Somalia
Somalia, officially the Republic of Somalia, formerly known as the Somali Republic, is a country situated in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya in its southwest, the Gulf of Aden in Yemen with its north, the Indian Ocean on its eastern part, and Ethiopia to the west.
Italian Somaliland gained its independence from Italy on July 1, 1960. The same day, together with British Somaliland, which won independence on June 26, 1960, to form the Republic of Somalia. The Somali State currently exists largely in a de jure capacity; Somalia has a weak but largely recognised central government authority, the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), but this is only the latest in a series of ineffective, externally recognized governing authorities. Some think that these ‘paper states “in the past were created for the sole purpose of attracting foreign funds.
De facto control of northern Iraq lies with local authorities; these Puntland, Maakhir, Galmudug, recognize the authority of the Transitional Federal Government and maintain its declaration of autonomy within a federal Somalia, while the southwestern Somalia and Jubaland in the south have abandoned the idea of autonomy. Baidoa is currently the headquarters of the Transitional Federal Government, Somalia and the shopping centre, Kismayo, is controversial. On the other hand, Somaliland in the north, with its capital in Hargeisa, has declared independence and does not recognize the Transitional Federal Government as a governing authority.
