Somalia

Somali is a country rich in culture and history. It is also a country that is well known for the daily violence and brutality that occurs there due to the absence of a central government. If you plan to travel to Somalia, or are just interested in the country, it is essential that you acquire a good deal of accurate Somalia information. The population of Somalia is roughly 9,832,017 people. There are a variety of races and ethnicities that make up this population, including Somali, Arab, Bantu, as well as other. Important Somalia information to keep in mind if you travel to Somalia is that the majority of Somalians are Muslim and therefore follow Islamic law. If you travel to Somalia make sure that you show a great deal of respect for their culture, beliefs and traditions. For example, if you are a female you should dress extremely modestly and show very little skin. Somalians do not eat pork or drink alcohol. Other vital travel information about Somalia includes the climate and terrain. Somalia is typically dry and hot. The temperature ranges from about 68°F in the winter to about 100°F in the summer. Inadequate rainfall often leads to drought and eventually failed crops. As a result widespread famine is common in Somalia. Precise Somalia information regarding the extent of the damage that the famine has called is difficult to obtain. This is because it is unsafe for rescue workers, volunteers and doctors to enter the country and provide the victims of malnutrition with aid. It is estimated that to date, over 300,000 people have died do to starvation and malnutrition. town watering holes often dry up and Somalians attempt to flee into other countries for aid, but are stopped at the borders and are refused entry into other countries. Until the internal civil strife is under control there is little that foreign organizations and governments can do about Somalia and the appalling conditions that Somalians are forced to live in.

Many people, organization and governments around the world are worried about Somalia and the current political conflict that is taking place there. Waring clans take part in open gun fire and are responsible for bombings that occur in cities throughout the country. Many innocent citizens are injured and killed in the crossfire that occurs between these clans. To date, over 30,000 people have been killed due to the Civil War, and Somalians have to fear brutality and death on a daily basis. It is difficult for organizations and foreign governments to obtain accurate Somalia information and data, as it is dangerous for anyone to travel to Somalia to record the extent of the damage and the actual number of fatalities. Organizations such as Doctors Without Borders have been extremely concerned about Somalia and the lack of medical attention that Somalians are receiving. They have stationed a staff of 1,452 individuals in Somalia in order to treat the wounded and the ill, administer vaccines, distribute water and supplies and collect vital Somalia information, including the conditions in which Somalians are living. Hopefully the internal political strife will soon come to an end and there will be more that we can do about Somalia and the relief and humanitarian efforts that need to continue to occur there.

Famine in Somalia

The country of Somalia faces many ongoing problems. Many people are aware of the ongoing political conflicts and the civil war that brings violence and death to the Somalian people everyday. They realize that 30,000 Somalians have been killed since the government was overthrow in 1991. However, few people actually realize the extent to which this fighting has affected the people of Somalia. They forget about the other 300,000 people who have been killed due to famine in Somalia. The irreversible damage that has occurred due to the Somalia famine may have been avoided or reduced with the cooperation of a central government. Famine in Somalia has been brought on in large part due to drought and inadequate and unpredictable rainfall. Crops, such as the sorghum crop, has failed and village water holes have run dry, providing Somalians with no access to food or water, and the clans and factions in Somalia are so busy fighting their civil war that they are doing little, or nothing, to help the people who are suffering from famine in Somalia. Somalia famine has caused thousands of people to flee from their homes, where they have no access to the resources that are necessary for survival, to makeshift camps. Often, people who are suffering from famine in Somalia have attempted to cross into bordering countries, such as Kenya, where they are refused entrance into the country and are offered little or no assistance. Many individuals die in these camps or near the borders of neighboring countries.

