Jump to content

Demographics of Somalia

Page extended-confirmed-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Somalia/People)

Demographics of Somalia
Population pyramid of Somalia in 2020
Population18,100,000 (2023 est.)[1]
Growth rate2.42% (2022 est.)
Birth rate37.98 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate11.62 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Life expectancy55.72 years
 • male53.39 years
 • female58.12 years
Fertility rate6.90 children born/woman (2020)[2]
Infant mortality rate86.53 deaths/1,000 live births
Net migration rate-2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Age structure
0–14 years42.38%
65 and over2.27%
Nationality
NationalitySomali
Major ethnicSomali (98%)

Demographic features of Somalia's inhabitants include ethnicity, language, population density, education level, health, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. Somalia is believed to be one of the most homogeneous countries in Africa.[3][4]

2020 survey

Child marriages, known to deprive women of opportunities to reach their full potential, have among women aged 20–24, 36 percent of total population.[2]

The April 2020 SHDS report further unveils that fertility rates remain very high, the total fertility rate for Somalia is 6.9 children per woman, the highest in the world, which would impact planning for the next years.[2] In addition, 99 percent of women have still been genitally circumcised.[2]

Population

According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects[5][6], the total population was 17,065,581 in 2021, compared to 2,264,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 44.9%, 52.3% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 2.7% was 65 years or older.[7]

Vital statistics

Registration of vital events in Somalia is incomplete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates:[8]

