Somalia - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Somalia, it was "Land of the Somali" (ethnic group). The Government system in this country is the federal parliamentary republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 18 regions (plural - gobollo, singular - gobol); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe (Middle Jubba), Jubbada Hoose (Lower Jubba), Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe (Middle Shabeelle), Shabeellaha Hoose (Lower Shabeelle), Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
National symbols
Leopard; national colors: blue, white.
The flag
The National flag of Somalia has light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; the blue field was originally influenced by the flag of the UN but today is said to denote the sky and the neighboring Indian Ocean; the five points of the star represent the five regions in the horn of Africa that are inhabited by Somali people: the former British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland (which together make up Somalia), Djibouti, Ogaden (Ethiopia), and the North East Province (Kenya).
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The National Anthem
| Title | "Qolobaa Calankeed" (Every Nation Has its own Flag) |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music | lyrics/music: Abdullahi QARSHE |
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note: adopted 2012; written in 1959
More about the government of Somalia
| Date of Independence | 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960 to form the Somali Republic) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of civil law, Islamic (sharia) law, and customary law (referred to as Xeer) |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt |
| Constitution | |
| History | Previous 1961, 1979; latest drafted 12 June 2012, adopted 1 August 2012 (provisional) |
| Amendments | Proposed by the federal government, by members of the state governments, the Federal Parliament, or by public petition; proposals require review by a joint committee of Parliament with inclusion of public comments and state legislatures’ comments; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in both houses of Parliament and approval by a majority of votes cast in a referendum; constitutional clauses on Islamic principles, the federal system, human rights and freedoms, powers and authorities of the government branches, and inclusion of women in national institutions cannot be amended; amended 2024 |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | no |
| Citizenship by descent only | the father must be a citizen of Somalia |
| Dual citizenship recognized | no |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | 7 years |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (since 23 May 2022) |
| Head of government | Prime Minister Hamza Abdi BARRE (since 25 June 2022) |
| Cabinet | Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by the House of the People |
| Elections/appointments | president indirectly elected by the Federal Parliament by two-thirds majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term; election last held on 15 May 2022 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister appointed by the president, approved by the House of the People |
| Election results | 2022: HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud elected president in third round - Federal Parliament percent of vote in first round - Said ABDULLAHI DENI (Kaah) 20.2%, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" (TPP) 18.3%, HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (PDP) 16.2%, Hassan Ali KHAYRE (independent) 14.6%, other 30.7%; Federal Parliament percent of vote in second round - HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud 34.1%, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" 25.7%, Said ABDULLAHI DENI 21%, Hassan Ali KHAYRE 19.2%; Federal Parliament percent of vote in third round - HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud 66%, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" 34% 2017: Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" elected president in second round; Federal Parliament number of votes in first round - HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud (PDP) 88, Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" (TPP) 72, Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed (ARS) 49, other 37; Federal Parliament number of votes in second round - Mohamed ABDULLAHI Mohamed "Farmaajo" 184, HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud 97, Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed 45 |
| Legislative branch | |
| Description | Bicameral Federal Parliament to consist of: Senate (54 seats; senators indirectly elected by state assemblies to serve 4-year terms) House of the People (275 seats; members indirectly elected by electoral colleges, each consisting of 51 delegates selected by the 136 Traditional Elders in consultation with sub-clan elders; members serve 4-year terms) |
| Elections | Senate - first held on 10 October 2016; last held 27 July - 13 November 2021 (next to be held in 2024) House of the People - first held 23 October - 10 November 2016 (next scheduled for September - October 2021 but postponed to November 2021 and then extended several times until April 2022; next to be held in June 2024) |
| Election results | Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 40, women 14, percentage women 25.9% House of the People - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 221, women 54, percentage women 19.6%; total Federal Parliament percentage women 20.7% |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | The provisional constitution stipulates the establishment of the Constitutional Court (consists of 5 judges, including the chief judge and deputy chief judge); note - under the terms of the 2004 Transitional National Charter, a Supreme Court based in Mogadishu and the Appeal Court were established; yet most regions have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, either secular, traditional Somali customary law, or Islamic law |
| Judge selection and term of office | Judges appointed by the president upon proposal of the Judicial Service Commission, a 9-member judicial and administrative body; judge tenure NA |
| Subordinate courts | Federal courts; federal member state-level courts; military courts; sharia courts |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Ali Sharif AHMED (since 16 September 2019) |
| Chancery | 1609 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 853-9164 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://somaliembassydc.net/ |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Shane L. DIXON (since 25 July 2023) |
| Embassy | Mogadishu, (reopened October 2019 on the grounds of the Mogadishu Airport) |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 606 Village Market 00621 Nairobi, Kenya |
| Telephone | [254] 20 363-6451 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://so.usembassy.gov/ |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Somalia
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Somalia
Want to know more about Somalia? Check all different factbooks for Somalia below.
