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For other territories formerly called Somaliland see Somaliland (disambiguation)

Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliland جمهورية ارض الصومال Jumhūrīyat Ard as-Sūmāl Republic of Somaliland
Flag Coat of arms of Somaliland Coat of arms
Motto: لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله  (Arabic) Lā ilāhā illā-llāhu; muhammadun rasūlu-llāhi  (transliteration) "There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" And also : "Justice, Peace, Freedom, Democracy and Success for All"
Anthem: Saamo ku waar
Capital	Hargeisa (1941-1960, 1991 - present)
Official languages	Somali, Arabic and English
Government	Representative democracy
• President	Dahir Riyale Kahin
• Vice-President	Ahmed Yusuf Yasin
Independence
• United Kingdom	28 June 1960 short-lived
• Somalia	18 May 1991 unrecognised
• Water (%)	n/a
Population
• 2005 estimate	3.5 million (n/a)
GDP (PPP)	- estimate
• Total	n/a (n/a)
• Per capita	n/a (n/a)
HDI (-)	n/a Error: Invalid HDI value (unranked)
Currency	Somaliland shilling (SLSH)
Time zone	UTC+3 (EAT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (not observed)
Calling code	252
Internet TLD	none
Rankings may not be available because of its unrecognized de facto state

Somaliland (officially Soomaaliland in the Somali language) is an unrecognized de facto sovereign state located in the Horn of Africa. On May 18 1991, the people of Somaliland declared independence from Somalia. The Republic of Somaliland consists of five administrative regions with governor as highest ranking leader of each region. The area encompasses roughly the former British Somaliland protectorate, an area of about 137,600 square kilometres (53,128 sq mi), which was briefly an independent country for five days in 1960. It is bordered by Ethiopia on the south, Djibouti on the west, the Gulf of Aden on the north, and the autonomous region Puntland in Somalia on the east. The capital of Somaliland is Hargeisa.

History

The origins of the Somalis and their time of entry into present-day Somalia have been debated, with many Somalis claiming descent from Arabian families who settled on the coast 1,000 years ago, and historians tracing the origins to pre-15th century. By the 12th century, the ancestors of some of the clan families were already established in their present territories, while others moved southward through the 19th century. The borders of Somalia were set at the end of the 19th century and a great number of Somalis were left out by the border placement, leaving them in eastern Ethiopia and northern Kenya.

Prehistoric Somaliland

One of the great masterpieces the ancient civilization that inhabited present-day Somaliland produced what is thought to be the most significant Neolithic cave paintings in the Horn of Africa and the African continent in general - The Laas Geel rock paintings. These cave paintings are located in a site outside the capital Hargeisa. These paintings were untouched and intact for nearly 10,000 years until they were discovered recently. The paintings show these indigenous people worshiping cattle. There are also paintings of giraffes, domesticated canines and wild antelopes. The paintings show the cows wearing ceremonial robes while next to them are some of these people prostrating themselves in front of the cattle. The caves were discovered by a French archaeological team during November and December 2002. Hence, the Laas Geel cave paintings have become a major tourist attraction and a national treasure.

Axumite Somaliland

The Kingdom of Axum encompassed modern day northern Ethiopia, Djibouti, Yemen and western Somaliland from about the 3rd century to the 6th century or 7th century AD. Unfortunately little is known about the monarchy's impact and cultural significance, and no archaeological survey has been done in the Awdal and Wooqoyi Galbeed regions which could have proven if there were traders and settlers in the western regions of Somaliland.

Early Islamic States in Western Somaliland

With the introduction of Islam in the 10th century in what is now the Afar-inhabited parts of Eritrea and Djibouti, the region began to assume a political character independent of Ethiopia. Three Islamic sultanates were founded in and around the area, initially subservient to the Emperor of Ethiopia, named Shewa (a Semitic-speaking sultanate in eastern Ethiopia, modern Shewa province and ruled by the Mahzumi dynasty), Ifat (another Semitic-speaking sultanate located in eastern Ethiopia in what is now eastern Shewa) and Adal and Mora (a sultanate centered around Harar, as well as Zeila]] in eastern Ethiopia and in Somaliland's Saaxil and Woqooyi Galbeed regions; Mora was located in what is now the southern Afar Region of Ethiopia and was subservient to Adal).

