Somaliland is a former British territory located in the northwest region of Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Hargeisa, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Somaliland borders Djibouti Ethiopia and Puntland.

The 5 regions comprise 18 of the regions of Somalia, roughly the region between Ethiopia, Djibouti and the Gulf of Aden, an area of about 137,600 square kilometres. The population has been estimated at about 3.5 million. The capital of Somaliland is Hargeisa with a population of about 300,000.

Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs.

Formerly the British Somaliland Protectorate, shortly after gaining independence British Somaliland merged with Italian Somaliland in 1960 to form Somalia. The prime minister of British Somaliland, Haji Ibrahim Egal, became a minister in the new republic of Somalia. He became Prime Minister in 1967 but a coup deposed him in 1969. In 1991, after the collapse of the government in Somalia, the territory asserted its independence as the Republic of Somaliland, although it has received little if any international recognition. Egal was elected president in 1993, re-elected in 1998 and remained in power until his death on May 3, 2002. The vice president Dahir Riyale Kahin was declared the new president shortly afterwards.

Since independence Somaliland has been in constant dispute with Puntland over the Sanaag and Sool regions. Colonel Youssuf's Puntlander forces have led several small scale invasions of Somaliland's eastern border. Sanaag is a large percentage of Somalilander territory. Such an annexation of national land could possibly cause the country to become unstable in the unrecognized nation. Sense these border disputes have been taking place President Dahir Riyale Kahin has been silent which has caused suspicions and talks of a presidential recall. It has become unclear to some Somalilander as to where there presidents alliances are and to weather the president believes in the Sovereignty of Somaliland and its people. Amongst all those problems the economy has gotten worse under President Kahin. Saudi Arabia's embargo is attributed to the matter as well.

Presidents of Somaliland, 1991 - present
Abdurahman Ali Tur :- 28 May 1991 - 16 May 1993
Haji Ibrahim Egal : - 16 May 1993 - 3 May 2002
Dahir Riyale Kahin :- 3 May 2002 -

IMPORTANT HISTORICAL EVENTS

1886 British establish a protectorate over the northern regions.

1941 Following the defeat of the Italian in World War II, the Italian colony of Somalia and the British Protectorate of Somaliland were placed under British military administration.

1950 Italy returned to Somalia as trusteeship authority for the UN, to prepare Somalia for self-rule by 1960.

1960 British Somaliland gains independence from Britain on 26 June. The former British and Italian protectorates unify on 1 July creating the Somali Republic (Somalia).

1960 Somaliland and the Italian administered territory became united as the Somali Republic.

1961 Aden Abdulla Osman becomes the first elected President of the Somali Republic.

1967 Abdirashid Ali Shirmarke is elected president.
1967 Mohamed Haji Ibrahim Egal was appointed Prime Minister

1969 President Abdirashid Ali Shirmarke is assassinated on 15 October. Major-General Mohamed Siad Barre comes to power in a bloodless coup d'état on 21 October and declares the Somali Democratic Republic a socialist state.

1971 In a campaign against tribalism, the traditional dia (collective compensation between clans) was abolished.

1974 A Somali-Soviet friendship treaty is signed, leading to substantial military aid to Somalia. Somalia is reputed to have one of the largest armed forces in Africa.

1975 Ten Islamic sheikhs are executed for opposing the introduction of a new law providing more equal inheritance rights for women. They had questioned its compatibility with Islamic teachings. The event exposes growing repression by the Siad Barre regime.

1977-78 War with Ethiopia. Somalia suffers a disastrous defeat following the suspension of its military aid from the Soviet Union and new Soviet support for Ethiopia. Somalia renounces its treaty of friendship with the Soviet Union. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis originating from the Ogadeni region of Ethiopia arrive as refugees in Somalia. A failed coup d'état, led by military officers mostly from the Majeerteen clan, leads to massive government reprisals in the north east.

1981 Somali National Movement was launched.

1991 (Jan) Siad Barre fled Mogadishu.

(May 18 1991) Somaliland Republic was proclaimed. And Abdiraham Tur Was elected as the first president of the Repuplic.

1992 (Dec) Operation Restore Hope began.

1993 (Feb-May) Borama Peace Conference.

(May) Mohamed Haji Ibrahim Egal became President of Somaliland for an interim period of two years.

1994 (October) Fighting broke out between government forces and Garhajis militias over control of Hargeisa airport

1995 (April or May) Mandate of Egal_s government was extended for 18 months.

2000 Somaliland still awaits recognition

2002 President Egal second President of Somaliland has died after an illness, he was buried at Berbera, Somaliland

2004 Abdirahaman Ali Tuur First President of Somaliland has died after an illness, he was buried at Hargeisa, Somaliland

If we missed something your help is always welcome: