Languages
Native
Somali
98%
Secondary languages
Arabic
40%
English
25%
Language Samples
Salaan, sidee tahay?
Hello, how are you?
Waan fiicanahay, mahadsanid.
I am very well, thanks.
Kow, labo, saddex, afar, shan, lix, toddoba, siddeed, sagaal, toban.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
Linguistic History
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of the Siad Barre regime and a devastating civil war in which the north was heavily bombed. It has since maintained a functioning democratic government, held multiple peaceful elections, and operates its own currency, military, and passport — yet no UN member state officially recognises it. Its claim to statehood is based on the borders of the former British Somaliland Protectorate, which briefly existed as an independent country for four days in 1960 before voluntarily uniting with the former Italian Somalia. The language is Somali, identical to that spoken across the border — the dispute is political, not linguistic.
Similar Languages
Somali (Somalia)
95%
Afar
40%
Oromo
30%
Media
Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland
Did You Know
01
Somaliland has held multiple peaceful democratic elections and is often cited as one of the most stable regions in the Horn of Africa — yet no country formally recognises it.
02
It was independent for exactly four days in 1960 before choosing to unite with the former Italian Somalia to form the Somali Republic.
03
Somaliland issues its own currency (the Somaliland shilling), passports, and vehicle licence plates, none of which are internationally recognised.
04
The Laas Geel cave paintings near Hargeisa are among the best-preserved prehistoric rock art sites in Africa, dating back around 5,000 years.