Over time, rebellions against Ethiopia (14th and 15th centuries) and political unification of the three sultanates under the Walashma dynasty of Adal created a strong Islamic state capable of achieving full independence from Ethiopia by the early 16th century. In the mid 16th century Adal embarked on a great conquest of Ethiopia from its capital of Harar, with disastrous results. After the collapse of Adal, the part of Western Somaliland centered around Zeila became part of the Ottoman province of Habesh.

Eastern Somaliland under the Garad

In the east, a completely different political dynamic existed. The Warsangeli and Dhulbahante Sultanates under the Garad dynasty existed several centuries before the Three Sultanates of the west. Unlike Adel, which was a direct successor of Axumite civilization with a wildly diverse ethnic makeup and a political system entirely based on Islam, the Garad Sultanates were very much Somali traditional administrations run under traditional democracy. The Warsangeli and Dhulbahante Sultanates were as advanced as the Adel and stretched beyond their clan inhabited area, as records show that their warriors formed a significant percentage of the army that invaded Ethiopia under Ahmed Gragn. After the Majerteen Sultanate formed and and Adel collapsed in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Garad state became much more of an eastern-oriented state.

Colonial Somaliland

Somaliland was once dominated by Ethiopia and at one time the Ottoman Empire annexed the city of Zeila. When the Ottoman Empire collapsed, Egypt occupied western parts of Somaliland (hence naming it Egyptian Somaliland), the other regions being controlled by Somali tribesmen and Arab settlers.

During colonial times, Egyptian Somaliland was taken over by the British. The region now claimed by Somaliland was annexed and officially became the British Somaliland Protectorate. British Somaliland became independent on 26 June 1960 as the State of Somaliland, and Italian Somaliland's independence came four days later, whereupon the two entities immediately merged on 1 July 1960 as the Somali Republic.

Second Somaliland Republic

In 1991, after the collapse of the central government in Somalia, the territory asserted its independence as the Republic of Somaliland. It regarded itself as the successor state to the briefly-independent State of Somaliland but did not receive any international diplomatic recognition.

The economic and military infrastructure left behind by Somalia has been largely destroyed by war. The people of Somaliland had rebelled against the Siad Barre dictatorship in Mogadishu, which prompted a massive reaction by the government.

The late Abdirahman Mohamed Ali was the first president of Somaliland, and Mohamed Ibrahim Egal was his successor in 1993 in Borama. Egal was re-appointed in 1998 and remained in power until his death on May 3, 2002. The vice president Dahir Rayale Kahin was sworn in as president shortly afterwards, and in 2003 Kahin became the first Somaliland president to be elected in a free and fair election.

The 2006 War in Somalia between the Islamic Courts Union and the forces of Ethiopia and Somalia's transitional government has not affected Somaliland.

Politics

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Somaliland has formed a hybrid system of governance combining traditional and western institutions. In a series of inter-clan conferences, culminating in the Borama Conference in 1993, a beel (clan or community) system of government was constructed, which consisted of an Executive, with a President, Vice President, and Council of Ministers, a bicameral Legislature, and an independent judiciary. The traditional Somali council of elders (guurti) was incorporated into the governance structure and formed the upper house, responsible for selecting a President as well as managing internal conflicts. Government became in essence a "power-sharing coalition of Somaliland's main clans", with seats in the Upper and Lower houses proportionally allocated to clans according to a predetermined formula. In 2002, after several extensions of this interim government, Somaliland finally made the transition to multi-party democracy, with district council elections contested by six parties, considered the "most peaceful in Africa for twenty years."

The district elections also determined which parties were allowed to contest the parliamentary and presidential elections, where a party was required to demonstrate at least twenty percent of the popular vote from four out of the six regions. This important caveat ensured that parties would focus on consensus building and would not organize around ethnic lines. Subsequently, three parties were selected to submit presidential candidates: the UDUB party, Kulmiye, and the For Justice and Development. On April 14 2003, 488,543 voters participated in the presidential elections, which ran more or less smoothly. The result was a slim eighty vote controversial victory for UDUB over the Kulmiye, complicated by allegations of ballot stuffing against the incumbent UDUB. Despite calls for the Kulmiye to form a rival government, the party’s leadership did not do so, instead choosing to abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court that upheld UDUB’s victory. Despite minor demonstrations, the transition to the presidency of Dahir Riyale Kahin proceeded peacefully. This transition, combined with the fact that Kaahin was not a member of the dominant Isaaq clan, speaks volumes about the inter-clan commitment to peace-building and the rule of law, but we have to put in consideration that Dahir Riyale Kahin is from the second largest clan family in Somaliland which is the Gadabuursi.The Issaq and the Gadabursi want a peaceful nation where everyone is equal and they are not willing to get committed in severe civil war, this is the theory in the public eye. It could be, according to Steve Kibble, "the first indigenous modern African form of government." Without a doubt, the Somaliland government holds legitimacy in the eyes of its own people.

