Somalia Country Profile

 

Somali Flag

Discovering Somalia

Somalia is a country found in the Horn of Africa. Africa’s easternmost country Somalia, shares borders with Djibouti in the northwest, Kenya in the southwest, the Gulf of Aden with Yemen in the north, the Indian Ocean in the east and Ethiopia in the west.
It has a land area of 637,540 sq km that extends into the tip of the continent (in resemblance to a rhinoceros’ horn); hence the name, “Horn of Africa”.
Somalia as a country has the longest coastline on the African continent whose landscape is dominated by varying highlands, plateaus and plains.  Mogadishu is the capital.
Cal Madow is a mountain range in the northeastern part of the country. Extending from several kilometers west of the city of Bosaso to the northwest of Erigavo, it features Somalia’s highest peak, Shimbiris (2,410 m). The rugged east-west ranges of the Karkaar Mountains also lie at varying distances from the Gulf of Aden coast. War-torn Somalia experiences a year-round hot climate punctuated with seasonal monsoon winds and irregular rainfall.
In antiquity, Somalia was an important center for pyramidal structures, temples and ancient houses of dressed stone littered around Somalia are said to date from this period.
Despite suffering from civil strife and instability, Somalia has also managed to sustain a free market economy which, according to the World Bank outperforming some relatively stable countries in Africa.

Mogadishu View

Much as Somalia is a country with a troubled past, the government has stepped up stability-oriented efforts and is currently waging a military campaign with radical Islamic factions that refused to merge with the government and are backed by al-Qaeda.
Getting There
There are only two options regarding flight travel to and fro Somalia. Daallo Airlines is the only international carrier with Somalia flights (2-3 flights per week) from Djibouti. Juba Airways, a Somali airline is the other. It has operations to Mogadishu from Dubai, Bossaso and Jeddah. All international Flights to Somalia touch down at Aaden Cabdulle Cismaan International Airport which has been re-opened recently in late 2006. Our high recommendation is you will need to consult with your Somalia travel operators for guidance with where to stay, Somalia travel packages and best Flights to/from Somalia.