Location:  Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia. Geography:  strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal. Area:  total: 637,657 sq km, land: 627,337 sq km, water: 10,320 sq km. Capital:  Mogadishu. Industries: a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, wireless communication. Languages:  Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English. National Holiday: Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland. Currency (Code):  Somali shilling (SOS)

Population: 10,112,453 This estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2010 est.). Labor force:  3.447 million (few skilled laborers) (2007)

GDP (purchasing power parity):
•   $5.896 billion (2010 est.)
•   $5.75 billion (2009 est.)
•   $5.607 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
•   2.6% (2010 est.)
•   2.6% (2009 est.)
•   2.6% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
•   $600 (2010 est.)
•   $600 (2009 est.)
•   $600 (2008 est.)
Exports: $300 million (2006)
Imports: $798 million (2006)
Military expenditures:  0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Airports:  59
Airports - with paved runways:  7
•   Over 3,047 m: 4
•   2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
•   1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:  52
•   2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
•   1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
•   914 to 1,523 m: 23
•   under 914 m: 6 (2010)
Aircraft Departures: Not Available

Note: figures are in US dollars
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