NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/alt/current/somalia/745

Internet Message Format | 1992-12-29 | 9.7 KB

Xref: sparky alt.current-events.somalia:745 talk.politics.mideast:24326
Path: sparky!uunet!spool.mu.edu!sdd.hp.com!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!news.acns.nwu.edu!uicvm.uic.edu!u38026
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago
Date: Tuesday, 29 Dec 1992 13:36:49 CST
From: <[e-mail]>
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Newsgroups: alt.current-events.somalia,talk.politics.mideast
Subject: Somalia: The REAL U.S. mission
Lines: 258

I happen to locate some interesting information on Somalia.  I think
most people would find this most interesting in light of the so called
"humanitarian" mission, Restore Hope.  The issues that are most
pertinent to issue of U.S. military intervention are marked with a "**".
If you know anything about US imperialism, here's more fuel for the
fire. I obtained this information through The Software Labs (a shareware
distribution company based in Los Angeles, California), 1-800-359-9998,
"The World Factbook 1990 Electronic Version, 3 disks (3316,3317,3318)".

*********************************************************************

                        THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1990
                          ELECTRONIC VERSION

    The World Factbook is produced annually by the Central Intelligence
Agency for the use of United States Government officials, and the style,
format, coverage, and content are designed to meet their specific
requirements. Comments and queries are welcome and may be addressed to:

                       Central Intelligence Agency
                       Attn: Public Affairs
                       Washington, DC 20505
                       [phone]

***********************************************************************



Somalia

Geography
Total area: 637,660 km2; land area: 627,340 km2

Comparative area: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: 2,340 km total; Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km,
Kenya 682 km

Coastline: 3,025 km

Maritime claims:

Territorial sea: 200 nm

Disputes: southern half of boundary with Ethiopia is a Provisional
Administrative Line; territorial dispute with Ethiopia over the Ogaden;
possible claims to Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya based on unification of
ethnic Somalis

Climate: desert; northeast monsoon (December to February),
cooler southwest monsoon (May to October); irregular rainfall; hot, humid
periods (tangambili) between monsoons

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

**Natural resources: uranium, and largely unexploited reserves
of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt

Land use: 2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 46% meadows and pastures;
14% forest and woodland; 38% other; includes 3% irrigated

**Environment: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern
plains in summer; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

**Note:  strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches
to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal.  [also
Somalia is good location for a military base to launch air strikes
against independant countries like Libya and Yemen and protect US
colonies like Saudi Arabia.]

People
Population: 8,424,269 (July 1990), growth rate 0.8% (1990)

Birth rate: 47 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 15 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: - 24 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 125 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 53 years male, 54 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 7.3 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Somali(s); adjective--Somali

Ethnic divisions: 85% Somali, rest mainly Bantu; 30,000 Arabs, 3,000
Europeans, 800 Asians

**Religion: almost entirely Sunni Muslim [interesting that they can sing
Christmas Carols with the Marines.]

Language: Somali (official); Arabic, Italian, English

Literacy: 11.6% (government est.)

Labor force: 2,200,000; very few are skilled laborers; 70% pastoral nomad,
30% agriculture, government, trading, fishing, handicrafts, and other; 53% of
population of working age (1985)

Organized labor: General Federation of Somali Trade Unions is controlled
by the government

Government
Long-form name: Somali Democratic Republic

Type: republic

Capital: Mogadishu

Administrative divisions: 16 regions (plural--NA, singular--gobolka);
Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,
Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose,
Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

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)

Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 21 October (1969)

Executive branch: president, two vice presidents, prime minister,
Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders:
Chief of State--President and Commander in Chief of the Army
Maj. Gen. Mohamed SIAD Barre (since 21 October 1969);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Mohamed Ali SAMANTAR
(since 1 February 1987)

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 [phone]; 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 U252e (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