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Somalia

Somalia (Somali: Soomaaliya; Arabic: الصومال, As-Sumal), formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic, is an African country that exists solely in a de jure capacity. Somalia has no recognized central government authority, national currency, or any other feature associated with a well-established nation state. De facto authority is in the hands of the governments of the unrecognized entities of Somaliland, Puntland and small groups of rival warlords who lead small opposing governments.

Abdullahi Yusuf was elected transitional President by Somalia's transitional Parliament on October 10, 2004. He won 189 of the 275 votes from Parliament. The session of Parliament was held in neighbouring Kenya.

Somalia geography

Somalia is located on the east coast of Africa on and north of the Equator between the Gulf of Aden on the north and Indian Ocean on the west. Together with Ethiopia and Djibouti it is often referred to as the Horn of Africa. It borders to Djibouti on northwest, to Ethiopia on the west, and to Kenya on southwest. Somalia comprises Italy's former Trust Territory of Somalia and the former British Protectorate of Somaliland (now seeking recognition as an independent state). The coastline extends 2,720 kilometers (1,700 mi.).

The northern part of the country is hilly, and in many places the altitude ranges between 900 and 2,100 meters (3,000 ft.-7,000 ft.) above sea level. The central and southern areas are flat, with an average altitude of less than 180 meters (600 ft.). The Juba and the Shebelle Rivers rise in Ethiopia and flow south across the country toward the Indian Ocean. The Shebelle, however, does not reach the sea.

Major climatic factors are a year-round hot climate, seasonal monsoon winds, and irregular rainfall with recurring droughts. Mean daily maximum temperatures range from 30°C to 40°C (85° F-105°F), except at higher elevations and along the east coast. Mean daily minimums usually vary from about 15°C to 30°C (60°F-85°F). The southwest monsoon, a sea breeze, makes the period from about May to October the mildest season at Mogadishu. The December-February period of the northeast monsoon also is relatively mild, although prevailing climatic conditions in Mogadishu are rarely pleasant. The "tangambili" periods that intervene between the two monsoons (October-November and March-May) are hot and humid.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Somalia".