|
|
|
|
|
Information on Somalia |
Capital:Mogadishu
Official Language:Somali
Currency: Somali Shilling
Somalia is a beautiful coastal nation in the East of Africa. It is bounded by Ethiopia to the west, Gulf of Aden to the north, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the south-west and the Indian Ocean to the east. A place of untamed natural beauty Somalia is blessed with two charming rivers the Shebelle and the Juba. Somalia was first established from an Arab sultanate. Later on British, French and Italians established settlements on the coast of Somalia. The arid topography of Somalia has varied geographical contrasts. There are mountainous and desert areas in the north, savannah regions and rugged plateau in the south. The climate is hot and humid. Sun kissed beaches border the Indian Ocean while beautiful coral reefs extend from Mogadishu to the Kenyan border in the south. Vast expanses of forest greeneries, thorn bushes, acacia trees, eucalyptus, mahogany and frankincense trees are the natural assets of the land. Wildlife is abundant with elephants, crocodiles, giraffes, leopards, lions and zebras roaming around. Moreover the nomadic Somalis with their distinct cultures, customs and festivals can be glimpsed at in the interior of Somalia.
Major Cities of Somalia
Mogadishu is the capital city of Somalia. Other major cities include Berbera, Hargeysa, Kismayu, Marka Muqdiso and Boroma. Mogadishu is the largest city of Somalia. It serves as a commercial, financial and administrative center. Due to continuous civil unrest and clan based rebel factions many sites of Mogadishu have been damaged. Mogadishu is famous for food and beverage processing and textile industries like cotton. The market areas offer a variety of goods ranging from food to electronic gadgets. Mogadishu hosts many historical sites, churches, restaurants and residential complexes. It and serves as a major seaport. Berbera situated on the oil route is also a major port city. Markets of Berbera display varieties of Arabic frankincense and myrrh. The city has gained popularity for its runway that was built as a landing strip for the U.S. Space Shuttle. Hargeysa situated in the north west of Somalia is a financial city with food processing, gemstones, construction, retail, and Internet industries. Brutal raids and bombing campaigns led by President Siad Barre devastated major part of the city. A war memorial in the form of a MiG fighter jet marks the event.
Tourist Attractions of Somalia
Kismayu National Park, in the southwest of Somalia is a place of prime tourist attraction. Alifuuto Nature Reserve and Bushbush Game Reserve in Mogadishu attract tourists with their serene natural surroundings and diverse flora and fauna. Gezira Beach Beach in Mogadishu and Sinbusi Beach in Merca offers great leisure walks and exciting water sport facilities. Las Geel is a marvelous site with impressive Neolithic rock art paintings adorning the walls of antique caves and shelters. The Gulf of Aden located in the Indian Ocean between Yemen and Somalia is a major waterway for Persian golf oil. It offers varieties of fish corals and exciting diving spots.
Getting Around Somalia
Somali Airlines offers regular flights to the chief cities of Somalia. The condition of roads on the desert areas is poor. Ships are popular water transport modes. Traffic drives on the right. It is difficult to travel outside Mogadishu by car. Well-paved roads connect from the capital to Burao and Baidoa. But due to the communal unrest roads are sealed between Kismayu and Mogadishu. Cars and buses are other popular transports but they are quite a few in numbers. Taxis and car hire are available in the large towns. Urban minibuses and shared taxis are found in Mogadishu. There are good number of hotels and resorts in the major cities of Somalia that provide comfortable accommodation. Two major hotels in Hargeisa are the Ambassador and Al-Maan Soor.
Precaution in Somalia
Presently tourism to Somalia is in decline. There are many historical cities in Somalia that deserves a visit. But due to consistent communal unrest and violence the security situation of the country has become unstable. Travel is possible in northern Somalia except Sool, Sanaag regions and Buhoodle districts. These areas are in continuous dispute with neighboring Puntland. Violence in Mogadishu has stopped for a time being but touring the land is still quite risky. Eastern parts of the country around Baidoa are safe being under government control. Violent rebellion prevails in Puntland and southern Somalia. Travelers should avoid touring these areas. The beautiful coastal lands and villages of Somalia have been destroyed by the 2004 tsunami attack. Due to continuous violence and natural disasters a visit to Somalia is not encouraged. The interested travelers are requested to seek official advice from Somalia tourism office.
For further details and information on Somalia and its tourist destinations flip through the pages of allwonderscountries
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|