Year Population Live births per year Deaths per year Natural change per year CBR* CDR* NC* TFR* IMR* Life expectancy (years)
1950 2 213 000   112 000   50 000   62 000 50.5 22.4 28.1 7.25 152.1 41.40
1951   2 276 000   114 000   51 000   62 000 49.9 22.6 27.3 7.25 151.4 41.52
1952   2 339 000   116 000   53 000   63 000 49.4 22.5 26.8 7.25 150.1 41.74
1953   2 402 000   117 000   54 000   64 000 48.9 22.4 26.5 7.25 148.8 41.97
1954   2 466 000   119 000   55 000   65 000 48.5 22.3 26.2 7.25 147.6 42.19
1955   2 530 000   122 000   56 000   66 000 48.0 22.1 26.0 7.25 146.3 42.40
1956   2 595 000   124 000   57 000   67 000 47.7 21.9 25.8 7.25 145.1 42.62
1957   2 662 000   126 000   58 000   68 000 47.4 21.7 25.7 7.25 143.9 42.83
1958   2 729 000   129 000   59 000   70 000 47.1 21.5 25.6 7.25 142.7 43.04
1959   2 798 000   131 000   60 000   71 000 46.8 21.3 25.5 7.25 141.6 43.25
1960   2 871 000   134 000   61 000   73 000 46.6 21.1 25.5 7.25 140.4 43.45
1961   2 946 000   137 000   62 000   75 000 46.4 21.0 25.3 7.25 139.8 43.56
1962   3 023 000   140 000   63 000   77 000 46.2 20.7 25.4 7.26 138.1 43.88
1963   3 102 000   143 000   64 000   79 000 46.0 20.5 25.4 7.26 137.0 44.10
1964   3 184 000   146 000   65 000   81 000 45.8 20.4 25.4 7.26 135.9 44.30
1965   3 268 000   149 000   66 000   83 000 45.7 20.2 25.5 7.26 134.6 44.54
1966   3 354 000   153 000   67 000   86 000 45.5 20.0 25.6 7.26 133.5 44.76
1967   3 442 000   156 000   68 000   88 000 45.4 19.8 25.6 7.25 132.4 44.97
1968   3 532 000   160 000   69 000   91 000 45.3 19.6 25.7 7.23 131.4 45.17
1969   3 625 000   164 000   71 000   93 000 45.2 19.5 25.8 7.21 130.4 45.37
1970   3 721 000   168 000   72 000   96 000 45.2 19.3 25.9 7.18 129.4 45.56
1971   3 818 000   173 000   73 000   99 000 45.2 19.2 26.0 7.15 128.4 45.75
1972   3 918 000   177 000   75 000   103 000 45.2 19.0 26.2 7.12 127.5 45.94
1973   4 022 000   182 000   76 000   106 000 45.2 18.9 26.3 7.09 126.5 46.13
1974   4 126 000   187 000   86 000   101 000 45.3 20.7 24.6 7.06 137.8 43.82
1975   4 228 000   192 000   86 000   106 000 45.5 20.4 25.1 7.03 135.9 44.18
1976   4 334 000   198 000   87 000   111 000 45.7 20.1 25.5 7.02 134.0 44.57
1977   4 450 000   204 000   82 000   122 000 45.8 18.3 27.5 7.00 122.6 46.92
1978   4 778 000   214 000   84 000   130 000 46.8 18.4 28.4 7.13 121.7 46.95
1979   5 409 000   241 000   93 000   148 000 47.1 18.2 28.8 7.16 120.7 47.31
1980   5 892 000   277 000   106 000   171 000 47.3 18.1 29.2 7.18 119.8 47.49
1981   5 935 000   291 000   110 000   181 000 47.7 18.1 29.7 7.23 119.0 47.67
1982   5 952 000   286 000   107 000   179 000 48.0 18.0 30.0 7.25 118.2 47.83
1983   6 143 000   296 000   109 000   187 000 48.3 17.8 30.5 7.28 116.6 48.17
1984   6 369 000   307 000   112 000   196 000 48.5 17.6 30.9 7.30 115.2 48.46
1985   6 631 000   322 000   117 000   205 000 48.7 17.7 31.0 7.33 114.8 48.28
1986   6 909 000   336 000   121 000   215 000 48.9 17.6 31.2 7.35 114.1 48.37
1987   7 158 000   351 000   124 000   227 000 49.0 17.3 31.7 7.37 113.1 48.90
1988   7 160 000   362 000   151 000   211 000 49.1 20.5 28.6 7.40 115.8 43.84
1989   7 035 000   352 000   131 000   221 000 49.2 18.3 30.8 7.42 110.1 46.72
1990   6 999 000   349 000   128 000   221 000 49.0 18.0 31.0 7.44 108.3 47.11
1991   6 733 000   346 000 284 000   63 000 49.4 40.5 8.9 7.47 237.4 26.57
1992   6 428 000   327 000   251 000   76 000 50.2 38.6 11.7 7.50 236.3 27.31
1993   6 621 000   328 000   101 000   227 000 50.4 15.5 34.9 7.53 104.6 50.65
1994   6 960 000   351 000   111 000   240 000 50.3 15.9 34.4 7.54 105.1 50.33
1995   7 211 000   360 000   113 000   247 000 50.1 15.8 34.4 7.58 104.5 50.60
1996   7 472 000   376 000   119 000   257 000 50.1 15.9 34.2 7.62 104.8 50.45
1997   7 734 000   388 000   124 000   264 000 50.3 16.1 34.2 7.66 106.8 50.20
1998   8 057 000   403 000   127 000   276 000 50.2 15.8 34.4 7.65 104.6 50.66
1999   8 384 000   419 000   133 000   286 000 50.1 15.9 34.2 7.63 104.7 50.53
2000   8 721 000   434 000   137 000   297 000 49.9 15.8 34.1 7.61 104.6 50.66
2001   9 071 000   450 000   142 000   308 000 49.7 15.7 34.0 7.58 104.4 50.74
2002   9 411 000   467 000   148 000   320 000 49.7 15.7 34.0 7.58 104.4 50.73
2003   9 758 000   482 000   153 000   329 000 49.4 15.7 33.7 7.55 104.5 50.61
2004   10 117 000   498 000   159 000   339 000 49.2 15.7 33.5 7.52 104.6 50.54
2005   10 467 000   513 000   163 000   350 000 49.0 15.6 33.4 7.48 104.4 50.66
2006   10 785 000   527 000   168 000   359 000 48.7 15.6 33.2 7.46 104.1 50.60
2007   11 118 000   539 000   173 000   366 000 48.5 15.5 32.9 7.42 103.5 50.52
2008   11 445 000   555 000   174 000   381 000 48.2 15.1 33.1 7.39 101.3 51.12
2009   11 730 000   565 000   172 000   393 000 47.9 14.6 33.4 7.34 98.7 51.85
2010   12 027 000   576 000   185 000   390 000 47.7 15.4 32.3 7.30 102.5 50.56
2011   12 217 000   589 000   184 000   405 000 47.5 14.9 32.7 7.26 100.0 51.30
2012   12 440 000   590 000   169 000   420 000 47.3 13.6 33.7 7.20 91.4 53.16
2013   12 852 000   604 000   169 000   435 000 47.0 13.1 33.9 7.13 88.7 53.84
2014   13 309 000   622 000   170 000   452 000 46.7 12.8 33.9 7.06 86.1 54.28
2015   13 764 000   640 000   171 000   469 000 46.5 12.4 34.0 6.98 83.9 54.86
2016   14 293 000   657 000   175 000   482 000 46.2 12.3 33.9 6.89 82.0 55.04
2017   14 864 000   675 000   177 000   498 000 45.5 11.9 33.6 6.74 79.8 55.65
2018   15 411 000   693 000   176 000   516 000 45.0 11.4 33.5 6.63 77.2 56.38
2019   15 981 000   711 000   176 000   535 000 44.6 11.0 33.5 6.53 75.0 57.08
2020   16 537 000   728 000   188 000   540 000 44.0 11.4 32.6 6.42 72.9 55.97
2021   17 271 000   762 000   195 000   566 000 44.1 11.3 32.8 6.35 70.0 57.2
2022   17 802 000   780 000   228 000   551 000 43.8 12.8 31.0 6.26 86.7 53.9
2023   18 356 000   789 000   181 000   608 000 43.0 9.8 33.1 6.13 66.3 58.8
* CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)

