Somalia

Somalia is a country in Africa with its capital in Mogadishu and about 19.7 million people. Somalia is known for its rich spoken poetry, and in 1972 the government adopted a standard Latin-based script for Somali.

Somalia in purple, with Mogadishu marked. Outline from the same detailed coastlines the games use.

Capital: Mogadishu
Continent: Africa
Population (2025): 19.7 million
Land area: 627,340 km² (242,217 sq mi)

Find it among 54 Africa countries →Explore Somalia on the map

The story of Somalia

Where the name comes from

Somalia means “land of the Somali”; suggested roots include a legendary ancestor, Samaale, and words linked to cattle, but the origin is uncertain.

First people

Somali communities shared herding and Indian Ocean trading histories, and Laas Geel holds rock art thousands of years old.^1,2

Known for

Somalia is known for its rich spoken poetry, and in 1972 the government adopted a standard Latin-based script for Somali.³

Outside contact

British protection began in 1884 and Italian protectorates in 1889; Britain occupied Italian Somaliland in 1941, and Italy returned under a UN trusteeship in 1950.¹