Somaliland boasts a constitution, a functional parliament and government ministries, an army, a police force, judiciary, and many of the signs of statehood, including a flag, currency, and passports. Nonetheless, it faces some significant problems to its continued survival. Like other Somali governments, it lacks a consistent taxation base and receives most of its support from private actors. Corruption remains a problem, women are virtually unrepresented in government, and there are growing concerns about voting patterns based on ethnic lines as well as the majority that UDUB has gained over both the regional councils and presidency as well as the parliament. Moreover, the large part of Somalilanders still harbor vivid memories of a predatory and extractive central state and are therefore wary of the construction of any strong central authority; this is evident in the importance placed on the role of the regional councils in dealing with local problems.

Somaliland was a British Protectorate for over 80 years during the colonial period. In 1960, it gained independence but formed a hasty union with former Italian Somaliland to create the Somali Republic. In 1969 Mohamed Siad Barre’s military coup brought Somalia’s flirtation with democracy to an end and planted the seeds of a secessionist struggle in Somaliland. This struggle culminated in a brutal three-year civil war in which 50,000 people were killed and half a million refugees fled. Between 1988 and 1991, Barre’s forces massacred civilians, laid over two million mines and reduced cities to rubble.

In 1991, the overthrow of Barre’s regime plunged Somalia into a state of anarchy from which it is yet to emerge. Somaliland, however, was quick to declare independence and, over the years, it has managed to establish itself as a model of stability, good governance and economic discipline. Rival militias have been demobilized, mines have been cleared and refugees have been repatriated. The war-ravaged infrastructure has been rebuilt and Somaliland now boasts modern airports, hospitals, ports, power plants and universities. There is a free press and the central bank manages an official currency with relatively stable exchange rates. An unarmed police force and independent judiciary maintain order.

What is most remarkable about this progress is that it has been achieved with virtually no external help. Whilst economic development has been heavily supported by Somalilanders in the Diaspora, lack of international recognition has meant that Somaliland does not qualify for bilateral aid or support from international financial institutions. This international isolation has not, however, resulted in isolationism. Lack of access to external aid has forced this country of 3.5-million people to become more self-reliant than many other African states. This self-reliance is reflected in what is perhaps the most significant of Somaliland’s achievements: its system of government.

Rather than having a Western democratic model of governance imposed on them from outside, Somaliland has managed to fuse Western-style institutions of government with its own traditional forms of social and political organization. Its bicameral parliament reflects this fusion of traditional and modern, with the senate consisting of traditional elders, and the House of Representatives consisting of elected representatives.

However, with its history of ‘tribalism’ and internecine fighting, the key challenge for Somaliland’s new parliament is to try and replace clan-based politics with party politics. For its first twelve years, Somaliland had no political parties but instead followed more traditional clan-based forms of political organization. Political parties were introduced during the presidential elections and it was hoped that the recent parliamentary elections would help to usher in a representative system without allowing representation to be overtly clan-based. Clearly, if clan loyalties were to take precedence over party loyalties, parliament would be seriously weakened. The traditional clan-based political system had resulted in an under representation of some clans and it was hoped that having just three parties (all non-clan-based) would reduce the extent to which clan allegiance affected the selection of candidates and the way in which people voted. A limited number of political parties would force alliances between clans to develop thereby increasing integration and pluralism between the various clans inhabiting the country.

In the traditional clan system it is the male elders who make decisions, and during the nomination process, many candidates were indeed selected by elders along clan lines. The male dominated nature of the selection process was reflected in the fact that only seven of the 246 candidates were female. There was also evidence that political parties often chose candidates based on their perceived popularity and support base. Whilst the absence of voter registration makes it hard to analyse voter patterns, it would seem from the results that there is some evidence that regional voting patterns reflect clan preferences. There is also evidence however, that alliances were sought between subgroups of different major clans across regions under the different party umbrellas. This would indicate that, although tribalism inevitably played some part in the election, it has been weakened. It will nevertheless be interesting to see how party loyalties will be negotiated against clan interests in the new parliament.

