Interesting Somalia Facts
Somalia is a coastal country located in Eastern Africa where it is bordered by Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. It spreads across 637,657 km2 of land. The approximate population of Somalia is thought to be more than 14,742,523.
Find out interesting Somalia facts and information about this African country with our fact file for kids. Discover important facts about the population, location, size, climate, currency, flag, continent, language, people, culture, geography, landscape and landmarks of Somalia.
Discover Africa with our interesting Somalia facts for kids based on questions such as: What continent is Somalia in? What are the major cities of Somalia? What is Somalia famous for? What famous landmarks are there in Somalia? What is the culture of Somalia like?
Somalia Fact File: Continent: Africa * Country Name(s): Somalia, Federal Republic of Somalia * Location: Horn of Africa in Eastern Africa * Bordering: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean * Capital City: Mogadishu * Size: 637,657 km2 * Estimated Population: over 14,742,523 * Currency: Somali shilling (SOS) * Language(s): Arabic and Somali * Country Code: +252
Interesting Somalia Facts for Kids
Interesting Facts for Kids 1: Size & location facts
Somalia is located on the continent of Africa, where it has a coastal position and is bordered by Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. There are seven continents in the world: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Antarctica, Australia (Oceania). Africa is the second largest continent in the world, it has 54 countries, stretches across a total area size of 30,370,000 km2 and forms 20.4% of the landmass of the world. Somalia is a coastal country that spans a total area of approximately 637,657 km2. It is of average size when compared to other countries belonging to Africa. Somalia is slightly larger than Central African Republic, and forms part of the Horn of Africa along with Eritrea, Djibouti and Ethiopia.
Interesting Facts for Kids 2: Population facts
The population of this African country is somewhere in the region of 14,742,523 people. The majority of Somalia's inhabitants reside in Mogadishu which is the country's most populous city. Somalia has a fairly high population when compared to most other countries across the world, its overall population density is approximately 15 people per sq km. The estimated population of Africa is approximately 1,186,178,000 inhabitants, making it the continent with the second largest population in the world. The continents in order of population, starting with highest population first, are: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia (Oceania Region) and Antarctica. The total population of the entire world is in excess of 7.6 billion people.
Interesting Facts for Kids 3: Capital & major cities
Somalia's capital city is called Mogadishu. The names of other major cities situated in this country are Hargeisa, Berbera, Kismayo, Merca and Jamaame.
Interesting Facts for Kids 4: Country borders
The following guideline provides details on the approximate border lengths of Somalia:
Coastline 3,025 km, Djibouti 61 km, Ethiopia 1,640 km, Kenya 684 km.
Interesting Facts for Kids 5: Climate and geography facts
Somalia has a desert climate for the most part. The temperatures are moderate in regions of the north and higher in the south. The northeast monsoon occurs between December and February, and the southwest monsoon occurs between May and October. Somalia forms part of the Horn of Africa and the geography of the country consists mainly of undulating plateau, flatlands and northern hilly regions. The lowest point of Somalia is the Indian Ocean at 0m, and the highest point of elevation is Shimbiris at 2,416m.
Interesting Facts for Kids 6: Natural Resources of Somalia
Natural resources are materials and substances that can be found occurring naturally on Earth. Natural resources are very important across the world, and can be exploited for economic gain. An individual country's natural resources can depend on many factors including the climate, geography and location. Some countries, such as Russia, The United States, Saudi Arabia and Canada, are rich with natural resources, where as others have practically none. Food, transport and construction are three of the primary uses of natural resources. For example, fish is a naturally occurring resource that can be caught for food consumption. Crude oils can be refined into different types of fuels in order to power vehicles/cars. Wood/timber from forests can be used to build homes and furniture. The natural resources of Somalia include uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas and likely oil reserves.
Interesting Facts for Kids 7: Language facts
The official languages of Somalia are Somali and Arabic. Other languages that are used as a primary form of communication but on a smaller scale include Italian and English.
Interesting Facts for Kids 8: Religion facts
The main religion of Somalia is Sunni Muslim; one of the main branches of Islam. People belonging to the Islamic religion worship Allah. In the English language, the word Allah refers to God in Islam. Those belonging to the religion of Islam believe in one god. Most of Somalia’s population are Muslim and follow the practices of Islam.
Interesting Facts for Kids 9: Symbols of Somalia
Each country has its own individual culture, history and identity. Flags, emblems, symbols, mottos, colors, anthems and songs represent the national pride and identity of countries worldwide. These national symbols are formed through the unique history of a nation and are symbolic of both hardship and prosperity, embodying freedom, strength and unity. Flags, emblems, colors, songs and mottos reflect the past, present and future aspirations of a country, and create an important image to the rest of the world. National symbols can represent a combination of things that are important to a country such as birds, animals, plants, geographical features, tools of agriculture, crops, and tools of war. Here are some important facts on the symbols, songs and colors of Somalia:
National symbol(s): leopard
National colors: blue and white
National Anthem/Song: Qolobaa Calankeed (Translation: Every Nation Has its own Flag)
National Holiday(s): Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); (Somaliland 26 June: 1960)
National Motto(s): Go forward, and never backward