According to allcountrylist, Somalia (Somali: Soomaaliya, Arabic: الصومال, As-Sumal) is a country in Africa bordering Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The capital of Somalia is Mogadishu. A number of major cities in Somalia are: Hargeisa, Kismayo, Bosaso and Burao. There are also 3 unrecognized states in Somalia: Puntland, Somaliland and Galmudug.
Somalia is known as an unstable country. The country has been through many wars and is still not always safe. The landscape is mostly flat and dry and has a number of mountain ranges such as the Karkaar Mountains with the highest point being the Shimbiris (2,416 meters). There are also several National Parks and the country has a long coastline with sandy beaches. There are also wild animal species such as the elephant, lion, rhinoceros, giraffe, zebra, cheetah, buffalo and hippopotamus. These occur mainly in the south of the country along the rivers. Somalia is also known for the hijackings of ships that take place off the coast.
Where is Somalia?
Travel information of Somalia
Official name: Republic of Somalia
Continent: Africa
Area: 637,657 km²
Capital: Mogadishu
Country code: SO, SOM
Population: 11,757,124 (2020)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 2,450 m (Shimbiris)
Distance (Amsterdam – Mogadishu): 6,712 km
Flight time: Approx. 9 hours and 30 minutes
Negative travel advice
Current status: All trips to Somalia are discouraged.
Current color code: Red. Due to this status, a negative travel advice
is in effect for Somalia.
Travel offer
At the moment there are no travel organizations that offer travel to Somalia. It is possible to book airline tickets.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Somalia?
Weather and climate
Somalia has a desert climate. Temperatures are around 25 to 30 degrees all year round.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Somalia can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Somalia can be found at Climate info.
Best time
January, June and December are the best months to travel to Somalia. In these months you have the least problems with precipitation and high temperatures.
Language
Somali is the official language in Somalia. In addition, Arabic and Swahili are spoken.
Would you like to translate from or into Somali for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Somalia.
A visa is required but Somalia is closed to tourists. In exceptional cases, a visa can be obtained from the embassy of Somalia in Djibouti or Kenya.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Kenya (also for Somalia): netherlandsworldwide.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
It is advisable to get one or more vaccinations before visiting Somalia.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria
Malaria occurs in Somalia. Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Somalia, payment is made with the Somali shilling (SOS).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Somalia can be found on our ATMs page. However, these do not accept Dutch bank cards.
Price level
Prices in Somalia are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -55% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (77% cheaper), food (20% cheaper), clothing (70% cheaper), cigarettes (85% cheaper) and public transport (67% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 1 hour later in Somalia.
During our winter time it is 2 hours later in Somalia.
Somalia has no difference in winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Somalia can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Somalia you have to drive on the right.
To drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Somalia, you must have an international driver’s license. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Somalia.
Electricity
In Somalia you can use a Dutch flat plug.
More information about electricity in Somalia can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 888
– Fire: unknown
– Ambulance: unknown
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Somalia can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Somalia can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Somalia end in.so.
Somalia official websites: villasomalia.gov.so and somaligov.net.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Somalia is 00252 or +252.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Somalia? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Company details can be found in Somalia’s Yellow Pages.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Somalia.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Somalia.
Public holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Somalia can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On TripAdvisor you can find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Somalia, supplemented with photos, videos and points of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Somalia?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Somalia. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Somalia can be found on Protected Planet.
Somalia is not on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Somalia? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or with Somalia, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Somalia, including: opportunities, Sudan and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, current sanctions, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Somalia.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking at all ages, prohibited in Al-Shabaab areas.
– Alcohol and traffic: Maximum alcohol allowed is 0.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or drinking at all ages, prohibited in Al-Shabaab areas.
– Smoking ban: No
– Homosexuality: Not allowed (death penalty).
Did you know that…
…Somalia has the longest coast in Africa?
…Somalia was an important center for trade with the rest of the world in ancient times?
…There is a lot of piracy in the waters around Somalia?
…Somalia has been occupied by both the British and the French?
