Welcome to Somalia 🇸🇴 — a remarkable destination in Eastern Africa. Its official name is Federal Republic of Somalia, and today around 19.0 million people call this Africa nation home, spread across roughly 637,657 km² of territory.
Below is your complete country profile for Somalia: key statistics, an introduction to Mogadishu, an interactive map, cultural notes and answers to the questions people most often ask about this corner of Africa.
Geography of Somalia
Somalia lies in Eastern Africa, in the Africa region of the world. Measuring roughly 637,657 square kilometres, it ranks 43rd in the world by total area.
Somalia has a coastline as well as land borders with Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya — a crossroads position that has influenced its culture and economy for centuries.
Mogadishu serves as the capital — the centre of government and, for most travellers, the gateway to everything else Somalia has to offer.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
People, language and culture
Somalia is home to approximately 19.0 million residents — the 68th largest population on the planet. Its people are known as Somalis.
Somalia is multilingual: the languages spoken include Arabic and Somali. This linguistic variety reflects the country's layered history and the many communities that shaped it.
Like every country featured on Spin a Country, Somalia rewards curiosity — its festivals, food and everyday customs tell a story that statistics alone never can.
Currency, travel and practical facts
The official currency is the Somali shilling (SOS, symbol Sh). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check current rates before travelling.
The international dialling code for Somalia is +252. Websites from the country typically use the .so internet domain.
If Somalia came up on your random spin, take five minutes to memorise its flag, capital (Mogadishu) and population — these are the three facts most often asked in geography quizzes.
Neighbouring countries
Somalia shares borders with 3 countries:
Fun facts about Somalia
- Somalia's flag emoji is 🇸🇴 — its two-letter country code is SO and its three-letter code is SOM.
- Somalia covers 637,657 km², ranking 43rd in the world by area.
- With about 19.0 million people, Somalia holds the 68th spot in the world population ranking.
- Somalia is a member state of the United Nations.
- Somalia shares borders with 3 countries.
Somalia — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Somalia?
- The capital of Somalia is Mogadishu.
- What is the population of Somalia?
- Somalia has a population of approximately 19,009,151 people, ranking 68th in the world.
- Where is Somalia located?
- Somalia is located in Eastern Africa, part of the Africa region.
- What language is spoken in Somalia?
- The languages spoken in Somalia include Arabic and Somali.
- What currency is used in Somalia?
- Somalia uses the Somali shilling (SOS).
