Comprised of a former British protectorate and an Italian colony, Somalia was created in 1960, when the two territories merged. In 1991, the country's military government, led by President Siad Barre, was overthrown, and Somalia has been without an effective central government since that time. In 2009, Somali's parliament installed moderate Islamist Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmad as the new president. However, the government's military position has since weakened further, and in May 2009, Al-Shabab and another radical militia launched an attack on Mogadishu, prompting President Ahmad to appeal for help from abroad. The long-standing absence of authority in the country has led to Somali pirates becoming a major threat to international shipping in the area, and has prompted Nato to take the lead in an antipiracy operation. The transitional federal Charter is helping prepare for national elections in 2011.The country's official language is Somali, with Arabic, Italian, and English widely spoken.

Leader: President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmad
Capital city: Mogadishu

Economic profile

Monetary unit: Somali shilling
GDP per capita: $565,78 per capita (2008) (NationMaster)
GDP real growth rate: 2,6% (2008) (IMF)
GDP composition per sector:
Agriculture: 65% (2000) (CIA)
Industry: 10% (2000) (CIA)
Services: 25% (2000) (CIA)
Industries: A few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, and wireless communication
Export commodities: Livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, and scrap metal

Social profile

Population: 9,83-million (2009) (World Bank)
Population growth: 2,8% (2009) (CIA)
Life expectancy at birth: 50 years (2008) (World Bank)
Adult literacy: 37,8% (2001) (CIA)
Number of people living with HIV/Aids: 24 000 (2007) (UNAids estimate)