Demographics of Somalia | |
---|---|
Population | 18,100,000 (2023 est.)[1] |
Growth rate | 2.42% (2022 est.) |
Birth rate | 37.98 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) |
Death rate | 11.62 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) |
Life expectancy | 55.72 years |
• male | 53.39 years |
• female | 58.12 years |
Fertility rate | 6.90 children born/woman (2020)[2] |
Infant mortality rate | 86.53 deaths/1,000 live births |
Net migration rate | -2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) |
Age structure | |
0–14 years | 42.38% |
65 and over | 2.27% |
Nationality | |
Nationality | Somali |
Major ethnic | Somali (98%) |
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Culture of Somalia |
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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]
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]
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."[5]
Somalis constitute the largest ethnic group in Somalia, at approximately 98% of the nation's inhabitants.[6] 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.[7]
Somali society is traditionally ethnically endogamous. So to extend ties of alliance, marriage is often to another ethnic Somali from a different clan. Thus, for example, a recent study observed that in 89 marriages contracted by men of the Dhulbahante clan, 55 (62%) were with women of Dhulbahante sub-clans other than those of their husbands; 30 (33.7%) were with women of surrounding clans of other clan families (Isaaq, 28; Gadabuursi, 3); and 3 (4.3%) were with women of other clans of the Darod clan family (Marehan 2, Ogaden 1).[8]
Certain clans are traditionally classed as noble clans, referring to their pastoral lifestyle in contrast to the sedentary "Sab".[10] The noble clans are the Dir, Darod, Hawiye and Isaaq.[11][12] Out of these clans, Dir and Hawiye are regarded as descended from Samaale, the likely source of the ethnonym Somali (soomaali).[13] Darod and Isaaq have separate agnatic (paternal) traditions of descent from Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti (Sheikh Darod) and Ishaaq bin Ahmed (Sheikh Isaaq) respectively.[14] Sheikh Darod and Sheikh Isaaq are asserted to have married women from the Dir clan, thus establishing matrilateral ties with the Samaale main stem.[13] "Sab" is a term used to refer to the agricultural clans such as the Rahanweyn, in contrast to "Samaale".[15] Both Samaale and Sab are the children of the father "Hiil" who is the common ancestor of all Somali clans.[16][17]
A few clans in the southern part of Greater Somalia do not belong to the major clans, but came to be associated with them and were eventually adopted into one of the confederations.
The Garre clan in Ethiopia (Somali Region) and Kenya (North Eastern Province) is divided into two branches: The Tuuf who claim descent from Garre Gardheere Samaale,[18][19][20] and Quranyow who married Tuuf's daughter, who is of the lineage Mahamed Hiniftir Mahe Dir.[19][21][22] Likewise, the Gaalje'el in Hirshabelle and elsewhere in central Somalia also trace paternal descent to Gardheere Samaale.[23][24]
The Degoodi in the Somali Region and North Eastern Province are related to Gaalje'el as the Saransoor trace patrilineage to Gardheere Samaale.[23][24] The Ajuran claim descent from Maqaarre Samaale[18] whilst the Hawadle in Hiran belong to Meyle Samaale.[23][24] Thus, the Garre, Gaalje'el, Degoodi, Ajuran and Hawadle are all said to have patrilateral ties with the Dir and Hawiye through Samaale to Aqil ibn Abi Talib (a cousin of Muhammad and a brother of Ali).
The Sheekhaal acknowledge descent from Sheikh Abadir Umar Ar-Rida, also known as Fiqi Umar.[25] The Sheekhaal clan (Arabic: شيخال), is a Somali clan and a group member of the confederation (Martiile Hiraab) inhabiting Somalia, Ethiopia and with considerable numbers also found in the Northern Frontier District (NFD).[26]
The Digil and Mirifle (Rahanweyn) are agro-pastoral clans in the areas between Bay and Bakool. Many do not follow a nomadic lifestyle, live further south, and speak Maay. Although in the past frequently classified as a Somali dialect, more recent research by the linguist Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi suggests that Maay constitutes a separate but closely related Afro-Asiatic language of the Cushitic branch.[27]
A third group, the occupational clans, are treated as outcasts. They can only marry among themselves. They live in their settlements among the nomadic populations in the north and used to perform specialized occupations such as metalworking, tanning and hunting.[15] These minority Somali clans include the Gaboye Tumaal, Yibir, Jaji and Yahar.
There is no clear agreement on the clan and sub-clan structures. The divisions and subdivisions as given here are partial and simplified. Many lineages are omitted.
Mohamed Gorgate[30]
Non-Somali ethnic minority groups make up about 5% of the nation's population.[6] They include Arabs, Bantus & Bajunis.
Somali is the official language of Somalia. It is the mother tongue of Somalis, the nation's most populous ethnic group.[32] The language is a member of the Cushitic branch of the Afroasiatic family.[33]
In addition to Somali, Arabic, which is also an Afroasiatic tongue,[34] 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.[34][35][36]
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.
According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects[37][38], 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.[39]
Registration of vital events in Somalia is incomplete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates:[40]
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) |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review.[41]
The following demographic are from the CIA World Factbook[42] unless otherwise indicated.
Sunni Muslim (Islam) (official, according to the 2012 Transitional Federal Charter)
At birth: 1.03 males/female
Under 15 years: 1 male/female
15–64 years: 1.07 males/female
65 years and over: 0.66 males/female
Total population: 1.01 males/female (2015 est. )
total population: 55.72 years. Country comparison to the world: 225th male: 53.39 years female: 58.12 years (2022 est.)
note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Somalia is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
0.1% (2017 est.)
11,000 (2017 est.)
<1000 (2017 est.)
Degree of risk: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
Vector-borne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Rift Valley fever
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Animal contact disease: rabies (2013)
Noun: Somali (singular) or Somali (plural)
Adjective: Somali
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: N/A[45]
This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Country Information and Policy Unit, Home Office, Great Britain, Somalia Assessment 2001, Annex B: Somali Clan Structure], p. 43; and Worldbank Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics, January 2005, Appendix 2, Lineage Charts, pp. 56–58
The official language of the Federal Republic of Somalia is Somali (Maay and Maxaa-tiri), and Arabic is the second language.