Ethnic groups

Somalis

Somalis constitute the largest ethnic group in Somalia, at approximately 98% of the nation's inhabitants.[9] They are organized into clan groupings, which are important social units; clan membership plays a central part in Somali culture and politics. Clans are patrilineal and are typically divided into sub-clans, sometimes with many sub-divisions. Through the xeer system (customary law), the advanced clan structure has served governmental roles in many rural Somali communities.[10]

According to The Economist, at independence Somalia was "arguably in ethnic terms the most homogeneous country in Africa" however, the publication also notes:

"..its ethnic homogeneity is misleading. Despite also sharing a single language and religion, it is divided into more than 500 clans and sub-clans."[11]

Somali Clans

Main article: Somali clans
Part of a series on
Somali clans
Darod
Isaaq
Dir
Hawiye
Rahanweyn

Somali clans (Somali: Qabaa'ilka Soomaalida; Arabic: القبائل الصومالية, romanized: al-Qabā'il al-Sūmāliyya) are patrilineal kinship groups based on agnatic descent of the Somali people.[12][13][14] Tradition and folklore connects the origin of the Somali population by language and way of life, and societal organisations, by customs, and by a feeling of belonging to a broader family among individuals from the Arabian Peninsula.[15][16][17]

The Somali people are mainly divided among five patrilineal clans, the Hawiye, Darod, Rahanweyn, Dir, and Isaaq.[18] The average person is able to trace his/her ancestry generations back. Somali clans in contemporary times have an established official structure in the country's political system, acknowledged by a mathematical formula for equitably distributing seats between the clans in the Federal Parliament of Somalia.[19][20][21]

The clan represents the highest degree of familial affiliation. It holds territorial properties and is typically overseen by a Sultan. Clans possess ancestral lands, which are associated with the migratory patterns of the Somali populace throughout their historical narrative. Each clan is administered by its designated leader and supported by its council of elders, with land being communally owned and overseen.[22] Various Somali clans utilise distinct titles for their leaders, including Sultan,[23] Emir, Imam,[24] Ugaas,[23] and Garaad.[25] Clan leadership may be hereditary, or leaders may be elected by the council of elders composed of representatives from diverse clan lineages. The leaders of these clans fulfill both religious and political responsibilities.[22]

Other ethnic groups

Non-Somali ethnic minority groups make up about 5% of the nation's population.[9] They include Arabs, Bantus & Bajunis.

Part of a series on the
Culture of Somalia
Culture
People
Religion
Language
Politics

Languages

Main article: Languages of Somalia
Speech sample in Standard Somali.

Somali is the official language of Somalia. It is the mother tongue of Somalis, the nation's most populous ethnic group.[26] The language is a member of the Cushitic branch of the Afroasiatic family.[27]

In addition to Somali, Arabic, which is also an Afroasiatic tongue,[28] is another official language in Somalia. Many speak it due to centuries-old ties with the Arab world, the far-reaching influence of the Arabic media, and religious education.[28][29][30]

English is widely used and taught. Other minority languages include Bravanese, a variant of the Bantu Swahili language that is spoken along the southern coast by the Bravanese people, as well as Bajuni, another Swahili dialect that is the mother tongue of the Bajuni ethnic minority group

See also

Notes

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.