The United Nations has tried repeatedly to assist with Somalia famine, but their effort reliefs are often hampered due to the current state of the country. The clan fighting that is taking place in Somalia makes in difficult and dangerous for workers to enter the country and provide relief to Somalians. Because of this workers are unable to find out haw many people have dies because of Somalia famine, or how bad the food shortage really is. Foreign governments and organizations do not offer any long term assistance to help the people cope with famine in Somalia. They provide quick, one time fixes by offering aid and delivering food, however, famine in Somalia will continue to occur. In order to reduce the effects of Somalia famine a central government needs to be instated, and the infrastructure of Somalia needs to change. That way, when famine dose strike in Somalia the people have a government that can assist them and provide some form of relief. Somalia famine is not the only famine taking place in Africa. Famine is widespread throughout much of Africa and repeated famines have been documented in countries such as Rwanda and Ethiopia. Throughout history much of the world has had to cope with famine at one time or another. Famine has occurred in Russia, Asia, and Europe in places such as Italy, England, Iceland, and Finland. One of the most well known famines in history was the Great Potato Famine, that occurred between 1845–1849 in Ireland, killing 1,000,000 people and forcing another 1,000,000 to emigrate.

History of Somalia

The history of Somalia is a history rife with political conflicts and violence. During antiquity Somalia was a popular center for trade and commerce and was important for the resources that they provided to the rest of the ancient world. Ancient Phoneticians, Egyptians and Babylonians relied on Somalia for coveted items such as spices and myrrh. Through the trade contacts that Somalia upheld with Islamic countries, The religion of Islam flourished throughout the city states. Throughout Somalia history the regional trade was dominated by an array of small empires. These Somalian empires included the Sultanate of Adal, the Ajuuraan State and the Gobroon Dynasty. One of the most famous success stories in Somalia history took place after the Berlineise Conference ended and the General Act of the Berlin Conference was no longer held in regard during colonization. The General Act of the Berlin Conference regulated the colonization of Africa in an organized matter, giving certain areas of Africa to different European nations to colonize. Once it was no longer in affect European nations traveled around the Horn of Africa looking for land to colonize. In Somalia history Muhammad Abdullah Hassan, the leader of the Dervish State, is recognized for organizing a Somali army and engaging in one of the longest resistances to colonial expansion in history. Somalia managed to fight of the British for a quarter of a century, and remained uncolonized until 1920.The next twenty one years of Somalia history would be spent as a protectorate of Britain. Italy also took control of parts of Somali in 1927. In 1960, Somalia gained it’s independence when Northern Somalia and Southern Somalia united to form the Somali Democratic Republic, the first Republic to be implemented in the history of Somalia. Aden Abdullah Osman Daar was named president, and Abdirashid Ali Shermarke became Prime Minister. On July 20,1961 the Somali Constitution was changed and ratified.

The history of Somalia continued to experience violence and struggle even after Somalia gained independence. Somalia history is teeming with inter-clan rivalry. After president Shermarke was assassinated in 1969, a small group led by the Chief of Police Jama Korshel, Major General Salaad Gebeyre Kediye and General Siad Barre forcefully overtook the government and replaced it with a military government. Barre was named president and Korshel became vice-president. The military government introduced many successful programs that improved life in Somalia, such as public works programs and a literacy campaign that increased the literacy rate 50%. However, as through all of the history of Somalia, struggles continued. Opposing clans overthrew President Barr in 1991, but failed to agree on someone to take the presidency. Clan warfare swept through the country and chaos and disorder ensued. In 2004 politicians and clan leaders signed an agreement that instituted a new parliament in Somalia, which named a new president and sought to reunite the divided country. Throughout the history of Somalia, up until today violence and warfare is common throughout the country. Beginning in 2006 Ethiopian troops and Islamic insurgents fought for control of the government. Al-Shabaab, an Islamic insurgency group which has ties to Al-Qaeda, has gained control of most of Somalia. The people of Somalia have to face the fear brutality and death every day.

Somalis in USA

Somalia has a long history of war, violence and famine. Thousands of people are killed every year because they are caught in the cross fire between warring clans. People are kidnapped and held for ransom, and Somali pirates have control over the coast of Somalia. 300,000 people have died because of famine and malnutrition. Town watering holes often dry up and Somalians can not gain access to vital resources that are necessary for survival. As a result of this brutal history, many Somalis have chosen to immigrate into the United States. Currently, the United States has the seventh largest Somali population in the world. Countries that contain a larger Somali community include Ethiopia, Kenya, Canada and the United Kingdom. A Somali American is a resident of the United States who has gained citizenship and who was born in or who has ancestors from Somalia. In the 1920s Somali sailors came to the United States and settled in New York. These were the first Somalis to come to the United States. Somali immigration began to increase in the 1970s. After the Somali central government was overthrown and the Civil War began in 1991, a great deal of Somalis began to arrive to the United States.

