Somaliland

Somaliland (Somali: Soomaaliland) is a former British territory located in the northwest region of Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes five of the eighteen administrative regions of Somalia, roughly the region between Ethiopia, Djibouti and the Gulf of Aden, an area of about 137,600 square kilometres. The capital of Somaliland is Hargeisa.

History

Formerly the British Somaliland Protectorate, shortly after gaining independence British Somaliland in 26 June 1960 merged with Italian Somaliland in 1960 to form Somalia. The prime minister of British Somaliland, Ibrahim Egal, became a minister in the new republic of Somalia. He became Prime Minister in 1967 but a coup deposed him in 1969.

Related Topics:
British Somaliland - Protectorate - 26 June - 1960 - Italian Somaliland - Ibrahim Egal - Prime Minister - 1967 - 1969

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In 1991, after the collapse of the government in Somalia, the territory asserted its independence as the Republic of Somaliland, although it has received little if any international recognition.

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The economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs may have been largely destroyed by war. Tony Worthington wrote of his first visit to Hargeysa, in 1992, at the time of Somalia's great famine, saying that he had never seen such devastation, after bombing by Siad Barre had left 50,000 dead in the city alone.

Related Topics:
British - Russia - American - Tony Worthington - Siad Barre

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Egal was elected president in 1993, re-elected in 1998 and remained in power until his death on May 3, 2002. The vice president Dahir Riyale Kahin was declared the new president shortly afterwards.

Related Topics:
1993 - 1998 - May 3 - 2002 - Dahir Riyale Kahin

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Since independence Somaliland has been trying to extend its domination to Sanaag and Sool regions. Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf's Puntlander forces have led several invasions to defend these areas considered to be a part of Puntland State.

Related Topics:
Sanaag - Sool - Colonel - Abdullahi Yusuf - Puntland

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Somaliland is trying to declare independence but without Sanag and Sool it is lacking the land needed to make the state economically viable.

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