Islamic Republic of Somalia Jamhuuriyadda Islaamiga ah ee Soomaaliya (Somali) جمهورية الصومال الاسلامية (Arabic) | |||||
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Motto: "Xooggu Waa Midnimo" "القوة هي الوحدة" "Strength is Unity" | |||||
Anthem: Anthem of the Republic of Somalia | |||||
| Capital | Mogadishu | ||||
| Official languages | Somali, Arabic | ||||
| Ethnic groups | 95% Somali 5% others (Ethiopian, Afars, Oromo) | ||||
| Demonym(s) | Somalia, Somalian | ||||
| Membership | African Union Arab League United Nations GOIC TCDP | ||||
| Government | Presidential Republic | ||||
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Somalia (Somali: Soomaaliya, Arabic: الصومال), officially the Islamic Republic of Somalia (Somali: Jamhuuriyadda Islaamiga ah ee Soomaaliya, Arabic: جمهورية الصومال الاسلامية) is a country located in northeastern 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 Africa's mainland, and its terrain consists mainly of plateaus, plains and highlands. Climatically, hot conditions prevail year-round, with periodic monsoon winds and irregular rainfall.
Over the course of its history, Somalia was a thriving nation - was marked by many kingdoms and sultanates in the area.
Somalia is a member of many groups, including the Global Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the African Union, the Arab League, and the East African Community.
History[]
Somali Civil War, China Gets Involved - 1991[]
After Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991, a civil war ensued between his two sons, Wahid and Ahmad Barre against various opposition and Islamist groups. In a bid to begin spreading their influence abroad, the Chinese government sent peace-keeping forces into Somalia, however, on the side of Ahmad Barre, opposing NATO.
The United States was opposed to such Chinese involvement, stating that the U.S. had things taken care of. Via China's new treaty of friendship with the Soviet Union, the Chinese purchase Soviet warplanes, and deployed forces into Somalia, although in small numbers, since China lacked the naval technology to do so.
The presence of Chinese forces in Somalia terrified the various rebel and Islamist groups throughout the country, with Islamist leaders admitting that it was almost impossible to penetrate through areas with Chinese military presence.
In 2011, the Chinese intensified their presence in Somalia, with Manchuria also sending their own forces, with the completion of the Liaoning aircraft carrier, the PLA Navy, PLA Air Force and Manchurian air force began to conduct aerial raids in Somalia, independent of NATO's aerial strikes, against terrorists nests all over the country.
President Barack Obama called on the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Manchuria to cease their airstrikes in Somalia, in support of President Wahid Barre's regime, to which, Hu Jintao rejected, and stated that the Chinese will continue to conduct airstrikes in Somalia. It would be the first time that Chinese acted on their own without Russian aid.
This, President Wahid Barre declared that Somalia would be a military ally of China. By 2013, Chinese forces helped the Somali government take back 70% of all areas afflicted by terrorists, and the Chinese military had caught a number of high-profile terrorists.
Demographics[]
Religion[]
Islam is the State Religion according to Somalia's Constitution. All citizens of Somalia follow Sunni Islam by law, a long-standing tradition of Somali culture. The presence of Islam in the Horn of Africa is as old as the religion itself. About 10% of the country once followed Christianity, the presence of Christianity among ethnic Somalis was spearheaded by missionaries from the various colonial powers that ruled the Horn of Africa, with each reflecting a distinct colonial influence. Of the Christians of Somalia, there were Roman Catholics (as a result of French colonial rule), Protestants (as a result of British annexation), as well as Copts from Egypt and Sudan and Orthodox Ethiopians.
However, the majority of Somali Christians have fled elsewhere to Christian-friendly countries.
Language[]
Somali and Arabic are the two official state languages of Somalia. Both languages are part of the Afro-Asiatic family. Somali is the native tongue of over 95% of the population, and is currently written in the Latin script. Historically, an Arabic script known as Wadaad's writing was implemented for the Somali language. Many religious scholars and tradition-based clans and tribes still use Wadaad's writing.
Due to the centuries-long connections with the Arab World, Arabic is the second official state language and is often not spoken by elite class and religious leaders.
Additionally, English and French are also taught in schools as optional foreign languages, and French in particular, has become a popular business language.
Other languages spoken include Afar, Oromo, and Amharic by the Ethiopian community. French was spoken by the former Roman Catholic community, who have since-then, fled Somalia.
Politics[]
Political System[]
Somalia is currently an Islamic republic, containing the style of a federal republic, however, with the presence of Islam. All politicians and citizens in Somalia are Muslim by law.
The 2000 Constitution designates Islam as the State Religion of Somalia.
Shariah Law is also present in Somali politics, and preaching of all religious outside of Islam is prohibited in the country, and controversial Islamic sects such as Ahmadiyyah and Druze are not considered Islam under Somali law.
All Islamic holy days are public holidays in Somalia.
Military and Law Enforcement[]
The Armed Forces of Somalia (Somali: Ciidamada Qalabka Sida ee Soomaaliya, Arabic: القوات المسلحة في الصومال) are the main armed branch of the Somali government, placed under the command of the President. They consist of the Somali Ground Army, Somali Air Force, Somali Navy, the Citizens Constabulary and Special Forces Group. The Somali Navy and Special Forces Group often deals with handling of pirates operating in the Gulf of Aden and to counter terrorist activity. The Citizens Constabulary deals with peace-keeping in civilian grounds.
Somalia's military is currently funded by western nations, and after the Somali Civil War, the government and military made efforts to create a uniformed armed forces, and keep updated its inventory and technologies.
The Somalia Federal Police (Somali: Soomaaliya Police Federaalka, Arabic: الشرطة الاتحادية الصومال) is the national law enforcement group of the nation. In addition, towns and cities also have their own law enforcement units.
News[]
3/27/19 - Today, the Chinese government successfully completed the delivery of four Chengu J-20s to the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Somalia.
Last year, the Somali government failed to strike a deal with Russia to purchase Sukhoi Su-27s, however, under the Zhirinovsky Law, the Russian government is prohibited from doing high tie businesses with Islamist nations, selling heavy weapons such as military aircraft is considered part of those prohibited activities, and Somalia is an Islamist nation.
Somalia successfully signed a $700 million deal to purchase four Chengdu J-20s, to bolster defenses for Somali airspace. After military exercises with China in 2016, President Wahid Barre lamented on Somalia's outdated air force.
The air forces of Somalia contains a measly fleet of 97 aircraft, mostly consisting of MiG-27s.
The defense minister of Somalia Abdirashid Abdullahi Mohamed made a public statement, "On behalf of President Wahid Barre, the people of the Islamic Republic of Somalia, we would like to thank the People's Republic of China for their support to us, at a time when other world powers have shown nothing but hostility."
The aircraft was delivered at the 3rd Mogadishu Air Base. The Somali military held a welcome feast for the Chinese military personnel delivering the aircraft.