Minneapolis and Saint Paul contain the highest population of Somalis in the United States. Approximately 25,000 Somali immigrants live in the state of Minnesota. Minneapolis has many Somali run stores and businesses. New York City, Kansas City, Washington DC, San Diego, Seattle and San Francisco also contain high concentration of Somalis. Other states that have large Somali communities are Ohio, Texas, Georgia, Washington, California and Arizona. Somali Americans have found a way to maintain their religious practices and their culture despite being separated from their home land for many years. Somali Americans have experienced a great deal of discrimination in the United States, the majority of the discrimination based on their race and their religious beliefs. Many Somali woman find it difficult to live in the United States, where Islamic law does not require women to cover their heads and their bodies. Many jobs require women to wear uniforms, often uniforms that are not appropriate for women to wear under Islamic law. Six Somali women in Minneapolis were threatened with termination from their jobs if they refused to cooperate with uniform policy. Like many African Americans, American Somalis have experience discrimination at work and at school. They have frequently been refused employment and housing. After the attacks of September 11, 2001 on the twin towers, discrimination against Somalis increased due to their faith. There are organizations in many cities throughout the United States that have been created to aid Somalis in America. One such organization is the Minnesota International Health Volunteers, which have instituted a unique family planning program aimed at fitting the cultural needs of the Somali community. Programs such as these seek to make the transition to the United States and American Culture easier for Somalis who have come to this country as a means of escaping daily violence and brutality.

Information on Somalia

Somalia is an African country that is located on the Horn of Africa. If you are traveling to, or are just interested in Somalia, it is important that you become familiar with the country information. Somalia is bordered by Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya. It has a population of about 9,832,017 people. The capital city of Somalia is Mogadishu, which is also the largest city in the country. The life expectancy in Somalia is only 49.6 due to a continual civil war, famine, widespread disease and little or no access to health care. 109 infants out of 1000 will die, most due to malnutrition and disease. In 2001 only 38% of the population was literate. The official language of Somalia is Somali, but English, Arabic and Italian are also spoken. The religion of almost all Somalians is Islam, although there is a very small minority of Christians in parts of Somalia. The primary exports of the country are cattle, sheep, goats, fish, sugar, bananas, corn and sorghum. Other small industries in Somalia include textiles and telecommunications. There are very few natural resources that are abundant in Somalia. Uranium is one resource that the country exports. The form of money that is used in Somalia is the Somali shilling. The country is composed of individuals of a variety of different races and ethnicities. These ethnicities include, but are not limited to Somali, Bantu, Arabs and others.

Important country information about Somalia includes that Somalia has no established central government. In 1991 the central government was overthrow and waring clans have been competing for power and control ever since. To date there seems to be no plan to instate a central government or build a formal state. Violence and brutality is a daily occurrence in Somalia and each year thousands of innocent bystanders are caught in the cross fire between rival clans, many of them being killed. Famine is wide spread throughout Somalia and 300,000 people have died from starvation and malnutrition due to crop failure brought on by drought. Other essential country information is that travel is extremely dangerous and not recommended unless absolutely necessary. If there is no way to avoid travel to Somalia you should consult an expert on the best way to remain safe in a war torn country. United States citizens who are going to travel to Somalia regardless of the travel warnings are strongly advised to register with the State Department’s travel registration to receive vital country information as well as updates on security. Other important country information about Somalia is that the Somalian coast is teeming with pirates. These pirates are known to capture ships and hold them, as well as the cargo and the crew hostage. They demand ransom for the release of hostages and cargo. Though most of Somalia is extremely dangerous and rife with violence, there is an exciting blend of cultures that meld in this country due to a long history of trade and commerce. Hopefully on day the civil strife will end and it will be safe for people to experience the blend of cultures and the sites in Somalia.