Demographics of Somalia

Demographic features of Somalia's inhabitants include ethnicity, language, population density, education level, health, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. Somalia is believed to be one of the most homogeneous countries in Africa.

2020 survey
Child marriages, known to deprive women of opportunities to reach their full potential, have among women aged 20–24, 36 percent of total population.

The April 2020 SHDS report further unveils that fertility rates remain very high, the total fertility rate for Somalia is 6.9 children per woman, the highest in the world, which would impact planning for the next years. In addition, 99 percent of women have still been genitally circumcised.

Ethnic groups
According to The Economist, at independence Somalia was "arguably in ethnic terms the most homogeneous country in Africa" however, the publication also notes; "'..its ethnic homogeneity is misleading. Despite also sharing a single language and religion, it is divided into more than 500 clans and sub-clans.'"

Somalis
Somalis constitute the largest ethnic group in Somalia, at approximately 98% of the nation's inhabitants. They are organized into clan groupings, which are important social units; clan membership plays a central part in Somali culture and politics. Clans are patrilineal and are typically divided into sub-clans, sometimes with many sub-divisions. Through the xeer system (customary law), the advanced clan structure has served governmental roles in many rural Somali communities.

Somali society is traditionally ethnically endogamous. So to extend ties of alliance, marriage is often to another ethnic Somali from a different clan. Thus, for example, a recent study observed that 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; Gadabuursi, 3); and 3 (4.3%) were with women of other clans of the Darod clan family (Marehan 2, Ogaden 1).

Clan structure
Certain clans are traditionally classed as noble clans, referring to their pastoral lifestyle in contrast to the sedentary "Sab". The noble clans are the Dir, Darod, Hawiye and Isaaq. Out of these clans, Dir and Hawiye are regarded as descended from Samaale, the likely source of the ethnonym Somali (soomaali). Darod and Isaaq have separate agnatic (paternal) traditions of descent from Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti (Sheikh Darod) and Ishaaq bin Ahmed (Sheikh Isaaq) respectively. Sheikh Darod and Sheikh Isaaq are asserted to have married women from the Dir clan, thus establishing matrilateral ties with the Samaale main stem. "Sab" is a term used to refer to the agricultural clans such as the Rahanweyn, in contrast to "Samaale". Both Samaale and Sab are the children of the father "Hiil" who is the common ancestor of all Somali clans.

A few clans in the southern part of Greater Somalia do not belong to the major clans, but came to be associated with them and were eventually adopted into one of the confederations.

The Garre clan in Ethiopia (Somali Region) and Kenya (North Eastern Province) is divided into two branches: The Tuuf who claim descent from Garre Gardheere Samaale,   and Quranyow who married Tuuf's daughter, who is of the lineage Mahamed Hiniftir Mahe Dir. Likewise, the Gaalje'el in Hirshabelle and elsewhere in central Somalia also trace paternal descent to Gardheere Samaale.

The Degoodi in the Somali Region and North Eastern Province are related to Gaalje'el as the Saransoor trace patrilineage to Gardheere Samaale. The Ajuran claim descent from Maqaarre Samaale whilst the Hawadle in Hiran belong to Meyle Samaale. Thus, the Garre, Gaalje'el, Degoodi, Ajuran and Hawadle are all said to have patrilateral ties with the Dir and Hawiye through Samaale to Aqil ibn Abi Talib (a cousin of Muhammad and a brother of Ali).

The Sheekhaal acknowledge descent from Sheikh Abadir Umar Ar-Rida, also known as Fiqi Umar. The Sheekhaal clan (Arabic: شيخال), is a Somali clan and a group member of the confederation (Martiile Hiraab) inhabiting Somalia, Ethiopia and with considerable numbers also found in the Northern Frontier District (NFD).

The Digil and Mirifle (Rahanweyn) are agro-pastoral clans in the areas between Bay and Bakool. Many do not follow a nomadic lifestyle, live further south, and speak Maay. Although in the past frequently classified as a Somali dialect, more recent research by the linguist Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi suggests that Maay constitutes a separate but closely related Afro-Asiatic language of the Cushitic branch.

A third group, the occupational clans, are treated as outcasts. They can only marry among themselves. They live in their settlements among the nomadic populations in the north and used to perform specialized occupations such as metalworking, tanning and hunting. These minority Somali clans include the Gaboye (Madhiban), Tumaal, Yibir, Jaji and Yahar.

Clans and sub-clans
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.

Major clans

 * Dir (Aji Irir son of Samaale),
 * Quranyow-Garre, Surre, Barsug, Madigan, Gurre, Bimaal, Gurgura, Gadabuursi, Issa
 * Isaaq
 * Arap, Ayuub, Garhajis, Habar Awal, Habar Jeclo, Tol Jecle, Sanbuur, Habar Yonis and ‘Ibraan
 * Darod
 * Awrtable, Harti, Majeerteen, Dhulbahante, Warsangeli, Deshiishe, Jidwaq, Leelkase, Marehan, Ogaden, Geri Koombe, Facaaye
 * Hawiye (Irir son of Samaale)
 * Abgal, Mudulood clan (s), Gugundhabe, Xawaadle, Sheekhaal loobage, Baadi Cade, Jajeele, Geel-Jecel, Duduble, Habar Gidir, Murusade, Karanle, Gorgate
 * Rahanweyn
 * Digil (Non-Mirifle)
 * Dabarre, Iroole, Jiido, Garre, Tunni, Geledi, Shanta Aleemo
 * Mirifle
 * Sagaal: Geeladle, Jilible, Gasaargude, Gawaweeyn, Luwaay, Hadame, Yantaar, Hubeer
 * Siyeed: Elaay. Leysaan, Eemid, Diisow, Yalaale, Qoomaal, Maalin Wiing, Harin, Jiron, Reer Dumaal, Garwaale and Haraw
 * Saransor
 * Isse, Masare, Gaaljecel, Degodia
 * Mayle
 * Hawadle
 * Gardheere Samaale
 * Cowrmale known as Coormale Ibraahim

Minor clans

 * Asharaf, Barawani, Benadiri, Carab Salaax, Gaboye (Madhiban), Muse clan, Tumaal, Yibir

Other ethnic groups
Non-Somali ethnic minority groups make up about 5% of the nation's population. They include Arabs, Bantus & Bajunis.