In 2005 Somaliland joined the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO), an international organization dedicated to the promotion of the right to Self-determination. The UN still says there are some boundaries Somalialand will have to cross before it is recognized.

On March 1, 2006, the Welsh Assembly invited Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi, the speaker of the Somaliland parliament to the opening of a new Assembly building. Mr. Abdillahi said that Somaliland sees his invitation "as a mark of recognition by the National Assembly for Wales that legitimacy." The Somali community in Wales numbers 8-10,000, most of whom come from Somaliland.

In December 2006 representatives of the Somaliland Parliament again attended the Welsh Assembly receiving a standing ovation from its members. Two months earlier the Assembly approved the establishment of an aid budget for Africa. These moves were approved by the UK Foreign Office and Department for International Development and are seen as an attempt by the UK to encourage and reward the authorities in its former colony while avoiding the issue of formal recognition.

See also Democracy Comes of Age in Somaliland

International Acknowledgment

Nowdays Somaliland has political contacts with the United Kingdom, Rwanda, Norway, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ireland, and with EU that on January 17 2007 has sent a delegation for foreign affairs to discuss on a future cooperation between EU and Somaliland. African Union has sent own foreigner minister to discuss about the future of international aknowledging, in fact on January 29 and 30 2007, he will search that other members will acknowledge as State.

Regions

The 6 regions of Somalia within Somaliland are:

• Awdal
• Sanaag
• Sool (under Puntland adminstration)
• Togdheer
• Woqooyi Galbeed

The main cities and towns in the Republic of Somaliland are:

• Hargeisa
• Burao
• Berbera
• Borama
• Saylac
• Ceerigabo
• Laascanood (under Puntland adminstration)

Geography

Somaliland is situated on the eastern horn of Africa and lies between the 08°00' - 11°30' parallel north of the equator and between 42°30' - 49°00' meridian east of Greenwich. It shares borders with the Republic of Djibouti to the west, the Federal Republic of Ethiopia to the south, the Puntland region to the northeast and Somalia to the southeast. Somaliland has 460 miles (740 km) of coast with the majority along the Red Sea. Somaliland is slightly larger than England with an area of 137 600 km² (53 100 sq. miles).

Somaliland's climate is a mixture of wet and dry. The northern part of the country is hilly and in many places the altitude ranges between 900 and 2,100 metres (3,000-7,000 ft) above sea level. The Awdal, Saaxil and Wooqoyi Galbeed regions are fertile and mountainous, while the Togdheer, Awdal region is known for its offshore islands, coral reefs and mangroves.

Ten kilometers to the north of Erigavo are the remains of a juniper forest, running along the edge of the escarpment which looks down to the Gulf of Aden. The escarpment is approximately 2,000 metres above sea level, where the road from Erigavo drops down to the coast. Two kilometers to the west it rises to the highest point in Somaliland and Somalia alike; At 2,416 metres high, it is known variously as (Somali Shimbiris or Shimbir Beris) meaning in English the abode of the birds.

Due to the fertility and greenery of some of the regions of Somaliland, wild animals (e.g. zebras) come to the area; to either breed or graze on the grassland savannah. There are many animals which are native to Somaliland. The prominent animals found are the Kudu, wild boar, Somali Wild Ass, warthogs, antelopes, the Somali sheep, wild goats and camels. Moreover, many birds and different types of fish are also found in and around Somaliland.

Economy

Somaliland's economy is in its developing stages, as is Somaliland itself. The Somaliland shilling, while stable, is not a currency recognized by any other government, and currently has no official exchange rate with any other currency. The country's central bank, the Bank of Somaliland, was established under the auspices of the country's constitution in 1994.

The bulk of Somaliland's exports are of livestock (whose quantity in Somaliland has been estimated at 24 million): in 1996, 3 million head of livestock were exported to the Middle East alone. In February 1998, Saudi Arabia banned imports of beef from Somaliland. Other exports include hides, skins, myrrh and frankincense.

There is considered to be "serious potential" for agriculture, most significantly cereal production and horticulture. Mining currently consists solely of quarrying, although there exist confirmed deposits of petroleum, natural gas, gypsum, lime, mica, quartz, lignite coal, lead, gold and sulphur, among others. .

It is believed that the coast of Somaliland contain large deposits of crude oil; due to this the economy of Somaliland could boom. Unfortunately, foreign companies cannot invest and benefit from this because the country is internationally unrecognised.

Tourism

When Somaliland broke away from Somalia, the tourism industry began to re-build itself. Somaliland is home to one of the most interesting attractions in the Horn of Africa, the Laas Geel cave paintings. It is believed that a small number of tourists travel to the country to witness this sight. The paintings are situated near Hargeisa and were discovered by a French archaeological team in 2002. The government and locals keep the cave paintings safe and only a restricted number of tourists are allowed. Other notable sights include the Freedom Arch in Hargeisa and the war memorial in the city center. Natural attractions are very common around the country. The Naasa Hablood hills are twin hills located on the outskirts of Hargeisa and are believed amongst Somalilanders to be a natural landmark.

The Ministry of Tourism has also encouraged travellers to visit historic towns and cities in Somaliland. The historic town of Sheikh is near Berbera and it is home to old British colonial buildings that have been untouched for nearly twenty years. Another equally famous historic city is Zeila. Zeila was once part of the Ottoman Empire, a dependency of Yemen and Egypt and a major trade city during the 19th century. The city has been visited for its old colonial landmarks, offshore mangroves and coral reefs and its towering cliffs and beach. The nomadic culture of Somaliland has also attracted tourists. Most nomads live in the countryside. An example is Salahley Savanah, an open savannah grassland which attracts animals from the region; nomads live in the area, grazing their livestock. Hotels are found in major cities of Somaliland, but not in smaller rural towns and villages.

Somaliland wants part of its economy to be based on tourism but because of the lack of international recognition, the tourism industry is still in its developing stages.

Demographics

There are about 3.5 million people living in Somaliland, and virtually all of the Somalis in the country are Sunni Muslims.

Languages

Most people in Somaliland speak the country's two official languages: the Somali language and the Arabic language, with Article 6 of the Constitution of 2001 designating the official language of Somaliland to be Somali. It is mandatory that Arabic be taught to school students and in mosques around the country. English is spoken and taught in schools.

Somali belongs to a set of languages called lowland Eastern Cushitic spoken by peoples living in Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, and Kenya. Eastern Cushitic is one section of the Cushitic language family, which in turn is part of the great Afro-Asiatic stock. Arabic is the most spoken language of the Afro-Asiatic language branches. It belongs to the Semitic languages, together with Hebrew and Amharic.

The main Somali dialect which is the most widely used is Common Somali, a term applied to several subdialects, the speakers of which can understand each other easily. Common Somali is spoken in most of Somaliland and Somalia and in adjacent territories (Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti), and is used by broadcasting stations in Somaliland.

Facility with language is highly valued in Somali society; the capability of a suitor, a warrior, or a political or religious leader is judged in part by his verbal adroitness. In such a society, oral poetry becomes an art, and one's ability to compose verse in one or more of its several forms enhances one's status. Speakers in political or religious assemblies and litigants in courts traditionally were expected to use poetry or poetic proverbs. Even everyday talk tended to have a terse, vivid, poetic style, characterized by carefully chosen words, condensed meaning, and alliteration.

In the prerevolutionary era, English became dominant in the school system and in government. However, the overarching issue was the development of a socioeconomic stratum based on mastery of a foreign language. The relatively small proportion of Somalis (less than 10 percent) with a grasp of such a language--preferably English--had access to government positions and the few managerial or technical jobs in modern private enterprises. Such persons became increasingly isolated from their nonliterate Somali-speaking brethren, but because the secondary schools and most government posts were in urban areas the socioeconomic and linguistic distinction was in large part a rural-urban one.

Even before the 1969 revolution, Somalis had become aware of social stratification and the growing distance, based on language and literacy differences, between ordinary Somalis and those in government. The 1972 decision to designate an official Somali Latin script and require its use in government demolished the language barrier and an important obstacle to rapid literacy growth.

In the years following the institution of the Somali Latin script, Somali officials were required to learn the orthography and attempts were made to inculcate mass literacy--in 1973 among urban and rural sedentary Somalis, and in 1974-75 among nomads. Although a few texts existed in the new script before 1973, in most cases new books were prepared presenting the government's perspective on Somali history and development. Somali scholars also succeeded in developing a vocabulary to deal with a range of subjects from mathematics and physics to administration and ideology.

"The official language of the Republic of Somaliland is Somali, and the second language is Arabic."(art.6 of Constitution 2001)

Religion

Almost all Somalis are Sunni Muslims; Islam is the principal faith and state religion. Though traces of pre-Islamic traditional religion exist in Somaliland (as people before Islam worshiped cows), Islam is extremely important to the Somali sense of national identity. Many of the Somali social norms come from their religion. For example, men shake hands only with men, and women shake hands with women. Many Somali women cover their heads and bodies with a hijab when they are in public. In addition, Somalis abstain from pork, gambling, and alcohol, and receiving or paying any form of interest. Muslims generally congregate on Friday afternoons for a sermon and group prayer. Accordance with these prohibitions depends on each individual's level of orthodoxy.

Nevertheless there has been Catholic missionary activity. In colonial days, British Somaliland was under the care of the Vicariate Apostolic of Arabia, like the Vicariate Apostolic of the Gallas (including French Somaliland as well as its Ethiopian main territory) confided to the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin.

Culture

Clan system and marriage

There are approximately 3.5 million people in Somaliland. The Somali society is organized into clan families, which range from 5,000 to over 50,000 in size. The major clan family in Somaliland are the Isaaq. There are also a number of other promident clan families. They are other clan family such as the Warsangeli and Dulbahante - a sub-group of the Darod clan system. The Warsangeliand Dhulbahante mostly reside in the , Sanaag,Togdheerregion of Somaliland, the Isaaqs live in Wooqoyi Galbeed, Togdheer and some Parts of Sool and , Sanaag regions. The clan families are divided into lineage units, typically ranging from 2,500 to 10,000 members. It is possible for Somalis to know how they are related simply by giving their name and clan membership. Clan discrimination in Somaliland is highly forbidden and every clan is considered equal by the Government of Somaliland.

Arranged marriages are common. However, most Somalis choose to marry who ever they desire as long as they are Muslims. In the case of arranged marriages, brides are usually much younger than the grooms. Marriage to a cousin from the mother's side of the family (of a different lineage) is traditionally favored to strengthen family alliance, but this practice is not as common as earlier. Virginity is valued in women prior to marriage. In addition, divorce is legal in Somaliland. Romantic marriages are becoming more common and are now the majority of marriages in Somaliland. But even these choices are influenced by the partner's clan.

Cuisine

It is considered polite for one to leave a little bit of food on a plate after finishing a meal at another's home. This tells the host that one has been given enough food. If one were to clean his or her plate that would indicate that he or she is still hungry. Most Somalis don't take this rule so seriously, but it is certainly not impolite to leave a few bits of food on one's plate. Traditionally, the main meal of the day is eaten at lunchtime and Somali people usually begin their day with a flat bread called Laxoox or La'hooh, liver, toast, cereal or porridge made of millet or cornmeal. Lunch can be a mix of rice or noodles with meat and sauce. When the Italians ruled the Horn of Africa they brought some of their cuisine to Somaliland for example Pasta Al Forno (in Somali Paasto Forno} and they also planted bananas in the south of the region. Also during Lunch their diet may consist of a traditional soup called maraq (It is also part of Yemen cuisine) made of vegetables, meat and beans and usually eaten with Flat bread or Pitta bread. Later in the day a lighter meal is served which includes beans, Ful medames, muffo (patties made of oats or corn), Hummus or a salad with more Laxoox/Injera. A minority of Somalis drink Turkish coffee which they brought from Arab countries to their homeland. Turkish tea is also drunk in Somaliland; it has been adapted to become one of the famous drinks in the region - the traditional and cultural Shaax Xawaash. Consumed by the majority of Somalis, it is made of cardamom (Somali Xawaash} and cinnamon barks (Somali Qoronfil).

Arts

Islam and poetry have been described as the twin pillars of Somali culture. Most Somalis are Sunni Muslims and Islam is vitally important to the Somali sense of national identity. Most Somalis don't belong to specific mosque or sect and can pray in any mosque they find.

Celebrations come in the form of religious festivities, two of the most important being Eid al Adha and Eid al Fitr which marks the end of the fasting month. Families get dressed up to visit one another. Money is donated to the poor. Other holidays include June 26, which celebrates Somaliland's independce, however it is unrecognised by the international community.

