British Somaliland

British protectorate 1884–1960 comprising over 176,000 sq km/67,980 sq mi of territory on the north Somali coast of East Africa, opposite its base at Aden. In 1960 British Somaliland united with Italian Somaliland to form the independent state of Somalia. British authorities were harassed from 1899 by Somali nationalists, led by the Muslim leader Muhammad bin Abdullah Hassan (Sayyid Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan), who held the interior until his death in 1920.

During World War II, it was invaded by the Italians from Ethiopia in August 1940 but was retaken in March 1941 as the Italians were driven back in North Africa.