Somalia
Africa · Eastern Africa
Recovering failed state; Al-Shabaab remains active, but Mogadishu is slowly rebuilding.
At a Glance
📈Somalia's Human Development Index
0.380
Low human development#191 of 191 countries worldwide, #54 of 54 in Africa.
Higher than 0% of countries with data. UNDP Human Development Report.
UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.
Closest indicators in this dataset
World Bank, own vintages. UNDP’s own component values are not carried here, so these are related measures rather than the index inputs.
Nearest countries by HDI
Full HDI ranking, all 191 countries →Somalia
Somalia is a country on the Horn of Africa with a coastline longer than any in sub-Saharan Africa, an ancient trading heritage connecting the Indian Ocean world, and a culture with one of the richest oral poetry traditions anywhere. The landscape ranges from fertile river valleys in the south to dramatic highland gorges. It remains a very challenging destination requiring extensive local knowledge and planning, but the culture and landscape hold something genuinely extraordinary.
- No stable central government since 1991 — yet Somaliland in the north has been peaceful for 30 years.
- Has the longest coastline in continental Africa.
- Somali pirates at peak (2011) were costing global shipping $7 billion per year.
Quick Facts
Capital
Mogadishu
Languages
Arabic, Somali
Currency
Sh SOS
Area
627,340 km²
Nomad Hub
Fixed Broadband
18Mbps
GDP / Capita
$661
PPP / Capita
$2K
Unemployment
18.9%
GNI / Capita
$640
Tax Revenue
2.2%
FDI Inflows
6.4%
Education Spend
0.0%
Price Level Index
58th pct
20-Year Trend + IMF Forecast
Income & inflation over time
Twenty years here
Year by year →The world report →World Bank observations, first to last available year per indicator (roughly 2005–2024; each series has its own window).
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💬Quick answers
What is Somalia's Human Development Index?
Somalia's Human Development Index is 0.380 (UNDP Human Development Report), ranked #191 of 191 countries.
Is Somalia safe?
Somalia scores 2.97 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #150 of 160 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.
What is life expectancy in Somalia?
Life expectancy at birth in Somalia is 59.0 yrs (World Bank), ranked #190 of 195 countries.