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Mogadishu مقديشو Maqadīshū ("The Seat of the Shah")[1]
Nickname(s): Xamar
Location of Mogadishu within Somalia
Coordinates: 2°02′N 45°21′E / 2.033°N 45.35°E / 2.033; 45.35
Country	Somalia
Region	Benadir
Government [2]
- Mayor	Abdurisaq Mohamed Nor [3]
Population (2006)[4]
- Total	1,500,000-3,000,000
Time zone	EAT (UTC+2)

Mogadishu (pronounced /ˌmɒɡəˈdɪʃuː/; Somali: Muqdisho, popularly Xamar; Arabic: مقديشو‎ Maqadīshū; Italian: Mogadiscio, literally "The Seat of the Shah") is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital.

Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries.

History

Early history

Engraving of the 13th century Fakr ad-Din Mosque.

According to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, maritime trade connected Somalis in the Mogadishu area with other communities along the Indian Ocean coast as early as the 1st century CE. With Muslim traders from the Arabian Peninsula arriving circa 900 CE, Mogadishu was well-suited to become a regional center for commerce.

The name "Mogadishu" is held to be derived from the Arabic مقعد شاه Maq'ad Shah ("The seat of the Shah"), a reflection of the city's early Persian influence.^[1] For many years, Mogadishu stood as the pre-eminent city in the بالعد البربر Bilad al Barbar ("Land of the Berbers"), which was the medieval Arabic term for the Horn of Africa.^[5][6][7]

The city was at the zenith of its prosperity when the Moroccan traveller Ibn Batuta appeared on the Somali coast in 1331. Batuta described Mogadishu as "an exceedingly large city" with many rich merchants, which was famous for its high quality fabric that it exported to Egypt, among other places.^[8][9] He added that the city was ruled by a Somali Sultan who spoke both Somali and Arabic with equal fluency.^[10]

The Portuguese would also later visit the city but never managed to take it.

1800s-1950s

The "Banca d'Italia" building in central Mogadishu in 1939.

In 1871, Barghash bin Said, the sultan of Zanzibar, occupied the city.

In 1892, Ali bin Said leased the city to Italy. Italy purchased the city in 1905 and made Mogadishu the capital of Italian Somaliland. After World War I the surrounding territory came under Italian control with some resistance.

Thousands of Italian colonists moved to live in Mogadishu and founded small manufacturing companies. They also developed some agricultural areas around the capital such as the Villaggio duca degli Abruzzi and the Genale.^[11]

In the 1930s new buildings and avenues were built. A 114 km narrow-gauge railway was laid from Mogadishu to Jowhar, then called "Villaggio Duca degli Abruzzi". An asphalted road, the Strada Imperiale was also constructed, intended to link Mogadishu to Addis Ababa.

Mogadishu remained the capital of Italian Somaliland throughout the existence of the latter, and became the capital of independent Somalia in 1960.

Modern history

Development in Mogadishu

Rebel forces entered and took the city in 1990, forcing then President of Somalia Mohamed Siad Barre to flee in 1991 to Kenya. One faction proclaimed Ali Mahdi Muhammad president, another Mohamed Farrah Aidid. A contingent of United States Marines landed near Mogadishu on December 9, 1992 to spearhead the United Nations peacekeeping forces during Operation Restore Hope, in which Pakistan, Italy and Malaysia also participated.

Aerial view of a residential area of Mogadishu, with a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter in the foreground, December 1992.

In the wake of Operation Restore Hope, further US peacekeeping continued, until, on October 4, 1993, at 6:30 AM., American forces were finally evacuated to the UN's Pakistani base by an armored convoy along the so-called "Mogadishu Mile." In that exercise alone, 18 U.S. soldiers died and 73 were injured, while two US Black Hawk helicopters were shot down and three further MH-60s put out of action. After the battle, one or more US casualties of the conflict were dragged through the streets of Mogadishu by crowds of local civilians and SNA forces. The Malaysian forces lost one soldier and had seven injured, while the Pakistanis suffered two injured. Casualties on the Somali side were heavy, with estimates on fatalities ranging from 500 to over 2,000 people. The Somali casualties were a mixture of militiamen and local civilians. Somali civilians suffered heavy casualties due to the dense urban character of that portion of Mogadishu. Two days later, a mortar round fell on the U.S. compound, killing one U.S. soldier, and injuring another twelve.

Flag of the Islamic Courts Union.

Mogadishu was subsequently run by competing warlords until 2006, when Islamists and businessmen formed a successful coalition, seized control and governed the city as the Union of Islamic Courts. Later that same year, the Ethiopian military invaded to oust the U.I.C. and restore the internationally-recognized government,^[12] which had long remained in exile in Kenya.

Mogadishu was the scene of bitter warfare and devastation caused by fighting between Ethiopian troops, which invaded Somalia to support a fragile government, and Islamist guerrillas. Fighting escalated in March–April 2007, November 2007 and April 2008 with hundreds of civilian casualties. In October 2008, the BBC reported that the city had been "abandoned by at least half of its residents", and that there were "street after ruined street of bombed-out buildings in the center of Mogadishu".^[12]

Skyline of Mogadishu

As of 2008, a 2,700-strong African Union peacekeeping force is attempting to bring stability and security to the city,^[12] as well as providing medical aid to the population.^[13]

Since May 8, 2009, there has been an increase in violence reportedly leading to the displacement of more than 165,000 of the inhabitants. The violence has culminated in several suicide bomb attacks, normally rare occurrences in Somalia.^{[14] [15][16]} The attacks have claimed many lives, amongst them Mohamed Hussein Addow, a legislative politician and the third high-profile public killing in as many days throughout the country.^[17] Mayor Abdurisaq Mohamed Nor has told civilians to seek refuge from the fighting outside the capital, advising to keep at least 2km distance between themselves and the capital ahead of a new government offensive.^[3]

Geography

Mogadishu is located at 2°4′N 45°22′E / 2.067°N 45.367°E / 2.067; 45.367. The Shebelle River (Webiga Shabelle) rises in central Ethiopia and comes within 30 kilometers (19 mi) of the Indian Ocean near Mogadishu before turning southwestward. Usually dry during February and March, the river provides water essential for the cultivation of sugarcane, cotton, and bananas.

Features of the city include the Hamarwein old town, the Bakaara Market, and the former resort of Gezira Beach. The sandy beaches of Mogadishu are reported by the few Western travelers to be among the most beautiful in the world, offering easy access to vibrant coral reefs.^[18]

Climate

For a city situated so near the equator, Mogadishu has a surprisingly dry climate. It is classified as semiarid under the Koppen climate classification. Much of the land the city lies upon is desert terrain. The city has a low annual rainfall of 427mm, most which falls in the wet season. The rains are very variable from year to year, and drought is a constant problem for the people living in Somalia.

Sunshine is abundant in the city, averaging eight to ten hours a day around the year. It is lowest during the wet season, when there is some coastal fog and greater cloud coverage as warm air passes over the cool sea surface.

Economy

Bakaara Market in the heart of Mogadishu. Somali marketplaces have thrived due to the fragility of the government.^[20]

A Coca-Cola bottling plant in Mogadishu

Mogadishu serves as a commercial and financial center. The economy has recovered somewhat from the civil unrest although the Somali Civil War still presents many problems. The effective absence of government yields free trade without taxes or regulatory expenditures, but comes at the cost of civil society and infrastructure. Businesses have hired armed militias to provide security against gunmen, leading to a gradual reduction in open street violence^{[citation needed]}. However, high levels of crime including frequent murders and occasional bombings are still rampant in the city.

Principal industries include food and beverage processing and textiles, especially cotton ginning. The main market offers a variety of goods from food to electronic gadgets.

Hormuud, the biggest telephone company in southern and central Somalia, has its headquarters in the city.

Telcom, a telecommunications network operator, has its headquarters in the city.

Transportation

Aerial view of the Port of Mogadishu in 1992. Three cargo ships, large, medium and small sized vessels are moored to the docks. A tugboat is heading out of the port.

Road

Roads leading out of Mogadishu connect the city to many other Somali locales and to Ethiopia and Kenya.

Air

Private airlines such as Jubba Airways service Mogadishu at various airports within and around the city. The intense fighting largely destroyed the old Mogadishu International Airport (now renamed Aden Adde International Airport), which briefly reopened before the War in Somalia (2006-2009). As of 2007, K50 Airport serves Mogadishu.^[21]

Sea

Mogadishu leads Somalia in port traffic and still serves as a major seaport. International traders actively benefit from its de facto duty-free status. However, piracy is widespread around Somalia's coastal areas, making sea transport risky.^[22][23]

Railway

There were projects during the 1980s to reactivate the 114 km railway between Mogadishu and Jowhar, built by the Italians in 1926 but dismantled in WWII by British troops. The Mogadishu-Villabruzzi Railway was planned in 1939 to reach Addis Ababa.

Government

Mogadishu had no functioning government for many years since the city was mostly under the control of various heavily-armed militias and factions. In recent years, however, the Transitional Federal Government, with the help of foreign troops, appears to have finally amassed the necessary military wherewithal to engage the militias and reestablish the rule of law. Currently, up to a third of Mogadishu is held by insurgents.^[24]

Education

Despite the civil unrest, Mogadishu counts several institutions of higher learning.

Mogadishu University is a non-governmental university that is governed by a Board of Trustees and a University Council. It is the brainchild of a number of professors from the Somali National University as well as other Somali intellectuals who sought to find ways to provide post-secondary education in the wake of the civil war. Financed by the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as well as other donor institutions, the university counts hundreds of young Somali graduates from its seven faculties, some of whom continue on to pursue Master's degrees abroad thanks to a scholarship program. Mogadishu University has established partnerships with several other academic institutions, including the University of Aalborg in Denmark, three universities in Egypt, seven universities in Sudan, the University of Djibouti, and two universities in Yemen. It has also been scored among the 100 best universities in Africa in spite of the harsh environment, which has been hailed as a triumph for grass-roots initiatives.^[25]

The Somali National University, founded in 1954 during the "Italian Trust Administration of Somalia" (AFIS), has been closed indefinitely due to extensive damage.

Benadir University (BU) was established in 2002 with the intention of training doctors. It has since expanded into other fields.

Due to human capital shortage in the country's private sector management, the Somali Institute of Management and Administration Development (SIMAD) has given priority to the fields of business administration, information technology and accountancy.

Sport

The city is home to Mogadiscio Stadium, which plays host to the Somalia Cup and to football (soccer) teams from the Somalia League.

Notable Mogadishans

Born in Mogadishu, supermodel Iman was the first Somali woman to appear on the cover of Vogue in 1979 and to sign a cosmetics contract.

• Ayub Daud, professional footballer
• Fatima Siad, fashion model
• Ali Mohamed Ghedi, former Prime Minister of Somalia
• Iman, supermodel
• K'naan, award-winning musician
• Mo Farah, international track and field athlete
• Mustafa Mohamed, professional athlete
• Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, Prime Minister of Somalia
• Rageh Omaar, award-winning journalist
• Saba Anglana, international singer
• Said Sheikh Samatar, scholar and writer
• Yasmin Warsame, supermodel
• Zahra Bani, professional athlete

See also

• Mogadishu-Villabruzzi Railway

References

External links

• Mogadishu city portal
• GlobalSecurity.org page on the city's history
• Mogadishu at Google Maps
• Map of Mogadishu (1997)
• BBC articles:
  • "Inside Somalia's danger zone", October 5, 2008 (videos)
  • "Somalian 'ghost city' wracked by war", October 6, 2008
• Photos of Mogadishu taken between 1993 and 1995
•  "Mukdishu". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911. 

Somalia Capital: Mogadishu Topics Politics (Parliament - Foreign relations) · Geography · Economy (Currency: Somali shilling) · Communications · Transportation · History · Human rights · Culture · Law · Demographics · Military Disputed and de facto states Federative States Somaliland · Puntland · Galmudug Islamist Administrations al-Shabab (Kismayo) · Milatu Ibrahim (Baydhabo)  · Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a (Cabudwaaq) Former Administrations Southwestern Somalia · Islamic Courts Union  · Hizbul Islam  · Jubaland · Maakhir Proposed States Northland State · Hiiraanland · Banaadir State Regions Awdal · Bakool · Banaadir · Bari · Bay · Galguduud · Gedo · Hiiraan · Jubbada Dhexe · Jubbada Hoose · Mudug · Nugaal · Sanaag · Shabeellaha Dhexe · Shabeellaha Hoose · Sool · Togdheer · Woqooyi Galbeed See also War in Somalia

From Wikitravel

WARNING: Mogadishu is regarded as the most lawless and dangerous city on Earth. It is not safe for leisure or tourism. If you are planning a visit for international aid work, etc, you will need expert advice and planning.

Mogadishu in 2006

Mogadishu (Somali: Muqdisho) is the official capital of Somalia. However, the internationally-recognized Transitional Federal Government (TFN) only controls a few square blocks; the rest is in the hands of Islamist and/or clan or warlord-affiliated militias. In early 2006, the Union of Islamic courts removed a US-backed coalition of warlords from power and restored order to the volatile capital for some six months. On December 28, 2006, however, the Islamic regime fled the city to the south as Ethiopian-backed government troops re-took the capital without firing a shot in a surprising escalation of events. However, the Ethiopian occupiers were widely despised and began withdrawing in 2007. Since then, various militias have been vying for control and most are opposed to the legitimate government. The fighting has created tens of thousands of fleeing refugees, has forced many non-government organizations (NGOs) to cease operations (such as providing food, shelter and medicine) and has brought Somalia's very existence as a country to breaking-point. The fact that even thousands of Somalis refuse to stay there should make the situation clear: the city is extremely dangerous.

Understand

While historically inaccurate, the war film Black Hawk Down can, in some ways, give a better understanding of the lawlessness and dangers that exist in Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia. The book Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden gives more detail and a very accurate description of what Mogadishu was like back in 1993. The story of Black Hawk Down is based on the deaths of 18 American servicemen who were killed on the lawless streets of Mogadishu. While the film's slogan is 'no-one is left behind', the U.S Army could do little to stop Mogadishu warlords from pulling the corpses of 5 soldiers (Randy Shughart, Gary Gordon, Ray Frank, Bill Cleveland, and Tommy Fields) through the streets of the city tied to the back of their pick-up trucks. All 5 bodies were later recovered.

Get in

The Mogadishu airport was bombed in December 2006 by Ethiopia to keep the Islamic Fighters from receiving supplies. According to BBC News, international flights are available, but only on Russian planes that land on dirt strips outside the Capital. It is possible to drive into the city by truck, but this is considered a risky activity, unless you employ a small battalion of local militia which are readily available for hire. Roads link the city with many Somali locales and with Kenya and Ethiopia. Armed guards, hired security forces, and experienced guides are all but mandatory for a safe entry, and even then the risk of your being injured, killed or captured is extremely high.

By boat

Small cargo ships regularly leave from the Old Harbour of Mombasa for Mogadishu and sometimes Kismayo. Speak with the security officers at the gate of this tiny port and they will negotiate a fare with the captain. The journey will take 2-5 days, depending on conditions. The sea is rough in July-August, requiring lengthier travel.

Arriving by boat is risky, as there is the strong possibility of being attacked by pirates, though the port area is relatively secure.

