Hargeisa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Hargeisa, Somaliland |
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 View from the outskirts of Hargeisa looking towards the famous Naasa Hablood hills. |
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 Location of Hargeisa in Somaliland |
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| Overview | |
| Region | Wooqoyi Galbeed |
| Granted capital status | 1941 (British Somaliland) |
| Languages | Somali, Arabic and English |
| Total Population | 0.7 million |
| Area | NA km² |
| Population density | 15 persons per/km² |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| Elevation | 1326 m |
| Timezone | EAT |
| UTC offset | +3 |
| Coordinates | |
| Mayor | Mudane Hussain Mohammoud Jiciir |
| Website | Hargeisa City Council |
Hargeisa (Somali: Hargeysa, Arabic: هرجيسا) is the capital of the Republic of Somaliland which was formed in 1991. It was also the colonial capital of British Somaliland from 1941 to 1960 when it united with the south to form the Somali Republic. Hargeisa is the largest city in Somaliland.
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[edit] Geography
Hargeisa is located in a valley in the western section of the country. It is in a mountainous area because Hargeysa is located in an enclosed valley of the Galgodon (Ogo) highlands, at an elevation of 1334 meters (4,377 feet) above sea level. This altitude gives Hargeisa and the surrounding area a milder climate than the Gulf of Aden coastal area (one of the hottest areas on earth) and the Hargeisa region has a fairly equable climate. The temperature ranges between 13 and 32 degrees Celsius (55 and 89 degrees Fahrenheit).
Hargeisa also receives larger amounts of rain, and used to be surrounded by forest when the city was smaller but the countryside around the city has small juniper forests. Moreover, near Hargeisa are the fertile Sheikh and Daallo mountains, which receive large amount of rain.
[edit] Wildlife
Due to the fertility and greenery of the Hargeisa region, wild animals (e.g. zebras) come to the area; to either breed or graze on the grassland savannah. There are many animals which can be found in Hargeisa. The prominent animals found are the Kudu, wild boar, Somali Wild Ass, warthogs, antelopes, the Somali sheep, wild goats, camels and many different types of birds. Due south of Hargeisa is a grassland savannah which attracts many types of wildelife to the area including lions and leopards.
[edit] History
[edit] Prehistoric inhabitants
The city is home to Neolithic cave paintings recently discovered named Laas Geel. The cave paintings are situated on the outskirts of the city, located around a plethora of granite alcoves and rocky mountains. The paintings show ancient inhabitants of the area worshipping cattle. It also shows animals which are commonly seen in the region primarily antelopes, camels and early dogs. The Laas Geel cave paintings were discovered in November 2002 by a French archaeological team. They contain some of the earliest known art in the Horn of Africa and the African continent in general, dating back to somewhere between 8,000 and 9,000 BCE.
[edit] Ottoman conquest
Ottoman invaders captured Zeila in north-western Somaliland in the mid 16th century and there have been speculations that the Ottomans reached what is now Hargeisa. The reason for this was that Ottoman houses were built in Hargeisa and there are still some left standing in the city. However, there is no archaeological evidence which proves that the Ottomans reached the city. Maps of the Ottoman Empire show the region that is today Hargeisa part of the empire.
[edit] British rule
Hargeisa and the whole Somaliland region was annexed by the British from Aden and they established a protectorate naming the region British Somaliland. Berbera, a major trading harbour on the Red Sea was the protectorate's first capital due to its stragetic importance. However, the capital was moved from Berbera to Hargeisa, and the city was granted capital status in 1941. During the East African Campaign, the protectorate was occupied by Italy in August 1940, but recaptured by the British in March 1941. The protecorate gained independence as the State of Somaliland on 26 June 1960. Days later, as the country was unified with Italian Somaliland to form a new Somali Republic (Somalia) on 1 July 1960.
[edit] Brutal genocide
Indiscriminate and brutal raids and bombing campaigns led by President Siad Barre devastated the city in the late 1980’s including other major towns of Burao and Berbera.
A war memorial in the form of a MiG fighter jet was erected in Hargeisa to mark this event. It also marks the systematic and desperate attempts by the brutal Barre regime failed in asserting its control in north-west Somalia and the wicked genocide plan in wiping out the Isaaq clan.
It is estimated that over 50,000 northwestern Somalis where murdered by the Barre regime in the late 1980’s. Civilians predominantly from the Isaaq clan.
However, by the end of the 1980s, the SNM (Somali National Movement) controlled all of the north-west, including the major towns of Hargeisa and Burao, Erigavo, Las Anod. The Siad Barre regime was on the verge of collapse and by the 1991 regime ceased to exist.
[edit] Reconstruction
As the power of authority in Mogadishu had changed hand to the control of the United Somali Congress (USC) in 1991, a power struggle between the leaders would led to the beginning of the destruction of Mogadishu. As Mogadishu and southern Somalia was being destroyed, the opposite was happening in Hargeisa and the rest of Somaliland. The independence of Somaliland was declared and reconstruction started in 18th May 1991.
Since 1991, the city has undergone a massive facelift and over 99% of devastated commercial and residential homes have now been rebuilt and in better condition than before the war. Remittance money sent from overseas relatives contributed tremendously in the reconstruction of the city as well as entrepreneurial sprit of local residences and citizens throughout Somaliland.
Aid from foreign governments was non-existent, making it unusual in Africa for its low level of dependence in foreign aid. While Somaliland is de-facto as an independent country it is not de-jure (legally) recognized internationally. Hence, the government of Somaliland can not access IMF and World Bank assistance.
Hargeisa has working traffic lights and traffic laws are respected. All residences that drive must hold a photo driving licence and all cars sport Somaliland licence plates.
[edit] Education
In Hargeisa, there are two universities and several state-run and privately owned secondary and high schools. Also, there are colleges, primary schools and nurseries dotted all around the city. Students are educated by teachers who have studied from abroad or by teachers who were educated prior to the Somali Civil War.
[edit] Economy
Hargeisa is the financial hub to many entrepreneurial companies ranging from food processing, gem stonecutters, construction, retail, import and export, Internet cafes, to even companies that process remittances from relative’s abroad who send money. Some families have moved back to the city, living in mansions in the hills during the summer. The city has seen considerable development of this sort in recent years. There are three major hotels in Hargeisa, they are the Ambassador, the Al-Maan Soor and the Oreintal hotels. The Ambassador (an award-winning hotel and the first modern hotel in the city since the war) is just a few minutes' travel to or from the airport, while Maan Soor hotel is located on the outskirts of the city. And the Oriental Hotel is in the center of the city. Hargeisa also has a private and public menageries, it houses animals from the region including lions, leopards, antelopes, birds and reptiles.
[edit] Transport
The city is home to Hargeisa International Airport, with flights to Addis Ababa, Djibouti City, Dubai and many other cities across Africa and Somalia. All foreigners are required to exchange 50 USA Dollars to local currency (which is the Somaliland Shilling. (1 USD=6250 Somaliland Shillings as of Dec. 2006). Also there is a bus service in Hargeisa.
[edit] Communication
Hargeisa has a modern telephone system and nearly everyone in the city enjoys a telephone and some with access to the internet. Internet cafes are dotted all around Hargeisa and many youngsters and adults benefit from this. Mobile communication services are available in Hargeisa. The main mobile communication services in Hargeisa are operated by Telesom, Sitalink Soltelco and Telcom.
[edit] Trivia
- Simon Reeve visited the city and stayed at the Ambassador Hotel as part of his television series, Places That Don't Exist.
- Bob Geldof also stayed at the Ambassador Hotel and visited Hargeisa. [1]
[edit] External links
