CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT >> Home

Somali with a population of 6.38 million is Located in the Horn of Africa. It borders in the east by the Indian Ocean, in the Northwest by Djibouti, in the west by Ethiopia, in the southwest by Kenya, and in the North by Gulf of Aden. Somalia has coastal line that extends 3300 kilometres, the second longest coast in Africa, being next to South Africa. The Somalia coastal line stretches about 13000 km along the Gulf of Aden and 2000 km along the Indian Ocean.

Somalia has faced more than a decade of civil unrest and war following the overthrow of Mohamed Siad Barre's regime in 1991. The civil war in Somalia and the subsequent collapse of the central government and its institutions left Somalia one of the poorest countries in the world. During the last 14 years, civil wars, periodical droughts, famine, floods and tsunami seriously affected the country and have created a lot of uncertainties in the livelihoods of the Somali people. The country had no effective government for the last 14 years. After, two years of tough negotiations in Nairobi, Kenya, facilitated by the Inter-Governmental Authority Development (IGAD, the Somali faction leaders elected a 275 members of parliament and a broad based government. However, the government has recently moved into the country.
	Somalia is one of the World's poorest and least developed countries.
	A prolonged civil war has destroyed the countries public and private institutions such as education, healthcare facilities, livestock, agriculture, water, transportation, infrastructure, fishery etc.
	Natural and man-made disasters such as periodical draughts, floods and pests, tsunami have taken place over the past 14 years.
	GNP per capita: US-$ 200
	Somali refugees 2446,000 (in neighbouring countries only)
	The number of IDPs is estimated at over 1.6 million who mostly suffer acute malnutrition
	Average life expectancy is below 47 years.
	Infant mortality rate is 132 per 1,000 live births.
	Under -five mortality rate is 224 per 1,000 live births.
	Maternal mortality rate is over 1,600 per 100,000 live births.
	Access to health services 28%
	Doctors: 0.4 per 100,000 persons
	Over 70% of the children suffer from malnutrition, respiratory infections, diarrhoea, measles and tuberculoses.
	Over 77% of the population lacks clean drinking water.
	Over 48% of the population have no access to sanitation.
	Over 83% of the adults are illiterate
	Over 86% of the school age children do not attend schools.
	Civilians are targets of violence
	There is a mass displacement of populations
	Human rights are violated
	There are persistent high levels of unemployment
	Vulnerable groups face extreme impoverishment