Somaliland Profile on BBC

A breakaway, semi-desert territory on the coast of the Gulf of Aden, Somaliland declared independence after the overthrow of Somali military dictator Siad Barre in 1991.

The move followed a secessionist struggle during which Siad Barre's forces pursued rebel guerrillas in the territory. Tens of thousands of people were killed and towns were flattened.
Though not internationally recognised, Somaliland has a working political system, government institutions, a police force and its own currency.

The former British protectorate has also escaped much of the chaos and violence that plague Somalia.

FACTS

Republic of Somaliland

Capital: Hargeisa (independence not recognised internationally)

• Population 3.5 million
• Major languages Somali, Arabic, English
• Major religion Islam
• Currency Somaliland shilling
• Life expectancy: not available

Somaliland government

LEADER

President: Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo

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Image copyright AFP

Image caption President Silanyo says gaining international recognition is one of his top priorities

Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo came to power in July 2010 following elections considered largely free and fair by international observers.
He defeated the sitting president, Dahir Riyale Kahin, who had been appointed by a council of elders in 2002 and won the territory's first multi-part elections in 2003.
Mr Silanyo, who has a degree from the London School of Economics, is Somaliland's fourth president since the territory unilaterally proclaimed its independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991.
The unelected upper house of parliament in 2015 announced a postponement of presidential and parliamentary elections to April 2017.

MEDIA

Image caption Satellite television is a popular alternative to government-owned SLNTV

Since 1991, Radio Hargeisa has been the Somaliland government's official mouthpiece. The government also owns Somaliland National Television (SLNTV).
The authorities maintain a tight hold on broadcasting. Radio is the most accessible form of media, although Radio Hargeisa is the only permitted domestic outlet. The press can carry criticism of the government but the market for printed publications is small.

• Read full media profile

TIMELINE

Image copyright AFP

Image caption Somaliland issues its own money - the Somaliland shilling

7th century - Islam starts to make inroads into the area of modern-day Somaliland.
14th century - The area's Islamic sultanates come under the suzerainty of the Christian Ethiopian Empire.
1527 - Sultanate of Adal revolts against Ethiopian rule and subsequently conquers much of Ethiopia, before being defeated with the help of the Portuguese in 1543.
1888 - Britain establishes the protectorate of British Somaliland though treaties with the local sultanates.
1899 - Islamic cleric Mohammed Abdullah rises against British rule, going on to establish the Dervish State, which survives until it is destroyed by British forces in 1920.
1960 - British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland become independent and merge into the Somali Republic.
1991 - The former British Somaliland declares unilateral independence as Somaliland following the ousting of Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre, which plunges the rest of Somalia into anarchy.
2001 - More than 97% of the population votes to endorse the constitution adopted in 1997, in a referendum aimed at affirming Somaliland's self-declared independence.
2016 - Somaliland celebrates 25 years of self-declared independence, but remains unrecognised.

Image copyright AFP

Image caption Livestock exports are an important source of revenue

Somaliland wants world recognition of its independence

Women march in a procession to celebrate the 25th anniversary of proclaimed independence in the capital Hargeisa, Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia Wednesday, May 18, 2016. Somaliland is celebrating 25 years since the region proclaimed its independence and has experienced relative stability and economic prosperity over the years, even though Somalia has been wracked by deadly violence. (Barkhad Dahir/Associated Press)

By Elias Meseret | AP May 18

HARGEISA, Somalia — The semi-autonomous region of Somaliland is renewing calls for international recognition of its self-declared independence from Somalia.

Somaliland on Wednesday celebrated 25 years since the region proclaimed independence from Somalia. Thousands of civilians and military personnel paraded in front of dignitaries in the capital Hargeisa as the government showed off its Soviet-era military arsenal.

Somaliland asserted independence in 1991 after the overthrow of Somali dictator Siad Barre. The region has experienced relative stability and economic prosperity over the years, even though neighboring Somalia has been wracked by deadly violence.

“We do not want any special treatment form the international community,” said Sa’ad Ali Shire, Somaliland’s foreign minister. “We simply want recognition of the reality that has existed in Somaliland for 25 years.”

The celebrations came as Somaliland’s main port, Berbera, is set to receive a substantial amount of funding from the United Arab Emirates. The two countries signed a development contract on May 9 that includes the planned renovation of Berbera, which connects Somaliland to Ethiopia. The total deal is reportedly worth $400 million.

Among those attending the celebrations Wednesday was Kenyan lawmaker Mohamed Shidiye, who told The Associated Press that for him “the (Somali) government in Mogadishu is clinically dead. It doesn’t exist.”

“I’m here to celebrate together with the Somaliland people their achievements in the past 25 years and to call on the international community to recognize them,” he said.

Somaliland, with a population of approximately 4 million, has established its own government based in Hargeisa but it hasn’t yet received any recognition from the international community. Previous efforts to mediate between Somalia and Somaliland by Turkey and Djibouti have failed, with officials in Hargeisa accusing mediators of favoring the Somali government, which is facing a deadly rebellion by the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab.