Hargeisa Hargaysa هرجيسا
Central Hargeisa at dusk.
Hargeisa Location of Hargeisa in Somalia
Coordinates: 9°33′N 44°4′E / 9.55°N 44.067°E / 9.55; 44.067
Country	Somalia  Somaliland
Region	Woqooyi Galbeed
Granted capital status	1941 (British Somaliland)
	1960 (State of Somaliland)
	1991 (Somaliland)
Government
• Mayor	Mudane Hussain Mohammoud Jiciir
Elevation	1,326 m (4,350 ft)
Population
• Total	1,300,000
• Density	15/km2 (40/sq mi)
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)
Languages	Somali, Arabic and English
Religion	Sunni Islam

Hargeisa (Somali: Hargaysa, Arabic: هرجيسا‎) is a the second-largest city in Somalia,^[1] located in the Woqooyi Galbeed region. Hargeisa is the capital of Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia.^[2] It was the colonial capital of the British Somaliland protectorate from 1941 to 1960, when it gained independence as the State of Somaliland and united with Italian Somaliland to form the Somali Republic.^[3]

The city is situated in a valley in the Galgodon (Ogo) highlands, and sits at an elevation of 4,377 feet (1,334 m). Home to rock art from the Neolithic period, Hargeisa is also a commercial hub for precious stone-cutting, construction, retail services and importing/exporting, among other activities.^[1]

History[link]

Prehistory[link]

Rock art from the Laas Gaal complex on the outskirts of Hargeisa.

Numerous cave paintings from the Neolithic period are found in the Laas Gaal complex, on the outskirts of Hargeisa. During November and December 2002, an archaeological survey was carried out in the area by a French team of researchers. The expedition's objective was to search for rock shelters and caves containing stratified archaeological infills capable of documenting the period when production economy appeared in this part of Somalia (circa 5,000 and 2,000 BCE). During the course of the survey, the French archaeological team discovered the Laas Gaal rock art, encompassing an area of ten rock alcoves (caves). In an excellent state of preservation, the paintings show human figures with their hands raised and facing long-horned, humpless cattle.^[4]

The rock art had been known to the area's inhabitants for centuries before the French discovery. However, the existence of the site had not been broadcast to the international community. In November 2003, a mission returned to Laas Gaal and a team of experts undertook a detailed study of the paintings and their prehistoric context.

Northern Somalia in general is home to numerous such archaeological sites, with similar rock art and/or ancient edifices found at Haylaan, Qa’ableh, Qombo'ul and Elaayo. However, many of these old structures have yet to be properly explored, a process which would help shed further light on local history and facilitate their preservation for posterity.^[5]

British Somaliland[link]

In 1888, after signing successive treaties with the then ruling Somali Sultans such as Mohamoud Ali Shire of the Warsangali Sultanate, the British established a protectorate in the region referred to as British Somaliland.^[6] The British garrisoned the protectorate from Aden in present-day Yemen, and administered it from their British India until 1898. British Somaliland was then administered by the Foreign Office until 1905 and afterwards by the Colonial Office.

Berbera, a major trading harbour on the Red Sea, was the protectorate's first capital due to its strategic 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 protectorate gained its independence on 26 June 1960 as the State of Somaliland,^[7][8] before uniting as planned days later with the Trust Territory of Somalia (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic.^[9]

1980s[link]

Due to the Barre regime's violent repression, Somalis in the northwestern part of the country (particularly the Isaaq clan), encouraged by Ethiopia in opposition to Somalia, took up arms and formed the Somali National Movement (S.N.M.) in 1981 to resist Barre. In the late 1980s, Barre virtually lost control of the province and ordered the air force to bomb Hargeisa, today's capital of Somaliland. The bombing and subsequent raids of government troops claimed tens of thousands of casualties.^[10]

A war memorial in the form of a MiG fighter jet was erected in Hargeisa to mark this event.

Reconstruction[link]

Calaamadaha area in southern Hargeisa.

As control of Mogadishu shifted in favor of the United Somali Congress (USC) in 1991, a power struggle between the leaders had led to the city's destruction. While Mogadishu and the rest of southern Somalia were being destroyed, the opposite was happening in Hargeisa and the rest of northwestern Somalia. By 18 May 1991, secessionists in the Somaliland region had declared independence and reconstruction had begun.

Since 1991, the city has undergone a massive facelift and most of the devastated commercial and residential homes have been rebuilt and are in better condition than before the war, with larger use of brick and concrete instead of mud and adobe. Remittance money sent from overseas relatives contributed tremendously in the reconstruction of the city as well as entrepreneurial spirit of local residents and citizens throughout the Somaliland region.^{[citation needed]}

Although Hargeisa used to have working traffic lights, the only traffic control today is by the occasional police officer. Traffic keeps to the right, and both left- and right-hand drive vehicles are used in equal measure. All residents entitled to drive must hold a photo driving license. All cars bear Somaliland license plates.^{[citation needed]}

Geography[link]

Hargeisa countryside

Hargeisa is located in a valley in the western section of the country. The city is in a mountainous area because it is situated in an enclosed valley of the Galgodon (Ogo) highlands, at an elevation of 1,334 meters (4,377 ft) 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 receives larger amounts of rain, and used to be surrounded by forest when the city was smaller but the countryside around the city still has small juniper forests. Near Hargeisa are the fertile Sheikh and Daallo mountains, which also receive large amount of rain. South of Hargeisa is the Hawd Savannah (Baligubadle) which attracts many different animals to graze in the area

Hargeisa is situated near the city of Gabiley, which serves as an agricultural center in northern Somalia. The town's Allay-Baday area produces tons of tomatoes and onions each month during the rainy season. The city of Arabsiyo is also located nearby, and is noted for its lemon production.

Wildlife[link]

Due to its fertility and greenery, wild animals (e.g. zebras) come to the Hargeisa area to either breed or graze on the grassland savannah. Fauna that can be found in rural sections of the city include the kudu, wild boar, Somali wild ass, warthogs, antelopes, the Somali sheep, wild goats, camels, and many different types of birds. South of Hargeisa is a grassland savannah, which attracts many types of wildlife to the area including lions and leopards.

Climate[link]

Economy[link]

A shopping mall in eastern Hargeisa

Hargeisa is the financial hub to many entrepreneurial industries ranging from food processing, gem stonecutters, construction, retail, import and export, Internet cafes, and companies that process remittances from relatives abroad who send money. Some families have moved back to the city, living in mansions in the hills during the summer.

Hargeisa city is the namesake of Hargeisa Minerals & Resources Company and contains many of Somaliland's business headquarters in its city limits.

The city also has private and public menageries, housing animals from the region including lions, leopards, antelopes, birds and reptiles.

Transport[link]

Hargeisa International Airport

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 US Dollars to local currency (which is the Somaliland Shilling. (1 USD=6700 Somaliland Shillings in Open market as of April 2009, Official rate is almost half of the open market). There are local bus services in Hargeisa. There are also other buses and shared taxis that goes to other cities in Somaliland.

Paved roads are available in Hargeisa, however most have been badly damaged by tanks and shelling during the war. The vast majority of the roads were paved by the British, during colonial rule. The local government has repaired some of the roads but many others are still awaiting repair.

Buses are the most commonly used form of public transport in the city. They travel on a number of routes serving nearly all districts of the city. Intra-city bus services are available connecting the major towns and cities like Burao, Berbera and Borama to Hargeisa.

Taxis are available, but are a less common form of public transport.

Education[link]