Somaliland Is Not Somalia!!! By its name, we guess where Somaliland can be located on the map, but it’s a country that very few people know… Indeed, it’s actually a country that does not exist for the international community. Somaliland self-proclaimed itself independent in 1991, after the end of the civil war in 1988, when Somali troops were pushed back to what is now the borders of this de facto state.
Unfortunately, Somaliland, not being recognized officially, experiences a lot of problems, and can (almost) only rely on itself and on the money of the diaspora to get by. It lives in peace and the country has political stability, which is already a great success compared with what “remain” of Somalia (Puntland and Somalia). Elections were been prepared during my stay, and the elected party “Kulmiye” claims to fight for international recognition of the country of Somaliland, helped by foreign investors like the United Arab Emirates. Somaliland, 55th state of Africa???
This country surprised me a lot, especially by the kindness and autenthicity of Somalilanders.
AT A GLANCE
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Population: 3.5 million, 45% of the population lives in the city and 55% are nomadic or semi-nomadic
Area: 137600 km2, low density 25hab / km2
Capital: Hargeisa, about 1.1 million inhabitants, 1260m above sea level
Language: Somali (same alphabet), Arabic, English
Religion: Islam
Independence: declared on 18 May 1991 (but not recognized) from Somalia (unification of Somaliland with Italian Somalia after the independence of the United Kingdom in 1960).
Curiosity: camel population of about 5 million, much more than the total population of the country. The country with the most camels in the world! Livestock is the main exportation.
