Somalia

Basic Information

Capital City- Mogadishu

Area- 246,200 sq. mi

Population- 10,085,638

Density- 41.73/sq. mi

Religion- Islam (Sunni)

Official Languages- Somali & Arabic

Anthem- Qolobaa Calankeed(Somalia’s Coat of Arms)

Why is Somalia in Stage 2?

Statistics

Death rate – 13/1000Birth rate – 45/1000Natural increase – 3.2%Life expectancy – 54Total Fertility rate – 6.8Infant mortality – 81/1000Sanitation – 52% urban 6% rural

Political Factors

• Government is unstable and corrupt

• Political/ Religious friction due to domestic and religious views on life

• In 2006, the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), an Islamist organization, assumed control of much of the southern part of the country and quickly imposed Shari'a Law

• Al-Shabaab poses threats to democracy in Somalia as well as other fundamental Islamic groups

Religious & Cultural Factors

• Women have low status

• Influenced heavily by Muslim Faith

• Muslim view on women are very traditional

• Women expected to have many children- large families are socially accepted

Social & Educational Factors

• Contraception not in circulation, often frowned upon

• Literacy Level is low, at 37%- population in turn is poorly educated

• Sanitation has only recently been introduces in Rural areas of Somalia

• View that having more children will result in more surviving through infancy

• 47% of people living in Somalia suffer with aids

• About 43% of Somalia's population live in extreme poverty.

Economic Factors

• Is an LEDC

• Main source of income from Primary Sector (Agriculture and fishing)

• Children perceived as an economic benefit e.g. work on land and look after family when in their old age

• Industry and production is weak- only few trade links exist and introduction of new technology is struggling to expand

By Rhys Jones, Sebastien Davies and Nathan Smith