Somalia Geography Profile 2009

Location

Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia

Geographic coordinates

10 00 N, 49 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 637,657 sq km
land: 627,337 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries

total: 2,340 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

Coastline

3,025 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate

principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons

Terrain

mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

Natural resources

uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

Land use

arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 98.32% (2005)

Irrigated land

2,000 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources

15.7 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 3.29 cu km/yr (0%/0%/100%)
per capita: 400 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season

Environment - current issues

famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal