Years of fighting between rival warlords and an inability to deal with famine and disease have led to the deaths of up to one million people.

Comprised of a former British protectorate and an Italian colony, Somalia was created in 1960 when the two territories merged. Since then, its development has been hindered by territorial claims on Somali-inhabited areas of Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti.

OVERVIEW

In 1970 Mr Barre proclaimed a socialist state, paving the way for close relations with the USSR. In 1977, with the help of Soviet arms, Somalia attempted to seize the Ogaden region of Ethiopia, but was defeated thanks to Soviet and Cuban backing for Ethiopia, which had turned Marxist.

AT A GLANCE Lawlessness rife since collapse of military government in 1991 Capital is in ruins and under factional control Self-proclaimed state of Somaliland and region of Puntland run their own affairs Political rivals are split over where a transitional government, set up in 2004, should be based

In 1991 President Barre was overthrown by opposing clans. But they failed to agree on a replacement and plunged the country into lawlessness and clan warfare.

In 2000 clan elders and other senior figures appointed Abdulkassim Salat Hassan president at a conference in Djibouti. A transitional government was set up, with the aim of reconciling warring militias.

But as its mandate drew to a close, the administration had made little progress in uniting the country.

In 2004, after protracted talks in Kenya, the main warlords and politicians signed a deal to set up a new parliament, which later appointed a president.

The fledgling administration, the 14th attempt to establish a government since 1991, has no civil service or government buildings. It faces a formidable task in bringing reconciliation to a country divided into clan fiefdoms.

After the collapse of the Siad Barre regime in 1991, the north-west part of Somalia unilaterally declared itself the independent Republic of Somaliland. The territory, whose independence is not recognised by international bodies, has enjoyed relative stability.

FACTS

OVERVIEW | FACTS | LEADERS | MEDIA

• Population: 10.7 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Mogadishu
• Area: 637,657sq km (246,201 sq miles)
• Major languages: Somali, Arabic, Italian, English
• Major religion: Islam
• Life expectancy: 45 years (men), 47 years (women)
• Monetary unit: 1 Somali shilling = 100 cents
• Main exports: Livestock, bananas, hides, fish
• GNI per capita: n/a
• Internet domain: .so
• International dialling code: +252

President: Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed

Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, a former leader of the semi-autonomous Somali region of Puntland, was chosen by Somalia's interim parliament as the country's new president in October 2004.

Abdullahi Yusuf pledged reconciliation, reconstruction

The election took place in Kenya because the Somali capital was regarded as being too dangerous.

The president pledged to promote reconciliation and to set about rebuilding the country. But his government, plagued by internal disagreements, has failed to end the country's anarchy.

In particular, Mr Yusuf has been at loggerheads with some warlords and government members over where the administration should be based. The president and prime minister oppose a move to Mogadishu, citing security reasons, and are based in Jowhar, north of the capital.

The make up of a possible foreign peacekeeping force - in particular the inclusion of Ethiopian troops - is another bone of contention. Ethiopia has been accused of backing rival Somali warlords in order to keep the country weak.

A former army officer and faction leader, Mr Yusuf led a guerrilla movement in the 1970s aimed at ousting the Somali dictator Siad Barre.

In the 1990s Mr Yusuf emerged as the pre-eminent leader of his native Puntland region; he declared the territory autonomous in 1998. He is said to have an authoritarian approach to leadership.

The president, a member of the Darod clan, named his cabinet - which included several leading warlords - in late 2004.

Prime minister: Ali Mohamed Ghedi

Prime Minister Ghedi: Aims to reconcile clan fiefdoms

A veterinary surgeon and an African Union official, Mr Ghedi was relatively unknown in political circles when he was appointed as prime minister in November 2004.

He promised to form an inclusive government, and to strive for reconciliation among Mogadishu's warlords. Mr Ghedi was not linked to any of Somalia's armed groups during the war.

He is affiliated to Mogadishu's Hawiye clan, one of Somalia's two main clans.

Somalia's disintegration has been reflected in its media. New print and broadcast outlets proliferated after Siad Barre's downfall in 1991, most of them tied to one or another of the country's competing factions.

The former state-run Radio Mogadishu was taken over by faction leader Muhammad Aydid, and after his death remained under his son's control.

Two other major faction leaders, Uthman Ato and Ali Mohamed, set up rival stations, also calling them Radio Mogadishu.

Broadcasting was fragmented and sporadic for much of the 1990s, reflecting the warlords' fortunes. Recent years have seen the emergence of stronger regional media and several, often shortlived FM stations.

Broadcasters and journalists operate in a dangerous environment, limiting their ability to report freely and objectively. Many Somalis rely on foreign broadcasts for their news.

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