Somalia
Africa Β· Capital: Mogadishu
How it is run: Somalia is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Somalia is home to 19.7 million people in Eastern Africa, where people speak Arabic, Somali.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
19.7 million people
That is 0.2% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
637,657 kmΒ²
Bigger than Texas β a long road trip from one side to the other.
ποΈ How crowded
About 31 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
24th most people in Africa
18th largest by land in Africa.
π£οΈ Official languages
Arabic, Somali
More than one language is used for official business.
π° Money
Somali shilling (Sh)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
59 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$661
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
55.1% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
46.6% of the population
A very young country β schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+252
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.so
π§ People here are called
Somali
π·οΈ Name at home
Ψ§ΩΨ΅ΩΩ Ψ§Ω Β· Soomaaliya
Also written: aαΉ£-αΉ’Ε«mΔl, Federal Republic of Somalia, Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Somalia touches 3 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Somalia
French
Somalie
Arabic
Ψ§ΩΨ΅ΩΩ Ψ§Ω
Chinese
紒马ι
Japanese
γ½γγͺγ’
Russian
Π‘ΠΎΠΌΠ°Π»ΠΈ
Portuguese
SomΓ‘lia
German
Somalia
Put it in perspective π
- Nigeria β the most populated country in Africa β has about 12.1Γ as many people as Somalia.
- Somalia covers roughly 6,073 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Somalia lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 9,827 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Somalia is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
π·οΈ Official name
Federal Republic of Somalia
ποΈ Capital
Mogadishu
π Region
Africa Β· Eastern Africa
π€ Country code
SO
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Somalia π
π§ Where on the map
10.0Β° N, 49.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+3 β when it is noon in London it is about 15:00 in Mogadishu.
- πΈπ΄ is the flag of Somalia. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is SO.
- Somalia is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- Somalia is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Somalia lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Somalia sits in Eastern Africa, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Somalia has 2 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Somalia can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Somalia spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Somalia?
Mogadishu
Which money do people spend in Somalia?
Somali shilling (Sh)
How many countries share a land border with Somalia?
3 β Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya.
Roughly how many people live in Somalia?
19.7 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.