AFRICA

SO flag Somalia

Level 4 — Do Not Travel
Population 19.7 million
Advisory Level 4
GDP/Capita $630
Health Alerts 0
Last Updated Apr 23, 2026
SO flag Somalia
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About SomaliaOverview, geography, and key facts
Flag of Somalia

Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. Stretching across the Horn of Africa, it borders Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, and the Indian Ocean to the east. Somalia has the longest coastline on Africa's mainland. Somalia has an estimated population of more than 18 million, of which 2.7 million live in the capital and largest city, Mogadishu. As one of Africa's most ethnically homogenous countries, around 85% of its residents are ethnic Somalis. The official and national language of the country is Somali while Arabic is recognised as a second language. The overwhelming majority of the population are Sunni Muslims.

Capital Mogadishu
Population 19.7 million
Area 637,657 km²
Languages Arabic, Somali
Currency Somali shilling (SOS)
GDP/Capita $630
Source: U.S. Department of State, Wikipedia, REST Countries API
Travel AdvisoryU.S. Department of State
Gov Data
Level 4 — Do Not Travel

Do not travel due to life-threatening risks. U.S. citizens should depart immediately if safe to do so.

Currency & Economy

Currency
Somali shilling (SOS)
GDP
$12.0B
GDP per Capita
$630

Development

Life Expectancy
58.8 years
Geography & Practical Details
Region
Africa
Capital
Mogadishu
Area
637,657 km²
Population
19,655,000
Timezone
UTC+03:00
Languages
Arabic, Somali
Calling Code
+252
Drives On
Right
ISO Code
SO