Flag of Somalia, the five edges of the star are said to symbolize the five parts of Greater Somalia

Greater Somalia refers to those regions in the Horn of Africa in which ethnic Somalis live. Greater Somalia thus encompasses Somalia (the former British and Italian colonial areas), eastern Ethiopia, southern Djibouti and northeastern Kenya. Pan-Somalism (Somali: Soomaaliweyn) refers to the irredentist vision of unifying these territories under an enlarged Somali state . The pursuit of this goal has led to conflict, with Somalia engaging in armed warfare twice with Ethiopia over the Ogaden region. Image File history File links Flag_of_Somalia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Somalia. ... Flag ratio: ~2:3 The flag of Somalia was adopted on October 12, 1954. ... Nations of the Horn of Africa. ... Irredentism is an international relations term that involves advocating annexation of territories administered by another state on the grounds of common ethnicity and/or prior historical possession, actual or alleged. ... Ogaden (pronounced and often spelled Ogadēn) is a part of the Somali Region in Ethiopia. ...

Political Situation of "Greater Somalia", December 25 2006

The first armed conflict began in 1963 in an ethnic Oromo and Somali area, Elkere in Bale province, instigated by the Oromo founder of the United Liberation Forces of Oromia, Waqo Gutu. The Bale revolt, a peasant revolt stemming from issues involving land, taxation, class, and religion.^[1] raged in the province for several years until a number of developments took the energy out of the militants, including the decision of Somali Prime Minister Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal to focus his country's resources on economic development.^{[citation needed]} Rebels began to surrender to the Ethiopian government at the end of 1969; Waqo Gutu, who had been the foremost of the insurgents, was surrounded with his command of barely 200 men in Arana by the Ethiopian army in February 1970 and surrendered. Pacification was complete by the next year.^[2] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1400x1512, 96 KB) Somali Political Situation as of December 25th 2006. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1400x1512, 96 KB) Somali Political Situation as of December 25th 2006. ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 6 days remaining for the year. ... The Oromo, formerly called Galla (this usage has now become pejorative, but was widely used into the 20th century) are an indigenous African ethnic group found in Ethiopia and to a lesser extent Kenya. ... Bale was a province in the south-eastern part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Goba. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal (or Maxamed Xaaji Ibraahim Cigaal) (b. ...

From the late 1970s onward, Mogadishu was forced to abandon the dream of recreating Greater Somalia. On 27 June 1977, Djibouti became a sovereign nation after 95% of its population voted against joining Somalia. Ethiopia scored a decisive victory in 1978 that ended the Ogaden War. In 1981, Siad Barre visited Nairobi, Kenya and stated that Somalia was relinquishing its claim on Kenyan territory. Improved relations with Kenya led to the signing of a pact in December 1984 ceasing hostilities along the border. Following renewed hostilities in Ogaden, Ethiopia and Somalia signed a peace treaty in 1988. Mogadishus location in Somalia Mogadishu (Somali: Muqdisho, popularly Xamar; Arabic: ‎ ; Italian: ), is the largest city in Somalia, and its nominal capital. ... June 27 is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 187 days remaining. ... Combatants Ethiopia Cuba Somalia Commanders Mengistu Haile Mariam Siad Barre Strength Ethiopia 217,000 1,500 Soviet advisors 15,000 Cubans SNA 60,000 WSLF 15,000 Casualties Unknown 20,000 killed or wounded 3/4 of the Air Force was lost The Ogaden War was a conventional conflict between... Mohamed Siad Barre (Somali: Maxamed Siyaad Barre) (1919 – January 2, 1995) was the Head of State of Somalia from 1969 to 1991. ... Nairobi (pronounced )is the capital of Kenya. ...

In practical terms, the vision of a Greater Somalia was sidelined by years of anarchy in the Somali Civil War but in late 2006, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, head of the Islamic Courts Union that controls much of southern Somalia, declared that, "We will leave no stone unturned to integrate our Somali brothers in Kenya and Ethiopia and restore their freedom to live with their ancestors in Somalia."^[3] The Somali Civil War is an armed conflict in Somalia that started in 1988. ... Mr. ... Motto: none Anthem: none Capital (and largest city) Mogadishu Somali and Arabic Government  - Executive Chairman Sharif Sheikh Ahmed  - Shura Chairman Hassan Dahir Aweys Civil War Faction Has not declared autonomy nor independence   - Established June 6th 2006 in Mogadishu  Area  - Total not finalized/civil war km² (not ranked) n/a sq...

Notes

November 18 is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... November 29 is the 333rd (in leap years the 334th) day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Further reading

• Pierre Petrides, The Boundary Question between Ethiopia and Somalia. New Delhi, 1983.

External Links

• Somalia Online News and Discussions