calling code | +252 |
| Internet domain | .so |
| Highest point | Shimbiris |
| Lowest point | Indian Ocean |
| Established | 1960 |
Facts from Wikidata Q1045 (CC0).
History of Somalia: Empires and States
The atlas records 7 polities whose mapped territory included part of Somalia, from Omani Slave Coast in 1840 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Omani Slave Coast | 1840–1855 CE | A large part |
| Majeerteen Sultanate | 1856–1889 CE | A small part |
| Sultanate of Hobyo | 1880–1894 CE | A small part |
| Italian Africa | 1890–1940 CE | Nearly all |
| British Africa | 1890–1959 CE | Nearly all |
| The British Empire | 1890–1959 CE | Nearly all |
| Federal Republic of Somalia | 1960–2024 CE | Nearly all |
Historical Maps of Somalia
Somalia on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Somalia
Somalia (Somali: Soomaaliya; Arabic: الصومال aṣ-Ṣūmāl) is a country on the Horn of Africa. Once the centre of many powerful sultanates and an Italian colony, the country has been in a state of chaos and turmoil since the 1980s. The country suffers from a myriad of social problems such as warfare, terrorism, corruption, political instability, and general lawlessness, and it isn't exactly your typical family destination.
However, under less extreme circumstances, this country has a lot to offer to the adventurous, thrill-seeking traveller. There are a number of historical sites, beaches, waterfalls, mountain ranges, and national parks. The Somalis are generally very friendly and down-to-earth, and they are happy with what they have. Tourists might find themselves being treated like celebrities here; in fact, they might be showered with a lot of hospitality and care, even if they unintentionally make a few cultural blunders.
Since 2012, the situation is gradually getting better and the country is seeing some form of political stability.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Somalia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Somalia
25 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mogadishu | 1.10 million | Banaadir | National capital |
| 2 | Kismaayo | 234,852 | Jubbada Hoose | Admin-1 capital |
| 3 | Jamaame | 185,270 | Jubbada Hoose | Populated place |
| 4 | Baydhabo | 129,839 | Bay | Admin-1 capital |
| 5 | Jawhar | 111,308 | Shabeellaha Dhexe | Admin-1 capital |
| 6 | Beledweyne | 62,945 | Hiiraan | Admin-1 capital |
| 7 | Gaalkacyo | 61,200 | Mudug | Admin-1 capital |
| 8 | Mandera | 52,885 | Gedo | Populated place |
| 9 | Boosaaso | 46,969 | Bari | Admin-1 capital |
| 10 | Luuq | 33,820 | Gedo | Populated place |
| 11 | Buurhakaba | 31,267 | Bay | Populated place |
| 12 | Eyl | 18,904 | Nugaal | Populated place |
| 13 | Bandarbeyla | 13,753 | Bari | Populated place |
| 14 | Garbahaarey | 12,652 | Gedo | Admin-1 capital |
| 15 | Ferfer | 6,000 | Hiiraan | Populated place |
| 16 | Buur Gaabo | 3,096 | Jubbada Hoose | Populated place |
| 17 | Garoowe | 2,568 | Nugaal | Admin-1 capital |
| 18 | Marka | 1,958 | Shabeellaha Hoose | Admin-1 capital |
| 19 | Hudur | 1,639 | Bakool | Admin-1 capital |
| 20 | Bu'aale | 1,490 | Jubbada Dhexe | Admin-1 capital |
| 21 | Qardho | 1,341 | Bari | Populated place |
| 22 | Mereeg | 548 | Galguduud | Populated place |
| 23 | Caluula | 513 | Bari | Populated place |
| 24 | Dhuusa Mareeb | 447 | Galguduud | Admin-1 capital |
| 25 | Hurdiyo | 176 | Bari | Populated place |
Highest Mountains in Somalia
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shimbiris | 2,414 m | 7,920 ft | Africa |
Shimbiris
Mountain · 2,414 m
Shimbiris is a mountain rising to 2,414 metres (7,920 ft) in Somalia, in the Africa region.
Mount Shimbiris (also spelled Shimbeeris) is the highest peak in Somaliland and Somalia. It has an elevation of 2,460 metres (8,071 ft) above sea level. It is located in the Ogo Mountains range, which forms part of the Cal Madow mountain system in the Khatumo State, and the Sanaag region of Somalia and Somaliland.
Data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) indicates that the often-quoted elevation of 2,416 metres (7,927 ft) may be slightly understated. The mountain rises prominently above the surrounding escarpments overlooking the Gulf of Aden.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Mount Shimbiris (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 2,414 m (7,920 ft)
- Global rank
- #351 of 641 indexed
- Region
- Africa (#48)
- Country
- Somalia
- Coordinates
- 10.7388°, 47.2429°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Shimbiris ranks #351 by elevation, below Chappal Wadi (2,419 m) and above Fox Mountain (2,404 m).
- Ranges:
- Ogo Mountains (Africa), Hadhramaut (Asia)
- Neighbouring summits:
- Moussa Ali (2,021 m), Gugu (3,626 m), Mount Batu (4,307 m)
More about Shimbiris
Geography
Mount Shimbiris is situated near the town of Erigavo, the regional capital of Sanaag. The surrounding Cal Madow range extends parallel to the Gulf of Aden coastline and is characterized by steep ridges, plateaus, and deep valleys. The range forms part of the broader northern Somali highlands.
Climate
Due to its elevation, Mount Shimbiris experiences cooler temperatures compared to much of Somalia’s lowland desert geography. The Cal Madow mountains receive relatively higher rainfall, particularly during seasonal monsoons, supporting forested areas uncommon in much of the country.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Mount Shimbiris (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Shimbiris: Key Facts
| Topographic prominence | 1,495 m |
|---|---|
| Mountain range | Ogo Mountains |
Facts from Wikidata Q649162 (CC0).
Rivers in Somalia
2 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
Ports in Somalia
4 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Somalia
4 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Africa | 29.41M km² | Continent | Africa |
| 2 | Somali Peninsula | 295,787 km² | Pen/cape | Africa |
| 3 | Banaadir Coast | 35,069 km² | Geoarea | Africa |
| 4 | Ogo Mountains | 81 km² | Range/mtn | Africa |
States and Provinces of Somalia
1 first-level divisions with their own map.
Countries Bordering Somalia
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Africa
Somalia: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Somalia?
- The capital of Somalia is Mogadishu.
- What is the population of Somalia?
- Somalia has a population of about 19.65 million, the #67 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Somalia?
- Somalia covers 637,657 km², ranking #45 by area, with about 31 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Somalia in?
- Somalia is in Africa.
- Which countries border Somalia?
- Somalia shares a land or maritime border with Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti.
- What is the largest city in Somalia?
- Mogadishu is the largest city in Somalia, with a metropolitan population of about 1.10 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Somalia?
- The highest summit recorded for Somalia in YearMaps is Shimbiris at 2,414 m (7,920 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.