Demographics of Somalia

The demographics of Somalia describes the condition and overview of Somalia's inhabitants. Demographic topics include basic education, health and population statistics, as well as identified racial and religious affiliations.

Ethnic groups

Somalis

A Somali schoolgirl.

Somalis constitute the largest ethnic group in Somalia, at approximately 85% of the nation's inhabitants.^[1] 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.

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; Hawiye, 3); and 3 (4.3%) were with women of other clans of the Darod clan family (Majerteen 2, Ogaden 1).^[2]

Clan structure

Certain clans are traditionally classed as "noble clans", referring to the belief that they share a common Somali ancestry, whereas some minority clans are believed to have mixed parentage. The noble clans are believed to be descended from Samaale (or Samale), and are sometimes referred to collectively by this name. The four noble clans are Darod, Dir, Hawiye, and Isaaq. Of these, the Darod, Dir, and Hawiye trace their descent from Samaale through Irir Samaale. "Sab" is the term used to refer to minority clans in contrast to Samaale.^[3]

The Digil and Mirifle (Rahanweyn) are agro-pastoral clans in the area between the Jubba and Shebelle rivers. They occupy a kind of second tier in the Somali social system. Many do not follow a nomadic lifestyle, live further south and speak a group of Somali dialects (Af-Maay), which have recently been classified as a separate language, and so they have been isolated to some extent from the mainstream of Somali society.^[3]

A third tier, the occupational clans, have sometimes been treated as outcasts because traditionally they could only marry among themselves and other Somalis considered them to be ritually unclean. They lived in their own settlements among the nomadic populations in the north and performed specialised occupations such as metalworking, tanning and hunting.^[3] Minority Somali clans include the Midgan, Tumal, Yibir, Jaji and Yahar.

Clans and sub-clans

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. Note that some sources state that the Rahanweyn group is made up of the Digil and Mirifle clans, whereas others list the Digil as a separate group from the Rahanweyn.^[4]

• Darod
  • Awrtable, Dhulbahante, Jidwaq, Leelkase, Majeerteen, Marehan, Mora'ase, Ogaden and Warsangali.
• Dir
  • Akisho, Biyomaal, Gaadsan, Gadabuursi and Issa (Ciise).
• Hawiye
  • Abgaal, Ajuran, Jijeele, Baadicadde, Degodia, Duduble, Gaaljecel, Garre, Habar Gidir, Hawadle, Murule, Murusade.^{[citation needed]}</ref> Silcis, Wadalaan and Xaskul.
• Isaaq
  • Arap, Ayoup, Garhajis (which is split into Eidagale and Habar Yoonis), Habar Awal (which includes the two major clans of Sacad Muuse and Ciise Muuse), Habar Jeclo and Tol Jecle (Axmed Sheikh Isaxaaq)^[5]
• Rahanweyn
  • Digil: Dabare and Garre.
  • Mirifle: Hadame and Leysan.
• Minority clans
  • Ashraaf, Gabooyo, Madhiban, Reerow-Xassan,Tuni, Sheekhaal,^[6] Tumaal and Yibir.

Other ethnic groups

Non-Somali ethnic minority groups make up about 15% of the nation's population,^[1] and include Benadiri, Bantus, Bajuni, Bravanese, Ethiopians, Indians, Pakistanis, Persians, Italians and Britons.^[7][8]

Demographic statistics

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.^[9]

Population

10,112,453 (82nd in world)^[10]

Age structure

0–14 years: 45% (male 2,282,325/female 2,271,707)
15–64 years: 52.5% (male 2,659,151/female 2,650,330)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 102,941/female 145,999) (2010 est.)

Population growth rate

2.809% (2010 est.) (16th in world)

Birth rate

43.33 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) (7th in world)

Death rate

15.24 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) (13th in world)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) (78th in world)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 107.42 deaths/1,000 live births (5th in world)
male: 116.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 98.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 50 years (213th in world)
male: 48.12 years
female: 51.94 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.44 children born/woman (2010 est.) (4th in world)

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2007 est.) (76th in world)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

24,000 (2007 est.) (75th in world)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,600 (2007 est.) (66th in world)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Rift Valley fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality

noun: Somali(s)
adjective: Somali

Ethnic groups

Somali 85%; Arabs, Bantu and other non-Somali 15%

Religions

Sunni Islam

Languages

Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8%
male: 49.7%
female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

See also

• Somalia
• Demographics of Djibouti
• Demographics of Eritrea
• Demographics of Ethiopia

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} "Somalia". World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 2009-05-14. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/so.html. Retrieved 2009-05-31. 
2. ^ Ioan M. Lewis, Blood and Bone: The Call of Kinship in Somali Society, (Red Sea Press: 1994), p.51
3. ^ ^{a b c} Laitin, David D. & Samatar, Said S. (1987). Somalia: Nation in Search of a State, Colorado: Westview Press. ISBN 0-86531-555-8
4. ^ Worldbank, 2005, p. 56
5. ^ http://www.asylumlaw.org/docs/somalia/ind01b_somalia_ca.pdf 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
6. ^ Note that some Sheikhals, claim they are part of the larger Hawiye group, while others dispute this.^{[citation needed]}
7. ^ Gale Research Inc, Worldmark encyclopedia of the nations, Volume 2, (Gale Research: 1984), p.278.
8. ^ Anthony Appiah, Henry Louis Gates, Encyclopedia of Africa, Volume 1, (Oxford University Press: 2010), p.402
9. ^ CIA (July 2010). "Somalia". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/so.html. Retrieved 2010-06-30. 
10. ^ As per the 2010 World Factbook, "this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2010 est.)"

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the CIA World Factbook.

References

• Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics, Worldbank, January 2005, Appendix 2, Lineage Charts
• Victims and Vulnerable Groups in Southern Somalia, Country Information and Policy Unit, Home Office, Great Britain, Somalia Assessment 2001
• Somali Clan Structure, Country Information and Policy Unit, Home Office, Great Britain, Somalia Assessment 2001

External links

• "The Somali Ethnic Group and Clan System", from "Reunification of the Somali People", Jack L. Davies