dependence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland,
which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian
Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered
UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

National holiday: NA

Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September
1979

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: Somalia has no functioning government; the
United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Major General
Mohamed SIAD Barre on 27 January 1991; the present political
situation is one of anarchy, marked by interclan fighting and random
banditry

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly
People's Assembly (Golaha Shacbiga): not functioning

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (not functioning)

Political parties and leaders: the United Somali Congress (USC)
ousted the former regime on 27 January 1991; formerly the only party
was the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP), headed by
former President and Commander in Chief of the Army Major General
Mohamed SIAD Barre

Other political or pressure groups: numerous clan and subclan
factions are currently vying for power

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in US: Somalia does not have an embassy
in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991)

US diplomatic representation: the US does not have an embassy in
Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi
at Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue; mail address: P. O. Box
30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2)
334141; FAX [254] (2) 340838

Flag: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the
center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a
UN trust territory)

Economy
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Economic overview: One of the world's poorest and least developed
countries, Somalia has few resources. Moreover, much of the economy
has been devastated by the civil war. Agriculture is the most
important sector, with livestock accounting for about 40% of GDP and
about 65% of export earnings. Nomads