James Baquet

At this point in time, the East African country of Somalia has neither a travel slogan nor a national motto — nor could one be expected.

A country with a rich and ancient heritage, Somalia fell on hard times in the past 50 years or so. Emerging independent from colonial interference in 1960, a 1969 coup d’etat established the Somali Democratic Republic, a military dictatorship which lasted until 1991. Anarchy followed.

The Somali Civil War which came after the fall of the government has continued to this day. Although Somalia was once praised for being one of the most homogeneous countries in Africa — being about 85 percent ethnic Somali — the war was initially conducted between three main groups: the Somali Salvation Democratic Front in the northeast, the Somali National Movement in the northwest, and the United Somali Congress in the south. It was in this period that Somalia was deemed a “failed state,” a government which was no longer able to provide for the needs of its people.

Since that time, factions have shifted, and at least two transitional governments have been established to create some national institutions, notably the military. In 2012 the process of reestablishing permanent democratic institutions was begun, including the creation of a new provisional constitution. A federal government has now been established, and an informal economy is functioning.

All of this is a far cry from Somalia’s past, a time of civic architecture and trade with ancient Egypt and Mycenaean Greece, as well as the Phoenicians, Babylonians, and Romans, and India and China.

The country, located in the Horn of Africa, has Kenya to the southwest, Ethiopia to the west, and Djibouti to the northwest. Water surrounds the other sides: the Gulf of Aden on the north, and the Indian Ocean on the southeast. It has mainland Africa’s longest coastline, but the interior border with Ethiopia is unclear.

The people speak the related languages of Somali and Arabic. The Somali people live mainly in the north, with ethnic minorities (including Bravanese, Bantus, Bajuni and Ethiopians) in the south. Most of the people are Muslim.

Vocabulary:

Which word above means:

1. government run by generals

2. groups, cliques

3. of a city

4. considered, judged

5. chaos, lack of order

6. coming out

7. blended, of one type

8. temporary, not stable

9. meddling, intrusion

10. moved, changed