  1. ^ "World Population Dashboard Somalia". unfpa.org. United Nations Population Fund. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  2. ^ a b c d Govt. Somalia, UNFPA (30 April 2020). "The Somali Health and Demographic Survey 2020". reliefweb.int.
  3. ^ Olanrewaju, Ilemobola Peter (2014), Asuelime, Lucky; Francis, Suzanne (eds.), "Fractionality in Homogeneity? Value Differences and Cross-Cultural Conflict in Somalia", Selected Themes in African Political Studies: Political Conflict and Stability, Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 9–23, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-06001-9_2, ISBN 978-3-319-06001-9
  4. ^ Popescu, Alba Iulia Catrinel (2021). "SOMALIA – CASE STUDY ON THE FRAGMENTATION OF AN ETHNICALLY AND CIVILIZATIONALLY HOMOGENEOUS STATE". Bulletin of "Carol I" National Defence University. 10 (3): 164–176. doi:10.53477/2284-9378-21-37. ISSN 2284-936X.
  5. ^ "World Population Prospects 2022". United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  6. ^ "World Population Prospects 2022: Demographic indicators by region, subregion and country, annually for 1950-2100" (XSLX) ("Total Population, as of 1 July (thousands)"). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  7. ^ "World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision" (PDF) (Press release). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. 2011-05-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-06.
  8. ^ United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2022). "World Population Prospects 2022 Demographic indicators by region, subregion and country, annually for 1950-2100" (XLS (91MB)). United Nations Population Division. 27 (Online ed.). New York: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. rows 2741:2812, cols M,X,AE,S,AH,S,AA,AV,AI. Archived from the original on 2022-08-09.
  9. ^ a b "Somalia". World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 2009-05-14. Retrieved 2009-05-31.[permanent dead link‍]
  10. ^ Abdullahi, Mohamed Diriye (2001). Culture and Customs of Somalia. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 142. ISBN 0313313334.
  11. ^ "The centre holds, but only just". The Economist. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  12. ^ Lewis, Ioan (2004). "Visible and Invisible Differences: The Somali Paradox". Africa. 74 (4): 489–515. doi:10.3366/afr.2004.74.4.489. ISSN 1750-0184.
  13. ^ Lewis & Samatar 1999, p. 11.
  14. ^ Marian Aguiar (2010). Anthony Appiah and Henry Louis Gates (ed.). Encyclopedia of Africa. Oxford University Press. p. 395. ISBN 978-0-19-533770-9.
  15. ^ Touval, Saadia (1963). Somali Nationalism: International Politics and the Drive for Unity in the Horn of Africa. Harvard University Press. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-674-59435-7.
  16. ^ Abdi, Farhia (2024-01-01). "Relational Leadership and Governing: Somali Clan Cultural Relational Leadership and Governing: Somali Clan Cultural Leadership Leadership". The Journal of Social Encounters. doi:10.69755/2995-2212.1248.
  17. ^ Hamilton, David (1967). "Imperialism Ancient and Modern: A Study of British Attitudes to the Claims to Sovereignty to the Northern Somali Coastline" (PDF). Journal of Ethiopian Studies: 11–12.
  18. ^ "Somali networks - structures of clan and society (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 949)". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  19. ^ "The role of 4.5 in democratization and governance in Somalia: Implications and considerations for the way forward (May 2023) - Somalia | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2023-05-22. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  20. ^ Ahmed, Nasteha (2019-02-01). "Somalia's struggle to integrate traditional and modern governance: The 4.5 formula and 2012 provisional constitution". Theses and Dissertations.
  21. ^ Osman, Abdulahi A. (2007-07-31). Somalia at the Crossroads: Challenges and Perspectives inReconstituting a Failed State. Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd. ISBN 978-1-909112-87-2.
  22. ^ a b Ssero, Florence. Global Review of Ethnopolitics. Vol. 2. pp. 25–40.
  23. ^ a b Lewis & Samatar 1999, pp. 203–204.
  24. ^ Mohamed Haji Muktar, Historical Dictionary of Somalia, (Scarecrow Press: 2003), p.35
  25. ^ Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: Gärad.
  26. ^ Central Intelligence Agency (2011). "Somalia". The World Factbook. Langley, Virginia: Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 2011-10-05.
  27. ^ I. M. Lewis, Peoples of the Horn of Africa: Somalis, Afar and Saho, (Red Sea Press: 1998), p. 11.
  28. ^ a b Helena Dubnov, A grammatical sketch of Somali, (Kِppe: 2003), pp. 70–71.
  29. ^ Diana Briton Putman, Mohamood Cabdi Noor, The Somalis: their history and culture, (Center for Applied Linguistics: 1993), p. 15.: "Somalis speak Somali. Many people also speak Arabic, and educated Somalis usually speak either English or Italian as well. Swahili may also be spoken in coastal areas near Kenya."
  30. ^ Fiona MacDonald et al., Peoples of Africa, Volume 10, (Marshall Cavendish: 2000), p. 178.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Demographics of Somalia.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Demographics_of_Somalia&oldid=1269065636"