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SOUTH and CENTRAL SOMALIA COUNTRY OVERVIEW

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SOUTH and CENTRAL SOMALIA COUNTRY OVERVIEW EASO Country of Origin Information report SOUTH and CENTRAL SOMALIA COUNTRY OVERVIEW August 2014 Acknowledgements EASO would like to acknowledge the following national asylum and migration departments as the co-authors of this report: Austria, Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum, Country of Origin Information Department The Netherlands, Immigration and Naturalisation Service, Office for Country Information and Language Analysis (OCILA) Slovakia, Migration Office – Department of Documentation and Foreign Cooperation Switzerland, Federal Office for Migration, Division Analysis and Services And furthermore, the following national departments reviewed this report: Finland, Immigration Service, Legal Service and Country Information Unit Sweden, Migration Board, Lifos, Country of Origin Information Unit UK, Home Office, Country Policy and Information Team 2 Content Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................................. 2 Disclaimer ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 9 Map of South/Central Somalia ............................................................................................................... 10 1. General country information ........................................................................................................... 11 1.1 Geography ....................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1.1 Landscape ..................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1.2 Climate .......................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1.3 Administrative divisions ................................................................................................................ 11 1.1.4 Cities .............................................................................................................................................. 12 1.1.5 Transport infrastructure ............................................................................................................... 17 1.2 Demography .................................................................................................................................... 18 1.2.1 Population ..................................................................................................................................... 18 1.2.2 Ethnic groups ................................................................................................................................ 19 1.2.3 Languages and spelling ................................................................................................................. 20 1.2.4 Religion ......................................................................................................................................... 21 1.3 Short history .................................................................................................................................... 22 1.3.1 From independence to military rule (1960-1970) ........................................................................ 22 1.3.2 Civil war (1988-1991) .................................................................................................................... 22 1.3.3 Clan War and State Collapse ......................................................................................................... 22 1.3.4 Islamist advance and retreat ........................................................................................................ 23 1.3.5 Failed attempts to restore peace .................................................................................................. 23 1.3.6 Al-Shabaab insurgency .................................................................................................................. 23 1.3.7 Al-Shabaab pushed back, but not defeated (February 2012-Today) ............................................ 24 1.4 State structure and political landscape ........................................................................................... 24 1.4.1 Parliament, government, administration ..................................................................................... 24 1.4.2 Federalism (Somaliland, Puntland, Jubbaland, Galmudug) .......................................................... 26 1.4.3 The Judiciary ................................................................................................................................. 27 1.4.4 Somali Police Force (SPF) .............................................................................................................. 28 1.4.5 Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) .......................................................................................... 28 1.4.6 AMISOM ........................................................................................................................................ 28 1.4.7 National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) ........................................................................ 29 1.5 Education ......................................................................................................................................... 29 1.5.1 Literacy and enrolment ................................................................................................................. 29 1.5.2 Curriculum ..................................................................................................................................... 30 1.5.3 Educational institutes and organisations ...................................................................................... 30 1.5.4 Education under Al-Shabaab......................................................................................................... 31 1.6 Media and (tele-) communication ................................................................................................... 32 1.6.1 Media ............................................................................................................................................ 32 1.6.2 Telecommunication ...................................................................................................................... 33 1.6.3 Money transfer ............................................................................................................................. 33 1.7 Health care ...................................................................................................................................... 34 1.8 Socio-economic and humanitarian situation .................................................................................. 35 1.8.1 Socio-economic situation .............................................................................................................. 35 1.8.2 Humanitarian situation ................................................................................................................. 36 1.9 Documents....................................................................................................................................... 40 1.9.1 General remarks............................................................................................................................ 40 1.9.2 Identity documents (ID cards, passports) ..................................................................................... 41 1.9.3 Birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates ............................................................................ 44 3 1.9.4 Other documents .......................................................................................................................... 44 2. Clan system and ethnic groups......................................................................................................... 45 2.1 Majority Clans .................................................................................................................................. 45 2.2 Minority groups ............................................................................................................................... 48 2.2.1 Ethnic minority groups .................................................................................................................. 49 2.2.2 Occupational groups ..................................................................................................................... 51 2.2.3 Discrimination of minority groups ................................................................................................ 53 2.2.4 Client relationships of minority groups ........................................................................................ 55 2.3 Clan maps ........................................................................................................................................ 56 2.4 Customary law (Xeer) .....................................................................................................................
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