Portal:Somalia

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Camels on sale at Baidoa livestock market in Somalia on November 7, 2019

Flag of Somalia	Coat of arms of Somalia

Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east, and Kenya to the southwest. Somalia has the longest coastline on the mainland of Africa, with a seaboard that stretches 3,025 kilometres (1,880 mi).

In antiquity, Somalia was an important centre for commerce with the rest of the ancient world, it is among the most probable locations of the fabled ancient Land of Punt. During the Middle Ages, several powerful Somali empires dominated the regional trade, including the Ajuuraan Sultanate, the Adal Sultanate and the Geledi Sultanate. In the late nineteenth century, through a succession of treaties with these kingdoms, the British and Italians gained control of parts of the coast, and established British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland. In the interior, the Dervish State wherein Muhammad Abdullah Hassan was leader successfully repulsed the British Empire four times and forced it to retreat to the coastal region. Italian occupation lasted until 1941, yielding to British military administration. British Somaliland would remain a protectorate, while Italian Somaliland in 1949 became a United Nations Trusteeship under Italian administration, the Trust Territory of Somaliland.

Though, in 1960, the two regions united to form the independent Somali Republic under a civilian government. In 1991, following the collapse of the government of Siad Barre, the Republic of Somaliland unilaterally declared its independence from Somalia, reinstating the borders of former British Somaliland, and has been governed by democratically elected leaders since. Somaliland's independence, however, has not been recognised by any foreign country or international organisation.

Somalia has a population of around 10 million. About 85% of local residents are ethnic Somalis, Somali and Arabic are the official languages of Somalia, both of which belong to the Afro-Asiatic family. Most people in the territory are Muslims, the majority being Sunni.

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The Somalia affair was a 1993 Canadian military scandal, prompted by the beating to death of Shidane Arone, a Somali teenager, at the hands of two Canadian peacekeepers participating in humanitarian efforts in Somalia. The act was documented by photos, and brought to light internal problems in the Canadian Airborne Regiment. Military leadership were sharply rebuked after a CBC reporter received altered documents, leading to allegations of a cover-up. The Somalia affair tarnished Canada's international reputation in what was heralded as "the darkest era in the history of the Canadian military".

Eventually a public inquiry was called. Despite being cut short by the government, resulting in a public backlash, the Somalia Inquiry exposed problems in the Canadian Forces. The affair led to the disbanding of Canada's elite Canadian Airborne Regiment, greatly damaging the morale of the Canadian Forces. It also led to the immediate reduction of Canadian military spending by nearly 25% from the time of the killing to the inquiry. (Full article...)

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Somalia competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 7 to 18 September 2016. The country's participation in Rio marked its debut appearance in the quadrennial event, although it had competed in the Summer Olympics nine times since the 1972 Games. The delegation consisted of a single middle-distance runner, Farhan Adawe, who qualified for the Games by meeting qualification standards in March 2016. He was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony and came ninth overall in his event, the men's 100 metres (T52), which led to his elimination from the Paralympics. (Full article...)

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Mogadishu Battle of Jilib Embassy of the United States, Mogadishu Operation Eastern Exit Cyclone Sagar Somalia at the 2000 Summer Olympics Somalia at the 2008 Summer Olympics Somalia at the 2012 Summer Olympics Somalia at the 2016 Summer Olympics

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...that Mohammed Abdullah Hassan (pictured), was the emir of Diriye Guure, the Sultan of the Dervish State, whom with the Haroun led a resistance war against British, Italian and Ethiopian forces for over two decades?

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Image 1Hargeisa and much of northwestern Somalia is desert or hilly terrain. Here, the thelarchic-shaped Naasa Hablood hills are shown.
Image 2A man carries a huge hammerhead shark through the streets of Mogadishu
Image 3A view of Banderadley Somalia
Image 4The Jubba river near Jamaame
Image 5A camel peering over the leafier portions of Cal Madow, a mountain range in Somalia
Image 6A view of Bosaso
Image 7Lamadaya are waterfalls located in the Cal Madow mountain range in the northern Sanaag region of Somalia
Image 8Mashmash, a Somali pancake and part of Somali cuisine
Image 9A view in the Kismayo/Dalxiiska area in 2016
Image 10A view of the Port of Mogadishu
Image 11A satellite image of Somalia, 2004
Image 12A Dhulbahante garesa (dervish fort) in Taleh
Image 13The beachside at Merca, an ancient port city in the southern Lower Shebelle province of Somalia

