Demographics of Somalia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Demography of Somalia describes the condition and overview of Somalia's inhabitants. Demographic topics include basic education, health, and population statistics as well as identified racial and religious affiliations.
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[edit] Ethnic groups
[edit] Somalis
The clan groupings of the Somali people are important social units and clan membership plays an important part in Somali culture and politics. Clans are patrilineal and are often divided into sub-clans, sometimes with many sub-divisions.
In traditional Somali society, to extend ties of alliance, marriage was often to another ethnic Somali from a different clan (exogamy). Thus, in 89 marriages contracted by men of the Dhulbahante clan, 55 (62%) were with women of Dhulbahante sub-clans other than those of their husbands; 30 (33.7%) were with women of surrounding clans of other clan families (Isaaq, 28; Hawiye, 3); and 3 (4.3%) were with women of other clans of the Darod clan family (Majerteen 2, Ogaden 1).[1] However, during the 20th century Somali Civil War, this seems to have become the exception rather than the rule.[2]
[edit] Hierarchy of clans
Certain clans are traditionally classed as "noble clans", referring to the belief that they share a common Somali ancestry, whereas some minority clans are believed to have mixed parentage.[2] The noble clans are believed to be descended from Samaale (or Samale), and are sometimes referred to collectively by this name. The four noble clans are Darod, Dir, Hawiye, and Isaaq.[2] Of these, the Darod, Dir, and Hawiye trace their descent from Samaale through Irir Samaale.[2] "Sab" is the term used to refer to minority clans in contrast to Samaale.[2]
The Digil and Mirifle/Rahanweyn are agro-pastoral clans in the area between the Jubba and Shebelle Rivers. They occupy a kind of second tier in the Somali social system.[2] Many do not follow a nomadic lifestyle, live further south and speak a group of Somali dialects (Af-Maay), which have recently been classified as a separate language, and so they have been isolated to some extent from the mainstream of Somali society.[2]
A third tier, the occupational clans, have sometimes been treated as outcasts because traditionally they could only marry among themselves and other Somalis considered them to be ritually unclean.[2] They lived in their own settlements among the nomadic populations in the north and performed specialised occupations such as metalworking, tanning and hunting.[2] Minority Somali clans include the Midgan, Tumal, Yibir, Jaji and Yahar.
[edit] Clan and sub-clan groupings
There is no clear agreement on the clan and sub-clan structures. The divisions and subdivisions as given here are partial and simplified. Many lineages are omitted. Note that some sources state that the Rahanweyn group is made up of the Digil and Mirifle clans, whereas others list the Digil as a separate group from the Rahanweyn. (For a comparison of different views on the clan-lineage-structures in Somalia see Conflict in Somalia.)[3]
- Darod
- Awrtable, Dhulbahante, Jidwaq, Leelkase, Majeerteen, Marehan, Ogaden,Mora'ase, and Warsangali.
- Dir
- Akisho, Biyomaal, Gaadsan, Gadabuursi and Issa (Ciise).
- Hawiye
- Isaaq
- Arap, Ayoup, Garhajis (which is split into Eidagale and Habar Yoonis), Habar Awal (which includes the two major clans of Sacad Muuse and Ciise Muuse), Habar Jeclo and Tol Jecle (Axmed Sheikh Isaxaaq)[5]
- Rahanweyn
- Minority clans
[edit] Other ethnic groups
Non-Somali ethnic minority groups make up about 6% of the nation's population and include Arabs, Bantus, Bajuni, Bravanese, East Indians, Persians, Italians, and Britons. Most Italians and Britons left after independence.
[edit] CIA World Factbook demographic statistics
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.
[edit] Population
8,863, 338
[edit] Age structure
0-14 years: 44.4% (male 1,973,294; female 1,961,083)
15-64 years: 53% (male 2,355,861; female 2,342,988)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 97,307; female 132,805) (2006 est.)
[edit] Population growth rate
2.85% (2006 est.)
[edit] Birth rate
40 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
[edit] Death rate
16.63 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
[edit] Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
[edit] Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
[edit] Infant mortality rate
114.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
[edit] Life expectancy at birth
total population: 48.90 years
male: 46.71 years
female: 50.28 years (2006 est.)
[edit] Total fertility rate
6.76 children born/woman (2006 est.)
[edit] Nationality
noun: Somali(s)
adjective: Somali
[edit] Ethnic groups
Somali 85%; Arabs, Bantu and other non-Somali 15%
[edit] Religions
[edit] Languages
Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
[edit] Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8%
male: 49.7%
female: 25.8% (2001 CIA est.)
[edit] See also
- Somalia
- Transitional Federal Parliament (of Somalia)
- Demographics of Djibouti
- Demographics of Ethiopia
- Demographics of Kenya
- Sixth Clan
[edit] Notes
- ^ Ioan M. Lewis, Blood and Bone: The Call of Kinship in Somali Society, (Red Sea Press: 1994), p.51
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Laitin, David D. & Samatar, Said S. (1987). Somalia: Nation in Search of a State, Colorado: Westview Press. ISBN 0-86531-555-8
- ^ Worldbank, 2005, p. 56
- ^ a b Note that some Sheikhals, claim they are part of the larger Hawiye group, while others dispute this.[citation needed]
- ^ http://www.asylumlaw.org/docs/somalia/ind01b_somalia_ca.pdf Country Information and Policy Unit, Home Office, Great Britain, Somalia Assessment 2001, Annex B: Somali Clan Structure], p. 43; and WorldbankConflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics, January 2005, Appendix 2, Lineage Charts, pp. 56–58
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the CIA World Factbook.
[edit] References
- Conflict in Somalia: Drivers and Dynamics, Worldbank, January 2005, Appendix 2, Lineage Charts
- Victims and Vulnerable Groups in Southern Somalia, Country Information and Policy Unit, Home Office, Great Britain, Somalia Assessment 2001
- Somali Clan Structure, Country Information and Policy Unit, Home Office, Great Britain, Somalia Assessment 2001
- Somalia Tribal Study, 2005
[edit] External links
- "The Somali Ethnic Group and Clan System", from "Reunification of the Somali People", Jack L. Davies
