Boosaaso
Encyclopedia
Bosaso is a city in northern Somalia
, which serves as the nation's main port
. Situated on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden
, it is the commercial capital of the Bari region (gobolka
) in the autonomous Puntland
state.
Formerly known as Bandar Qasim, the city's population is estimated at about 433,471 residents. While Bosaso is a melting pot, with residents hailing from all the major clans of Somalia, most of its population is from the Harti confederation of Darod
sub-clans. The city is relatively peaceful in comparison to the southern parts of Somalia.
The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
indicates that ancient Greek
merchants sailed to Bosaso, providing notes about the strategic and geographical location of the current Bosaso area, which was known as Mosylon in ancient times.
Bosaso was previously known as Bandar Qasim, a name derived from a Somali trader of the same name who is said to have first settled in the area during the 14th century. It is believed that Qasim's favourite camel was called Boosaas, from which derived the current name of the town. The town was thus first called Bandar Qassim after its founder ("Qasim's town"), then later dubbed Bosaso after its founder's trusted camel. This story is, however, purely speculative. Historically, Bosaso has been a Harti Darod
stronghold, and arose as a coastal outpost of their Sultan
ates.
With the start of the Somali Civil War
and the subsequent formation of Puntland in the 1990s, Bosaso has become the administrative and business capital of the Northeastern regions of Somalia. In recent years, it has served as a refueling station for maritime transport between the Red Sea
and the Persian Gulf
ports, and has also become an important commercial point of entry. The city's main port was constructed by the Siad Barre
administration during the mid-1980s along with a two-lane highway for annual livestock shipments to the Middle East
.
Bosaso's total population is estimated at about 433,471 residents. An additional 50,000 registered internally displaced people primarily from conflict-stricken parts of southern Somalia have also sought refuge in camps on the outskirts of the city.
Furthermore, Bosaso is a major port for boats carrying emigrants from within the country as well as adjacent territories across the Gulf of Aden
to settle (sometimes illegally) in the Persian Gulf
states.
While Bosaso today is a melting pot, with residents hailing from many different parts of Somalia in addition to some neighboring Northeast African countries like Ethiopia
, most of the city's population is from the Harti confederation of Darod
sub-clans. Bosaso also has a significant number of Meheri
Arabs, known as Arab Salah.
. As a consequence of these migrations, Bosaso's population grew tremendously.
Due to the dramatic increase in the city's population, the local housing industry has become increasingly important. Despite the rapid growth, the fishing industry still remains one of Bosaso's main sources of income.
Bosaso is also home to Golis Telecom Somalia
, the largest telecommunications operator in northeastern Somalia. Founded in 2002 with the objective of supplying the country with GSM mobile services, fixed line and internet services
, it has an extensive network that covers all of the nation's major cities and more than 40 districts in both Puntland and Somaliland
.
According to The Economist
, Golis offers one of the cheapest international calling rates on the planet, at $0.2 USD less than anywhere else in the world.
Bosaso has the second busiest port in Somalia along with a major airport, Bender Qassim International Airport
. In 2008, the Puntland government signed a multi-million dollar deal with Dubai
's Lootah Group, a regional industrial group operating in the Middle East and Africa. According to the agreement, the first phase of the investment is worth Dhs
170m and will see a set of new companies established to operate, manage and build Bosaso's free trade zone and sea and airport facilities. The Bosaso Airport Company is slated to develop the airport complex to meet international standards, including a new 3.4 km runway, main and auxiliary buildings, taxi and apron areas, and security perimeters.
along with Bosaso College
serve higher education needs, as does the Puntland Nursing Institute. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD) SIBA and Sunshine also provide post-secondary education. The Sam Greathouse School of Modern Technology (SG-SMT) has been working with local governments to construct a large scale dial-up network linking Bosaso to the northern Somali cities of Berbera
and Las Anod.
. Popular activities in the city include visiting Internet café
s and coffee shops where allegedly khat
is served, although sales are illegal. There are also many hotels, the most famous being the Hotel Huruuse and Juba, the Tropical and the International Village.
In addition, Bosaso has its own television channel and studios (SBC TV and ETN TV), as well as radio stations such as Radio Midnimo.
The outskirts of the city feature mountains, lakes and grasslands with wildlife
and trees, while also offering a panoramic view of the city's skyline.
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, which serves as the nation's main port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
. Situated on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....
, it is the commercial capital of the Bari region (gobolka
Regions of Somalia
Somalia is officially divided into eighteen administrative regions , which in turn are subdivided into districts. On a de facto basis, northern Somalia is now divided up among the autonomous states of Puntland and Somaliland...
