Untitled Document

SOMALIA -
General Background about Somali Environment

Background

Intermittent civil war has been a fact of life in Somalia since 1977. In 1991, the northern portion of the country declared its independence as Somaliland; although de facto independent and relatively stable compared to the tumultuous south, it has not been recognized by any foreign government. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored.

Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 49 00 E
Map references: Africa Climate: principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons

Area: total: 637,657 sq km,
land: 627,337 sq km, water: 10,320 sq km Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt

Land boundaries:
total: 2,366 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,626 km, Kenya 682 km
Coastline: 3,025 km Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 69%
forests and woodland: 26%
other: 3% (1993 est.)

Rivers: Juba and Shabelle in the south Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm Natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north Environment - current issues: famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m Environment - international agreements:
party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 49 00 E Map references: Africa	Climate: principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
Area: total: 637,657 sq km, land: 627,337 sq km, water: 10,320 sq km	Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt
Land boundaries: total: 2,366 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,626 km, Kenya 682 km Coastline: 3,025 km	Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 69% forests and woodland: 26% other: 3% (1993 est.)
Rivers: Juba and Shabelle in the south	Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm	Natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north	Environment - current issues: famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m	Environment - international agreements: party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
	Geography - note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal