Hargeisa

Hargeisa (Somali: Hargeysa) is a city in northwestern Somalia; it is also the capital and largest city of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland which was formed in 1991. It was the colonial capital of British Somaliland

Related Topics:
Somali - Somalia - Capital - Republic of Somaliland - 1991 - British Somaliland

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Hargeisa is located in a valley in the northwestern section of the country. It is in a mountainous area, and is about 1260 meters above sea level. This altitude gives Hargeisa and the surrounding area a milder climate than the Gulf of Aden coastal area (one of the hottest areas on earth). The temperature ranges between 23 and 32 degrees Celsius (74-89 degrees Fahrenheit). Hargeisa also receives larger amounts of rain, and used to be surrounded by forest when the city was smaller.

Related Topics:
Mountain - Gulf of Aden - Forest

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The city was devastated by bombing performed by the Somali military in 1988 due to the rebel activity that was forming in Northern Somalia during the beginning of the ongoing Somali Civil War. A war memorial in the form of a MiG fighter jet marks this event.

Related Topics:
1988 - Somali Civil War - War memorial - MiG - Fighter jet

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Since 1991, the city has been rebuilt and is now in better condition than before the war. Money sent from overseas relatives was more important in the reconstruction of the city than aid from foreign governments, making it unusual in Africa for its low level of dependence on foreign aid. International aid is not certain because the Republic of Somaliland is not recognized by any nation.

Related Topics:
1991 - Africa - Foreign aid - Republic of Somaliland

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Hargeisa has working traffic lights and traffic laws are respected. In contrast, all of the traffic lights in Mogadishu have been destroyed.

Related Topics:
Traffic light - Traffic law

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Hargeisa's population is between 500,000 and 800,000. Some suggest it is over a million because no census has been performed in almost 30 years and there are many squatters and homeless people in the city. This is a considerable amount of growth since 1990, when the population was only 100,000.

Related Topics:
Census - Squatter - Homeless people - 1990

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Hargeisa is also home to many remittance companies, from relatives abroad who send money. Some families have moved back to the city, living in mansions in the hills during the summer. The city has seen considerable development of this sort in recent years.

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The city is also home to an international airport, with flights to Djibouti City and Dubai.

Related Topics:
Airport - Djibouti City - Dubai

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Simon Reeve visited the city as part of his television series, Places That Don't Exist.

Related Topics:
Simon Reeve - Places That Don't Exist

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