) in the autonomous Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
state.
Formerly known as Bandar Qasim, the city's population is estimated at about 433,471 residents. While Bosaso is a melting pot, with residents hailing from all the major clans of Somalia, most of its population is from the Harti confederation of Darod
Darod
The Darod is a Somali clan. The father of this clan is named Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, but is more commonly known as Darod. In the Somali language, the word Daarood means "an enclosed compound," a conflation of the two words daar and ood .The Darod population in Somalia lives principally...
sub-clans. The city is relatively peaceful in comparison to the southern parts of Somalia.
History
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea or Periplus of the Red Sea is a Greco-Roman periplus, written in Greek, describing navigation and trading opportunities from Roman Egyptian ports like Berenice along the coast of the Red Sea, and others along Northeast Africa and India...
indicates that ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
merchants sailed to Bosaso, providing notes about the strategic and geographical location of the current Bosaso area, which was known as Mosylon in ancient times.
Bosaso was previously known as Bandar Qasim, a name derived from a Somali trader of the same name who is said to have first settled in the area during the 14th century. It is believed that Qasim's favourite camel was called Boosaas, from which derived the current name of the town. The town was thus first called Bandar Qassim after its founder ("Qasim's town"), then later dubbed Bosaso after its founder's trusted camel. This story is, however, purely speculative. Historically, Bosaso has been a Harti Darod
Darod
The Darod is a Somali clan. The father of this clan is named Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, but is more commonly known as Darod. In the Somali language, the word Daarood means "an enclosed compound," a conflation of the two words daar and ood .The Darod population in Somalia lives principally...
stronghold, and arose as a coastal outpost of their Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
ates.
With the start of the Somali Civil War
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
and the subsequent formation of Puntland in the 1990s, Bosaso has become the administrative and business capital of the Northeastern regions of Somalia. In recent years, it has served as a refueling station for maritime transport between the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
and the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
ports, and has also become an important commercial point of entry. The city's main port was constructed by the Siad Barre
Siad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre was the military dictator and President of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 1991. During his rule, he styled himself as Jaalle Siyaad ....
administration during the mid-1980s along with a two-lane highway for annual livestock shipments to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
Demographics
Furthermore, Bosaso is a major port for boats carrying emigrants from within the country as well as adjacent territories across the Gulf of Aden
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....
to settle (sometimes illegally) in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
states.
While Bosaso today is a melting pot, with residents hailing from many different parts of Somalia in addition to some neighboring Northeast African countries like Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, most of the city's population is from the Harti confederation of Darod
Darod
The Darod is a Somali clan. The father of this clan is named Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, but is more commonly known as Darod. In the Somali language, the word Daarood means "an enclosed compound," a conflation of the two words daar and ood .The Darod population in Somalia lives principally...
sub-clans. Bosaso also has a significant number of Meheri
Meheri
Mahri, Mehri or Mahra , also known as Arab Salah , is one of the largest tribes inhabiting the Al Mahrah Governorate in Yemen, Somalia, and other Arabian countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait....
Arabs, known as Arab Salah.
Economy
Bosaso is a city that is experiencing a period of rapid growth. Prior to the Somali civil war, it had a population of under 50,000 inhabitants. Since the conflict, Somalis belonging to the Harti Darod sub-clans began migrating back to their ancestral areas of PuntlandPuntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
. As a consequence of these migrations, Bosaso's population grew tremendously.
Due to the dramatic increase in the city's population, the local housing industry has become increasingly important. Despite the rapid growth, the fishing industry still remains one of Bosaso's main sources of income.
Bosaso is also home to Golis Telecom Somalia
Golis Telecom Somalia
Golis Telecom Somalia is the largest telecommunications operator in northeastern Somalia. Founded in 2002 with the objective of supplying the country with GSM mobile services, fixed line and internet services, it has an extensive network that covers all the major cities and more than 40 districts...
, the largest telecommunications operator in northeastern Somalia. Founded in 2002 with the objective of supplying the country with GSM mobile services, fixed line and internet services
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
, it has an extensive network that covers all of the nation's major cities and more than 40 districts in both Puntland and Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
.
According to The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
, Golis offers one of the cheapest international calling rates on the planet, at $0.2 USD less than anywhere else in the world.
Transportation
Bosaso is trans-versed by a 750 km north-south highway, which connects major cities in the northern part of the country, such as Galkacyo and Garowe, with townships in the south.Bosaso has the second busiest port in Somalia along with a major airport, Bender Qassim International Airport
Bender Qassim International Airport
Bender Qassim International Airport , also known as Bosaso Airport, is the second largest airport in Somalia. It sits at a longitude of 49° 9' 0" E and a latitude of 11° 16' 32" N on the outer edge of the city of Bosaso, the commercial capital of the northeastern Puntland macro-region...
. In 2008, the Puntland government signed a multi-million dollar deal with Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
's Lootah Group, a regional industrial group operating in the Middle East and Africa. According to the agreement, the first phase of the investment is worth Dhs
United Arab Emirates dirham
The dirham is the currency of the United Arab Emirates. The ISO 4217 code for the United Arab Emirates dirham is AED. Unofficial abbreviations include DH or Dhs. The dirham is subdivided into 100 ....
170m and will see a set of new companies established to operate, manage and build Bosaso's free trade zone and sea and airport facilities. The Bosaso Airport Company is slated to develop the airport complex to meet international standards, including a new 3.4 km runway, main and auxiliary buildings, taxi and apron areas, and security perimeters.
Education
Bosaso currently has more than 30 primary and secondary schools, including Imam Nawawi School (with over 3200 pupils), Boosaaso Public Secondary School (with over 2000 students), Sheikh Hamdan Secondary School (approximately 800 students), Alnajeh and Garisa. East Africa UniversityEast Africa University
East Africa University is a university in the city of Bosaso in northeastern Somalia, located about from the center of the city. It was founded in October 1999 and began accepting students in early 2000. It is located on the waterfront....
along with Bosaso College
Bosaso College
Bosaso College is a private university in Bosaso, the commercial capital of the autonomous Puntland region in northeastern Somalia. It is one of the newest colleges in the territory.-Overview:...
serve higher education needs, as does the Puntland Nursing Institute. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues....
(UNCTAD) SIBA and Sunshine also provide post-secondary education. The Sam Greathouse School of Modern Technology (SG-SMT) has been working with local governments to construct a large scale dial-up network linking Bosaso to the northern Somali cities of Berbera
Berbera
Berbera is a city and seat of Berbera District in Somaliland, a self-proclaimed Independent Republic with de facto control over its own territory, which is recognized by the international community and the Somali Government as a part of Somalia...
and Las Anod.
Entertainment
Bosaso has white sandy beaches and clear sea water with a reefReef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
. Popular activities in the city include visiting Internet café
Internet cafe
An Internet café or cybercafé is a place which provides internet access to the public, usually for a fee. These businesses usually provide snacks and drinks, hence the café in the name...
s and coffee shops where allegedly khat
Khat
Khat, qat, gat or Waquish Spoken from true Yemeni, is a flowering plant native to tropical East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula....
is served, although sales are illegal. There are also many hotels, the most famous being the Hotel Huruuse and Juba, the Tropical and the International Village.
In addition, Bosaso has its own television channel and studios (SBC TV and ETN TV), as well as radio stations such as Radio Midnimo.
The outskirts of the city feature mountains, lakes and grasslands with wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
and trees, while also offering a panoramic view of the city's skyline.
Districts
Bosaso is sub-divided into sixteen administrative districts. They include:- Baargaal
- Bandar Bayla
- CaluulaCaluulaAluula , also spelled Alula, is a port town in the northeastern Bari region of Somalia.-Overview:The city is the capital of the Alula District.Aluula is located about west of Cape Guardafui, at the extremity of the Horn of Africa.-References:*...
- Carmo
- GalgalaGalgalaGalgala is a growing town in Bari region of Somalia. The town has ancient markings of religious symbols and crosses and ancient remains of a cairns which commonly found in Sanaag and Bari,_Somalia regions...
- IskushubanIskushubanIskushuban is a small town in the northeastern Bari province of Somalia. It is situated in the autonomous Puntland.-Location:Iskushuban is situated in the Iskushuban District of the northernmost Bari province. It lies 80km east of Qardho and 150km south of Bosaso, the commercial capital of the...
- QandalaQandalaQandala is an ancient Port city in the Puntland region of Somalia, 75 kilometres east of Bosaso City, 549 kilometres south of Aden, and 475 kilometres west of Socotra.-History:...
- QardhoQardhoQardho is a town in the northeastern Bari region of Somalia. It is the center of the Qardho District.-References:*...
- Ufayn
- Waaciye
External links
- http://www.biyokulule.com/Bosaso_history.htm