Somalia
Type of Government: transitional, Parliamentary Federal Government
Independence: 1960 from the UK and Italy
Head of State: Transitional Federal President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed (since October 14, 2004)
2007/2008 UN Development Index ranking (out of 177 countries): N/A
2007 TI Corruption Perception Index (out of 179): 179
Political Development: In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed Siad Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule that managed to impose a degree of stability in the country for a couple of decades. After the regime’s overthrow early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG), created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expired in August 2003. A two-year peace process, led by the Government of Kenya under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed as President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and the formation of a transitional government, known as the Somalia Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). The Somalia TFIs include a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA), a transitional Prime Minister, Ali Mohamed Gedi, and a 90-member cabinet. The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has been deeply divided since just after its creation and until late December 2006 controlled only the town of Baidoa. In June 2006, a loose coalition of clerics, business leaders, and Islamic court militias known as the Council of Islamic Courts (CIC) defeated powerful Mogadishu warlords and took control of the capital. The Courts continued to expand, spreading their influence throughout much of southern Somalia and threatening to overthrow the TFG in Baidoa. Ethiopian and TFG forces, concerned over suspected links between some CIC factions and al-Qaida, in late December 2006 drove the CIC from power. The TFG, backed by Ethiopian forces, in late December 2006 moved into Mogadishu, but is facing considerable political opposition and confronting a multi-dimensional insurgency.
Adult HIV Rate: 1%
Life Expectancy: 48.84
GDP: $2.483 billion
Inflation: NA%; note - businesses print their own money, so inflation rates cannot be easily determined
Poverty: N/A
Petroleum: N/A
Leading Export Partner: UAE (49.9%)
Economic Note: Somalia’s economic fortunes are driven by its deep political divisions. Economic life continues, in part because much activity is local and relatively easily protected. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia’s service sector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $500 million and $1 billion in remittances annually. Mogadishu’s main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. The Somali Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC) opened Mogadishu’s main port and airport - closed for 15 years - as well as most of the ports and airfields in southern Somalia. Hotels continue to operate, and militias provide security.
