This date celebrates the unification of the ‘Trust Territory of Italian Somaliland’ and the ‘British Somaliland’ on 1 July 1960, which formed the Republic of Somalia.
Things you may not know about Somalia:
– Somalia’s flag: the light blue background was inspired by the UN’s flag as they played an intrinsic role in supporting Somalia’s move towards independence. The white star’s each five points represents the areas where the Somali ethnic group has traditionally resided, namely Djibouti, Somaliland (former British protectorate), the Somali region in Ethiopia, the North Eastern Province in Kenya, and Somalia (former Italian Somaliland).
– Somalia is the easternmost country of Africa, located on what is known as the Horn of Africa.
– Somalia has the longest coastline in mainland Africa.
– The Land of Punt is an ancient kingdom and it is believed by most scholars that this kingdom, known for being rich in resources, was in the Opone region of Somalia.
– Somalia is said to have developed indigenous writing systems to transcribe the Somali language back in the 20th.
– The Laas Geel, near Hargeisa, complex contains in its caves paintings that are believed to be over 5,000 to 7,000 years old, making them some of the oldest in the continent.
– Somalia is one of Africa’s most ethnically homogeneous nations. 85% of the country’s population comprises of ethnic Somalis.
– The main language spoken in Somalia is Somali. Some also speak Arabic, Italian, and English.
– Somalia is also known as “a nation of poets.” The Somali language was given an official alphabet for the first time in 1972 but many Somalis can recite poetry that is centuries old. As such, the most common way of experiencing Somali poetry is through listening rather than reading.
– An intrinsic part of Somali culture is the camel as they provide milk, transportation, income and status for owners. At over 800kg, Somalia’s camels are the largest in Africa.
– Madagascar got its name from the Somali capital city of Mogadishu. Marco Polo confused the island of Madagascar with Mogadishu and called it ‘Madageiscar’.
Glædelig uafhængighedsdag Republikken Somalia.
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