In a nomadic culture, where one's possessions are frequently moved, there is little reason for the plastic arts to be highly developed. Somalis embellish and decorate their woven and wooden milk jugs (Somali Haano, the most decorative jugs are made in Erigavo) and their wooden headrests, and traditional dance is important; though mainly as a form of courtship among young people. The traditional dance known as the Ceeyar Somaali in the Somali language is Somaliland's favourite dance.

Also, an important form of art in Somaliland is henna painting (Somali: Xenna). The Henna plant is widely grown across the region and it was Arab merchants and settlers that first brought the art of Henna painting in early Somaliland. During special occasions, a Somali women's hands and feet are expected to be covered in decorative mendhi. Girls and women usually apply or decorate their hands and feet in henna on joyous celebrations like Eid, weddings etc. The henna designs can be very simple to highly intricate. Unlike Pakistani, Indian or Bangladeshi henna designs, the Somali and Arab designs are more modern and simple compared to the latter. Traditionally, only women apply this body art and it is absolutely strange for men to apply such art on their hands and feet.

Henna is not only applied on the hands and feet but at the same time it is used as a dye. Somali men and women alike use henna as a dye to change their hair colour. Mostly, elderly men with grey hair apply such procedure because black hair dye is forbidden in Islam. Women are free to apply henna on their hair as most of the time they are wearing a hijab.

Saving face is very important to Somalis, so indirectness and humor are often used in conversation. Somalis deeply value the family with the strength of family ties providing a safety net in times of need and suffering.

Notes

1. Pankhurst, Richard. The Ethiopian Borderlands: Essays in Regional History from Ancient Times to the End of the 18th Century (Asmara, Eritrea: The Red Sea, Inc., 1997)
2. "Somaliland: Wales Strikes Out On Its Own In Its Recognition of Somaliland". Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization. 6 Mar 2005.
3. "Republic of Somaliland Country Profile". Somaliland Official website. Retrieved 2005-12-02.

Sources and references

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• Wales Strikes Out On Its Own In Its Recognition of Somaliland

See also

• British Somaliland
• French Somaliland
• Italian Somaliland
• Elections in Somaliland
• List of Presidents of Somaliland
• List of Somaliland politicians
• List of unrecognized countries
• Places That Don't Exist - BBC Four miniseries on unrecognised countries that featured Somaliland

Miscellaneous topics

• Cuisine of Somaliland
• Constitution of Somaliland
• Communications in Somaliland
• Transportation in Somaliland
• Military of Somaliland
• Holidays in Somaliland
• Foreign relations of Somaliland
• Banknotes of the Somaliland shilling
• Coins of the Somaliland shilling
• Postal Orders of the Somaliland Protectorate
• Bank of Somaliland

External links

• Somaliland official website
• Somaliland's dutch community
• Somaliland Forum website
• Somaliland.Org news website (primarily Somali language; some English)
• Somaliland Times English language news website.
• Somaliland BBC Country Profile
• Hyenas killing people in Somaliland
• Map of Somaliland: Landmine Impact Survey, 2003 (885KB PDF file)
• Somaliland.net: News and commentary
• News and Discussions: News and discussions
• Academy for Peace and Development, a local research and dialogue organisation
• Postal and Monetary History of British Somaliland

• United Kingdom parliamentary debate on recognition of Somaliland, February 4 2004 led by Tony Worthington
• UK parliamentary questions, 13 Dec 2005. Ian Pearson says "We believe that African countries should take a lead in any eventual recognition process."

v t e Countries and territories bordering the Indian Ocean
Africa	Comoros Djibouti Egypt Eritrea France Mayotte Réunion Kenya Madagascar Mauritius Mozambique Seychelles Somalia Somaliland South Africa Sudan Tanzania
Asia	Bahrain Bangladesh British Indian Ocean Territory United Kingdom Christmas Island (Australia) Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia) India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Jordan Kuwait Malaysia Maldives Myanmar Oman Pakistan Qatar Saudi Arabia Singapore Sri Lanka Thailand Timor-Leste United Arab Emirates Yemen
Other	Antarctica Australian Antarctic Territory French Southern and Antarctic Lands Heard Island and McDonald Islands Australia

• Divided regions
• East Africa
• Somaliland
• Geography of Somalia
• Unrecognized or largely-unrecognized states