Hargeisa
Encyclopedia
Hargeisa is a city in the northwestern Woqooyi Galbeed
region of Somalia
. With a population of approximately 2 million residents, it is the second largest city in the country. Hargeisa is the capital
of Somaliland
, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia. 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.
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 a lot of 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.
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, camel
s and early dog
s. 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 region
and Africa in general, dating back to somewhere between 8,000 and 9,000 BCE.
In 1888, after signing successive treaties with the then ruling Somali
Sultan
s such as Mohamoud Ali Shire
of the Warsangali Sultanate, the British established a protectorate
in the region referred to as British Somaliland
. 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. Days later, the country was unified with Italian Somaliland
to form a new Somali Republic (Somalia
) on 1 July 1960.
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 Somaliland 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.
A war memorial in the form of a MiG fighter jet was erected in Hargeisa to mark this event.
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 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.
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.
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 also close to another town in northwestern Somalia called Gabiley" -and this district it is the agricultural leader of the country,its sites of fertility can be mentioned Allay - Baday (center of the Tomatoes sawing produces millions of tons of tomato and onion each month during the rainy season, also Arabsiyo - center lemon production)
, wild boar, Somali Wild Ass
, warthog
s, antelope
s, the Somali sheep
, wild goats, camel
s and many different types of bird
s. South of Hargeisa is a grassland savannah
, which attracts many types of wildlife to the area including lion
s and leopard
s.
Hargeisa is the financial
hub to many entrepreneurial industries ranging from food processing
, gem stonecutters, construction
, retail, import
and export
, Internet cafe
s, 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 a private and public menagerie
s, it houses animals from the region including lion
s, leopard
s, antelope
s, bird
s and reptile
s.
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.
In Hargeisa, there are several colleges and some universities; the main ones includes University of Hargeisa
, Admas University College
, Somaliland University of Technology
, Gollis University
and Hope University
The Edna Adan Maternity Hospital
offers nursing programmes.
There are also several state-run and privately owned secondary
and high schools including Abaarso Tech
, the premiere secondary school in the capital region. Abaarso Tech is located about 8 miles due west of Hargeysa. In addition, many primary schools and nurseries
are dispersed all around the city.
Students receive instruction from teachers who have studied abroad or from teachers who were educated prior to the Somali Civil War
.
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
, STC
, Nationlink Somaliland, Soltelco Telcom
and Somtel.
, Sudan
. Khartoum
, Sudan
.
Woqooyi Galbeed
Woqooyi Galbeed, also known as Maroodi Jeex, is an administrative region in northwestern Somalia. It lies in the territory of Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia....
region of Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. With a population of approximately 2 million residents, it is the second largest city in the country. Hargeisa is the capital
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia. It was the colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
capital of the British Somaliland
British Somaliland
British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied by the Italians and was part of Italian East Africa...
protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
from 1941 to 1960, when it gained independence as the State of Somaliland
State of Somaliland
The State of Somaliland was a short-lived independent state in the territory of modern-day Somalia.-History:In May 1960, the British Government stated that it would be prepared to grant independence to the then protectorate of British Somaliland, with the intention that the territory would unite...
and united with Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland , also known as Italian Somalia, was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy from the 1880s until 1936 in the region of modern-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th century by the Somali Sultanate of Hobyo and the Majeerteen Sultanate, the territory was later acquired by Italy through various...
to form the Somali Republic.
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 a lot of rock art
Rock art
Rock art is a term used in archaeology for any human-made markings made on natural stone. They can be divided into:*Petroglyphs - carvings into stone surfaces*Pictographs - rock and cave paintings...
from the Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
period, Hargeisa is also a commercial hub for precious stone-cutting, construction, retail services and importing/exporting, among other activities.
Prehistoric inhabitants
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
cave paintings recently discovered named Laas Geel. The cave paintings are situated on the outskirts of the city, located around a plethora of granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
alcoves and rocky mountains. The paintings show ancient inhabitants of the area worshipping cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
. It also shows animals which are commonly seen in the region primarily antelopes, camel
Camel
A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
s and early dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s. The Laas Geel cave paintings were discovered in November 2002 by a French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
archaeological team. They contain some of the earliest known art in the Horn region
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
and Africa in general, dating back to somewhere between 8,000 and 9,000 BCE.
British Somaliland
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
s such as Mohamoud Ali Shire
Mohamoud Ali Shire
Mohamoud Ali Shire was a Somali ruler. He was the 20th Sultan of the Warsangali Sultanate from 1897 to 1960.-Titles:Also known as the Gerad, the Sultan was the sole regent and governor of the sultanate. He also enjoyed many other titles, including "Sovereign of the House of North East of...
of the Warsangali Sultanate, the British established a protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
in the region referred to as British Somaliland
British Somaliland
British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied by the Italians and was part of Italian East Africa...