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The following are images from various Somalia-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi's pioneering use of cannons figured prominently in his Conquest of Ethiopian territories. (from History of Somalia)
Image 2Wa'daan warriors ambushed and killed the Italian explorer Antonio Cecchi and most of his troops at Lafoole, west of Mogadishu, 1896 (from History of Somalia)
Image 3The Osmanya writing script. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 4The battle flag of Al-Shabaab, an Islamist group waging war against the federal government. (from History of Somalia)
Image 5Dervish commander Haji Sudi on the left with his brother in-law Duale Idres. Aden, 1892. (from History of Somalia)
Image 6Foreign Minister of Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Omaar in a meeting with UNDP Administrator Helen Clark and other diplomats at the UN headquarters in New York. (from History of Somalia)
Image 7Somalia map of Köppen climate classification. (from Geography of Somalia)
Image 8Map of Italian Somaliland in 1940, when was added the British Somaliland (after the previous addition of the Ogaden in 1936) (from History of Somalia)
Image 9Mogadiscio cathedral (from History of Somalia)
Image 10AMISOM reinforcement convoy on the Baidoa-Mogadishu road in April 2014 (from History of Somalia)
Image 11A traditional dabqaad incense burner. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 12Former leader of the Somali Youth League Aden Abdullah Osman Daar who eventually became the first President of the Somali Republic following the union of State of Somaliland and Italian Trusteeship of Somalia. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 13Flag of the Somali Youth League (SYL), the nation's first political party. (from History of Somalia)
Image 14Engraving of the 13th century Fakr ad-Din Mosque built by Fakr ad-Din, the first Sultan of the Sultanate of Mogadishu. (from History of Somalia)
Image 15Barawa city was an important medieval centre of Somali enterprise. (from History of Somalia)
Image 16Neolithic rock art at the Laas Geel complex depicting a camel. (from History of Somalia)
Image 17Exhumed skeletal remains of victims of the Isaaq genocide (from History of Somalia)
Image 18Mosque of Islamic Solidarity (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 19Major General Mohamed Siad Barre, Chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Council. (from History of Somalia)
Image 20US Army helicopter shortly before Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. (from History of Somalia)
Image 21Cinema Italia in Mogadiscio, 1937 (from History of Somalia)
Image 22Taleh was the capital of the Dervish movement. (from History of Somalia)
Image 23Somali woman building a Somali house (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 24A Somali woman showing a decorated pottery (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 25Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, leader of the Dervish movement. (from History of Somalia)
Image 26Somali Army soldiers during the operation Operation Indian Ocean, October 2014 (from History of Somalia)
Image 27Dulbiciid in Godaalo, Xudun District, tallest Somalia mountain outside karkaar range (from Geography of Somalia)
Image 28Somalis performing the folk dance called Dhaanto (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 29Somali women performing a traditional dance (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 30The Silk Road extending from southern Europe through Arabia, Somalia, Egypt, Persia, India and Java until it reaches China. (from History of Somalia)
Image 31Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur Chairman of the Somali National Movement that overthrew Barre's regime in Northern Somalia (from History of Somalia)
Image 32Almnara Tower, Mogadishu. (from History of Somalia)
Image 33In 1698, the Portuguese in Mombasa surrendered to a joint Somali-Ottoman force. (from History of Somalia)
Image 34Somali women basket weaving (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 35Topography of Somalia (from Geography of Somalia)
Image 36Downtown Mogadishu in 1936. Arch of Triumph Umberto to the left, Cathedral and Arba Rucun mosque to the centre-right. (from History of Somalia)
Image 37Somali language books on display. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 38Sheikh Ali Ayanle Samatar, a prominent Somali Islamic scholar. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 39An avenue in downtown Mogadishu in 1963. (from History of Somalia)
Image 40The Guardafui Channel, between the tip of Somalia and Socotra island. (from Geography of Somalia)
Image 41Bimaal clan elders and the Bimal Sultan on board Marco Polo discussing matters with Italian figures (from History of Somalia)
Image 42Mosque in Borama, Somaliland (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 43Mogadishan currency – The Sultanate of Mogadishu was an important monetary supporter of Adal. (from History of Somalia)
Image 44Ruins of the Sultanate of Adal in Zeila, Somalia. (from History of Somalia)
Image 45Somali women in traditional dirac and shash (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 46Italian Somalia (from History of Somalia)
Image 47Model of a medieval Mogadishan ship. (from History of Somalia)
Image 48Governor's palace in Mogadiscio (from History of Somalia)
Image 49Somali singer Fartuun Birimo wearing henna hand and arm designs. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 50Merca is an ancient Islamic center in Somalia. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 51Fiat building in Mogadiscio, 1940 (from History of Somalia)
Image 52Somali woman in Hargeisa opening speech with traditional greeting. (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 53Somali men and women in front of a traditional house (from Culture of Somalia)
Image 54Italian stamp from Mogadiscio (from History of Somalia)
Image 55Embassy of Somalia in Paris (from History of Somalia)
Image 5619th century Martello fort in Berbera constructed by Haji Sharmarke Ali Saleh (from History of Somalia)

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