Get around

Mogadishu has had no effective government for 18 years, which has left the transport network that was in place in disrepair. Roads are a muddy mess during rain, traffic lights do not work, and there are no enforced traffic laws or public transport. Roads may be blocked or closed with no notice by militiamen. Traffic drives on the right. Some reports say that to get through intersections near markets crowded with people, those wealthy enough to have vehicles fire machine guns into the air to clear a path. Safe travel through Mogadishu is only possible by convoy with heavily armed guides and guards, which actually can be hired quite easily. Even with guards, the likelihood of being injured, kidnapped, and/or killed is still very high.

Mogadishu mosque during the Eid festival

• Arba-Rucun Mosque (Mosque of the four pillars). Fortunate enough to have a relation to Islam, one of few things the city's warlords can agree on, this 1269 mosque has been more lucky than the neighbouring cathedral, and is one of very few buildings in the historic center which is not a ruin. It's said to have been built by a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed.  edit

Learn

The Mogadishu University is a non-governmental university that is governed by the Board of Trustees and the University Council. Admission requirements for the University as listed on their website include:

Original secondary school certificate plus one copy. Birth certificate. Certificate of good conduct. 12 photos (6 x 4) cm. Completed application form. Payment of the registration fee. Passing written and oral entrance examinations.

Benadir University was started in 2002 with the intention to train doctors but has expanded into other fields.

Buy

The Bakaara Market (Somali: Suuqa Bakaaraha) is a Mogadishu open market and the largest in Somalia. The name Bakaaraha derives from the Somali word for grain silo or storage, baqaar. (Bakaaraha is a definite article.)

The market was created in late 1972 during the reign of Siad Barre regime. Proprietors sold and still sell daily essentials (including staples such as maize, sorghum, beans, peanuts, sesame, wheat and rice), petrol and medicine. But it expanded during and after the civil war and has gained notoriety as a market for small arms and other weapons, including rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), mortars (80mm and 120mm), 23mm and 30mm antiaircraft guns, and ammunition of all types.

It has also gained infamy as a hub for falsified documents. Forged Somali passports can be processed within minutes, and Ethiopian and Kenyan passports are also available. Birth certificates, university diplomas, and various forms of photo identification can also be openly purchased. This illicit sub-market is known as Cabdalle Shideeye after one of its first proprietors.

The Bakaara Market is a focus of ongoing arms control efforts for the disarmament in Somalia. The market should be considered hazardous not only because of its content and the presence of some unsavory characters, but also because it has caught fire several times in the last few years.

Eat

International cuisine can be found at Nasa Hablod Restaurant inside Hotel Nasa Hablod and at the Sahafi Hotel. These are probably the safest options for travelers.

• Abdille Nuradin's Bar, (Infront of the STN Tele Comp). Opening Time 8AM/6PM. 1000 shln per drink.  edit

• Hotel Nasa-Hablod [1] Km 4, (2 Km from International Airport), [2], eno@deeqa.com . Restaurant, meeting rooms, safe box, TV, internet access, a/c. contact details Hotel Naso- Hablod km .4 Mogadishu - Somalia Tel:+25215549313,+25250960805,953030 Fax:: +2521215943

• Sahafi Hotel. One of the best hotels in Mogadishu. The Manager is very helpful, the staff is attentive, and the food is good. Although the compound is probably your safest bet (if there is such a thing) in Mogadishu, a BBC producer was shot in the back and killed in front of the hotel in 2005, and two French citizens abducted by gunmen in 2009.

Stay safe

The safest way through Mogadishu is escorted by Ethiopian and official Somalian troops; however, they themselves are a target for the militias and may come under attack. Independent travel is suicidal. When being escorted, it is best to be in an armored car. Infantry are highly likely to get engaged in street battles, and an armored vehicle can provide far better protection against most threats. A bullet proof vest is a must-have in Mogadishu.

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

English

Wikipedia has an article on:

Mogadishu

Wikipedia

Proper noun

Mogadishu

1. The capital city of Somalia

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