. The British garrisoned the protectorate from Aden in present-day Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, 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
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
.
Berbera
Berbera
Berbera is a city and seat of Berbera District in Somaliland, a self-proclaimed Independent Republic with de facto control over its own territory, which is recognized by the international community and the Somali Government as a part of Somalia...
, a major trading harbour on the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
, 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
East African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
, 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. Days later, the country was unified with Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland , also known as Italian Somalia, was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy from the 1880s until 1936 in the region of modern-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th century by the Somali Sultanate of Hobyo and the Majeerteen Sultanate, the territory was later acquired by Italy through various...
to form a new Somali Republic (Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
) on 1 July 1960.
1980s events
Due to the BarreSiad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre was the military dictator and President of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 1991. During his rule, he styled himself as Jaalle Siyaad ....
regime's violent repression, Somalis in the northwestern part of the country (particularly the Isaaq
Isaaq
The Isaaq is one of the main Somali clans. Members of the clan principally live in the northwestern Somaliland region of Somalia, and the Somali Region of Ethiopia. The populations of five major cities of Somaliland – Hargeisa, Burco, Berbera, Ceerigaabo and Gabiley – are predominantly Isaaq...
clan), encouraged by Ethiopia in opposition to Somalia, took up arms and formed the Somaliland 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.
A war memorial in the form of a MiG fighter jet was erected in Hargeisa to mark this event.
Reconstruction
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, 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....
shifted in favor of the United Somali Congress
United Somali Congress
The United Somali Congress is one of the major political and paramilitary organizations of Somalia. Formed in 1988, it played a key role in the ouster of the government of Siad Barre, and became a major target of the so-called Operation Restore Hope campaign in 1993...
(USC) in 1991, a power struggle between the leaders had led to the city's destruction. While Mogadishu and the rest 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
Facelift
Facelift is the common name for rhytidectomy, a cosmetic surgery procedure.Facelift may also refer to:* Facelift , the revival of a product through cosmetic means such as changing its appearance...
and most of the devastated commercial
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
and residential homes have been rebuilt and are in better condition than before the war, with larger use of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
and concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
instead of mud
Mud
Mud is a mixture of water and some combination of soil, silt, and clay. Ancient mud deposits harden over geological time to form sedimentary rock such as shale or mudstone . When geological deposits of mud are formed in estuaries the resultant layers are termed bay muds...
and adobe
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
. 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.
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.
Geography
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
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
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. This altitude gives Hargeisa and the surrounding area a milder climate than the Gulf of Aden
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....
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
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
, and used to be surrounded by forest when the city was smaller but the countryside around the city still has small juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
forests. Near Hargeisa are the fertile Sheikh and Daallo mountains, which also receive large amount of rain
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
. South of Hargeisa is the Hawd Savannah (Baligubadle) which attracts many different animals to graze in the area
Hargeisa is also close to another town in northwestern Somalia called Gabiley" -and this district it is the agricultural leader of the country,its sites of fertility can be mentioned Allay - Baday (center of the Tomatoes sawing produces millions of tons of tomato and onion each month during the rainy season, also Arabsiyo - center lemon production)
Wildlife
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. Animals that can be found in Hargeisa include the KuduKudu
The kudus are two species of antelope of the genus Tragelaphus:*Lesser Kudu, Tragelaphus imberbis*Greater Kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros- Etymology :...
, wild boar, Somali Wild Ass
Somali Wild Ass
The Somali Wild Ass is a subspecies of the African wild ass. It was found in the Southern Red Sea region of Eritrea, the Afar Region of Ethiopia, and Somalia...
, warthog
Warthog
The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...
s, antelope
Antelope
Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old-world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats...
s, the Somali sheep
Somali sheep
The Somali sheep, occasionally known as the Berbera Blackhead, is a hair sheep native to Somalia. The animal is reared primarily for meat production and it is one of the major exports of the Somali economy.-Appearance:...
, wild goats, camel
Camel
A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
s and many different types of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s. South of Hargeisa is a grassland savannah
Savannah
Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
, which attracts many types of wildlife to the area including lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s and leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
s.
Economy
FINANCIAL
FINANCIAL is the weekly English-language newspaper with offices in Tbilisi, Georgia and Kiev, Ukraine. Published by Intelligence Group LLC, FINANCIAL is focused on opinion leaders and top business decision-makers; It's about world’s largest companies, investing, careers, and small business. It is...
hub to many entrepreneurial industries ranging from food processing
Food processing
Food processing is the set of methods and techniques used to transform raw ingredients into food or to transform food into other forms for consumption by humans or animals either in the home or by the food processing industry...
, gem stonecutters, construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
, retail, import
Import
The term import is derived from the conceptual meaning as to bring in the goods and services into the port of a country. The buyer of such goods and services is referred to an "importer" who is based in the country of import whereas the overseas based seller is referred to as an "exporter". Thus...
and export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
, Internet cafe
Internet cafe
An Internet café or cybercafé is a place which provides internet access to the public, usually for a fee. These businesses usually provide snacks and drinks, hence the café in the name...
s, and companies that process remittances from relatives abroad who send money
Somaliland shilling
The Somaliland shilling is the official currency of Somaliland, a de facto independent republic which is recognized as a part of Somalia. It was introduced on 18 October 1994 at one new Somaliland shilling to 100 Somali shillings...
. 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 a private and public menagerie
Menagerie
A menagerie is/was a form of keeping common and exotic animals in captivity that preceded the modern zoological garden. The term was first used in seventeenth century France in reference to the management of household or domestic stock. Later, it came to be used primarily in reference to...
s, it houses animals from the region including lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s, leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
s, antelope
Antelope
Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old-world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats...
s, bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s and reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s.
Transport
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, Djibouti City, Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and many other cities across Africa and Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. All foreigners are required to exchange 50 US Dollars to local currency
Currency
In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
(which is the Somaliland Shilling
Somaliland shilling
The Somaliland shilling is the official currency of Somaliland, a de facto independent republic which is recognized as a part of Somalia. It was introduced on 18 October 1994 at one new Somaliland shilling to 100 Somali shillings...
. (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
Berbera
Berbera is a city and seat of Berbera District in Somaliland, a self-proclaimed Independent Republic with de facto control over its own territory, which is recognized by the international community and the Somali Government as a part of Somalia...
and Borama to Hargeisa.
Taxis are available, but are a less common form of public transport.
Education
University of Hargeisa
The University of Hargeisa is a public university located in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia. The university has over 2,600 students, and operates on a four to six year system...
, Admas University College
Admas University College, Hargeisa
Admas University College, Hargeisa is a leading institution of higher education established in 2006 in Hargeisa, Somaliland — a de facto independent republic which is formally recognized as a part of Somalia....
, Somaliland University of Technology
Somaliland University of Technology
Somaliland University of Technology is the only stand-alone technical university in the Republic of Somaliland. It is located in Hargeisa, the capital city.-Overview:...
, Gollis University
Gollis University
Gollis University is a higher education institute in Hargeisa, Somaliland...
and Hope University
Hope University
Hope University is a national non-for-profit cost recovering higher education establishment. Hope University also known as HU operates in Hargeisa, Somaliland was founded in 2008 by Prof...
The Edna Adan Maternity Hospital
Edna Adan Maternity Hospital
Edna Adan Maternity Hospital is a non-profit charity hospital built in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Founded by the autonomous northwestern Somaliland region's former foreign minister and former first lady of Somalia, Edna Adan Ismail, the hospital has as its primary mission to provide better health care...
offers nursing programmes.
There are also several state-run and privately owned secondary
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
and high schools including Abaarso Tech
Abaarso Tech
Abaarso Tech is an advanced educational institute with its main campus located in Abaarso, Somaliland, west of its capital city of Hargeisa. As of 2011, it consists of a secondary boarding school, undergraduate and graduate programs, tutoring program and vocational English training...
, the premiere secondary school in the capital region. Abaarso Tech is located about 8 miles due west of Hargeysa. In addition, many primary schools and nurseries
Nursery school
A nursery school is a school for children between the ages of one and five years, staffed by suitably qualified and other professionals who encourage and supervise educational play rather than simply providing childcare...
are dispersed all around the city.
Students receive instruction from teachers who have studied abroad or from teachers who were educated prior to the Somali Civil War
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
.
Communication
Hargeisa has a modern telephone systemTelephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
and nearly everyone in the city enjoys a telephone and some with access to the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. 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
Telesom
Telesom is a privately held telecommunications company. It is headquartered in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia.-Overview:...
, STC
STC
- Education :* S. Thomas' College, Mt Lavinia, a private school in Sri Lanka* South Texas College* South Thames College* Sha Tin College, Hong Kong* Saint Theresa's College, Philippines- Organizations :* Scarborough Town Centre* Space Transport Corporation...
, Nationlink Somaliland, Soltelco Telcom
Telcom
Telcom is a telecommunications network operator in Somalia. It is the first major privately-owned company providing telecommunications services to Somali cities.-Overview:...
and Somtel.
Twin cities
OmdurmanOmdurman
Omdurman is the second largest city in Sudan and Khartoum State, lying on the western banks of the River Nile, opposite the capital, Khartoum. Omdurman has a population of 2,395,159 and is the national centre of commerce...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
.