Mogadishu

Mogadishu (Somali: Muqdisho), a city in East Africa on the Indian Ocean, serves as the nominal capital of anarchic Somalia. Somalis also popularly call the city Hamar. Although Mogadishu obviously ranks as the largest city in Somalia, estimates of its population vary wildly about two million.

Culture and Economy

Mogadishu serves as a commercial and financial center. The economy recovered somewhat from the worst anarchy although the civil war still presents problems. The effective absence of government yields free trade without taxes or regulatory expenditures, making business relatively cheap. Businesses hire heavily armed militias to provide security against gunmen, leading to a gradual reduction in street violence.

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Principal industries include food and beverage processing and textiles, especially cotton ginning. The main market offers a variety of goods from food to electronic gadgets.

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Roads link the city with many Somali locales and with Kenya and Ethiopia. Private airlines service Mogadishu at various airports within and around the city; the intense fighting largely destroyed the old international airport. Mogadishu leads Somalia in port traffic and still serves as a major seaport. International traders actively benefit from its de facto duty-free status.

Related Topics:
Kenya - Ethiopia - Seaport

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Despite (or perhaps because of) the anarchy, Mogadishu leads East Africa in telecommunications and the Internet. A modern communications network has developed in the city, including local cellular telephone systems with international connections via satellite. The lack of taxes leads to modern communications prices that rank among the lowest in Africa. Numerous Internet cafes contribute to a user population that rivals all of Ethiopia, Djibouti, or Eritrea. The city also has several radio stations, two television broadcasters, and an internet service provider.

Related Topics:
Telecommunications - Internet - Ethiopia - Djibouti - Eritrea

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