Political parties and leaders: only party—Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP), Maj. Gen. Mohamed Siad Barre, general secretary
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: President—last held 23 December 1986 (next to be held December 1993); results—President Siad was reelected without opposition;
People's Assembly—last held 31 December 1984 (next scheduled for December 1989 was postponed); results—SRSP is the only party; seats—(177 total, 171 elected) SRSP 171
Communists: probably some Communist sympathizers in the government hierarchy
Member of: ACP, AfDB, Arab League, EAMA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB—Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador ABDIKARIM Ali Omar; Chancery at Suite 710, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 342-1575; there is a Somali Consulate General in New York; US—Ambassador T. Frank CRIGLER; Embassy at Corso Primo Luglio, Mogadishu (mailing address is P. O. Box 574, Mogadishu); telephone [252](01) 20811
Flag: light blue with a large white five- pointed star in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a UN trust territory)
Economy
Overview: One of the world's least developed
countries, Somalia has few resources.
In 1988 per capita GDP was $210.
Agriculture is the most important sector of the
economy, with the livestock sector
accounting for about 40% of GDP and
about 65% of export earnings. Nomads
and seminomads who are dependent upon
livestock for their livelihoods make up
about 50% of the population. Crop
production generates only 10% of GDP and
employs about 20% of the work force. The
main export crop is bananas; sugar,
sorghum, and corn are grown for the domestic
market. The small industrial sector is
based on the processing of agricultural
products and accounts for less than 10%
of GDP. At the end of 1988 serious
economic problems facing the nation were the
external debt of $2.8 billion and double-digit
inflation.
GDP: $1.7 billion, per capita $210; real growth rate -1.4% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 81.7% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $273 million; expenditures $405 million, including capital expenditures of $219 million (1987)
Exports: $58.0 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities—livestock, hides, skins, bananas, fish; partners—US 0.5%, Saudi Arabia, Italy, FRG (1986)
Imports: $354.0 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities—textiles, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials; partners—US 13%, Italy, FRG, Kenya, UK, Saudi Arabia (1986)
External debt: $2.8 billion (1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 71,000 kW capacity; 65 million kWh produced, 8 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: a few small industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining
Agriculture: dominant sector, led by livestock raising (cattle, sheep, goats); crops—bananas, sorghum, corn, mangoes, sugarcane; not self-sufficient in food; fishing potential largely unexploited
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $618 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.8 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $1.1 billion; Communist countries (1970-88), $336 million
Currency: Somali shilling (plural—shillings); 1 Somali shilling (So. Sh.) = 100 centesimi
Exchange rates: Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1—643.92 (December 1989), 170.45 (1988), 105.18 (1987), 72.00 (1986), 39.49 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Highways: 15,215 km total; including
2,335 km bituminous surface, 2,880 km
gravel, and 10,000 km improved earth or
stabilized soil (1983)
Pipelines: 15 km crude oil
Ports: Mogadishu, Berbera, Chisimayu
Merchant marine: 3 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,563 GRT/9,512 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
Airports: 60 total, 45 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 20 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: minimal telephone and telegraph service; radio relay and troposcatter system centered on Mogadishu connects a few towns; 6,000 telephones; stations—2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station; scheduled to receive an ARABSAT station
Defense Forces
Branches: Somali National Army
(including Navy, Air Force, and Air
Defense Force), National Police Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 1,878,939; 1,052,644 fit for military service
Defense expenditures: NA