Languages
Somali is the official language of Somalia. It is the mother tongue of Somalis, the nation's most populous ethnic group. The language is a member of the Cushitic branch of the Afroasiatic family.

In addition to Somali, Arabic, which is also an Afroasiatic tongue, is another official language in Somalia. Many speak it due to centuries-old ties with the Arab world, the far-reaching influence of the Arabic media, and religious education.

English is widely used and taught. Other minority languages include Bravanese, a variant of the Bantu Swahili language that is spoken along the southern coast by the Bravanese people, as well as Bajuni, another Swahili dialect that is the mother tongue of the Bajuni ethnic minority group.

Population


According to, the total population was in , compared to 2,264,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 44.9%, 52.3% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 2.7% was 65 years or older.

Vital statistics
Registration of vital events in Somalia is incomplete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates:

Demographic statistics
Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review.


 * One birth every 46 seconds
 * One death every 3 minutes
 * One net migrant every 16 minutes
 * Net gain of one person every 1 minutes

The following demographic are from the CIA World Factbook unless otherwise indicated.

Population

 * 18,100,000 (2023 est.)


 * 11,259,029 (July 2018 est.)
 * 10,428,043 (2014 est.)

Religions
Sunni Muslim (Islam) (official, according to the 2012 Transitional Federal Charter)

Age structure

 * 0-14 years: 42.38% (male 2,488,604/female 2,493,527)
 * 15-24 years: 19.81% (male 1,167,807/female 1,161,040)
 * 25-54 years: 30.93% (male 1,881,094/female 1,755,166)
 * 55-64 years: 4.61% (male 278,132/female 264,325)
 * 65 years and over: 2.27% (2020 est.) (male 106,187/female 161,242)


 * 0-14 years: 42.87% (male 2,410,215 /female 2,416,629)
 * 15-24 years: 19.35% (male 1,097,358 /female 1,081,762)
 * 25-54 years: 31.23% (male 1,821,823 /female 1,694,873)
 * 55-64 years: 4.35% (male 245,744 /female 243,893)
 * 65 years and over: 2.19% (male 95,845 /female 150,887) (2018 est.)

Birth rate

 * 37.98 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 8th
 * 39.3 births/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 9th
 * 40.87 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)

Death rate

 * 11.62 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 17th
 * 12.8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
 * 13.91 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate

 * 5.22 children born/woman (2023 est.) Country comparison to the world: 8th
 * 5.31 children born/woman (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 9th
 * 5.7 children born/woman (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 6th

Population growth rate

 * 2.42% (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 27th
 * 2.08% (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 45th
 * 1.75% (2014 est.)

Median age

 * total: 18.5 years. Country comparison to the world: 210th
 * male: 18.7 years
 * female: 18.3 years (2020 est.)


 * Total: 18.2 years. Country comparison to the world: 211th
 * Male: 18.4 years
 * Female: 18 years (2018 est.)

Net migration rate

 * -2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 171st
 * -5.6 migrants/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 199th
 * -9.51 migrants/1,000 population (2014 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

 * 6.9% (2018/19)

Dependency ratios

 * Total dependency ratio: 97.4 (2015 est.)
 * Youth dependency ratio: 92.1 (2015 est.)
 * Elderly dependency ratio: 5.3 (2015 est.)
 * Potential support ratio: 18.8 (2015 est.)

Urbanization

 * urban population: 47.3% of total population (2022)
 * rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2020–25 est.)


 * Urban population: 45% of total population (2018)
 * Rate of urbanization: 4.23% annual rate of change (2015–20 est.)


 * Urban population: 37.7% of total population (2011)
 * Rate of urbanization: 3.79 annual rate of change (2010–15 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 males/female

Under 15 years: 1 male/female

15–64 years: 1.07 males/female

65 years and over: 0.66 males/female

Total population: 1.01 males/female (2015 est. )

Infant mortality rate

 * Total: 93 deaths/1,000 live births
 * Male: 101.4 deaths/1,000 live births
 * Female: 84.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
total population: 55.72 years. Country comparison to the world: 225th male: 53.39 years female: 58.12 years (2022 est.)


 * Total population: 53.2 years
 * Male: 51 years
 * Female: 55.4 years (2018 est.)


 * Total population: 51.58 years
 * Male: 49.58 years
 * Female: 53.65 years (2014 est.)

Major infectious diseases

 * degree of risk: very high (2020)
 * food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
 * vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Rift Valley fever
 * water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
 * animal contact diseases: rabies

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Somalia is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine

HIV/AIDS
0.1% (2017 est.) 11,000 (2017 est.) <1000 (2017 est.)
 * HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate
 * HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS
 * HIV/AIDS – deaths

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high

Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

Vector-borne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Rift Valley fever

Water contact disease: schistosomiasis

Animal contact disease: rabies (2013)

Nationality
Noun: Somali (singular) or Somali (plural)

Adjective: Somali

Ethnic groups

 * Somali 90%
 * Bantu and other non-Somali 10%.

Languages

 * Somali (official)
 * Arabic (official)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Total population: N/A