States and regions of Somalia

Summary

Somalia is a federal republic consisting of six federal states and one interim administration. Somalia is further subdivided into 18 administrative regions (gobollada, singular gobol),[1] which are in turn subdivided into districts. One region, Banaadir, is not part of any state.

History edit

Puntland is a federal state in the northeast of Somalia. Galmudug is a federal state in central Somalia. Jubaland is a federal state in the south of Somalia.[1] In November 2014, the South West State of Somalia was established.[2] Hirshabelle State was formed in October 2016.[3]

The Federal Parliament is tasked with selecting the ultimate number and boundaries of autonomous regional states within the Federal Republic of Somalia.[4][5] To this end, the legislature in December 2014 passed a law establishing the Boundary and Federalization Commission.[6] The body is mandated with determining the boundaries of the country's constituent states, as well as arbitrating between these states.[7]

Federal member states edit

 

As of 19th October 2023, Somalia is officially divided into 7 federal member states, including the claimed but uncontrolled Somaliland[8][3]

 

Regions edit

President of Somalia Mohamed Siad Barre established five of these regions in 1974 and 1975 for baised clan reasons, Middle Juba, Lower Juba, Gedo, Bay, and Bakool;[9] Banaadir shrank to consist of only Mogadishu at the same time.[10]

Below are the regions of Somalia, with their capitals shown in parentheses:


See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Somalia". World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 2009-05-14. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  2. ^ "SOMALIA: South-west state endorses a new constitution". Raxanreeb. 8 November 2014. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  3. ^ a b "New President elected for Hir-Shabelle state". Garoweonline. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  4. ^ "The Federal Republic of Somalia – Harmonized Draft Constitution" (PDF). Federal Government of Somalia. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 24, 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  5. ^ "Guidebook to the Somali Draft Provisional Constitution". Archived from the original on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Somali parliament endorses the bill of boundaries and federalism". Goobjoog. 21 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  7. ^ "Cabinet approves Bills for National Electoral Commission, Boundary and Federalization Commission and a $216 M budget for 2015". Goobjoog. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Somalia's regional states submit Upper House nominations". Somali Review. 10 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  9. ^ Mohamed Haji Mukhtar (2011). Historical Dictionary of Somalia. Lanham, MD and Oxford: Scarecrow Press. p. 129.
  10. ^ Mukhtar, 2011, p.48